This reference lists user-facing keys backed by Herald’s current key handlers and key hints. When a key appears in multiple sections, the most specific focused overlay or panel wins.
| Key | Result |
|---|
q | Quit Herald. |
ctrl+c | Quit Herald from any state, including text inputs and overlays. |
1 | Switch to Timeline, or choose quick reply 1 when quick reply picker is open. |
2 | Switch to Compose, or choose quick reply 2 when quick reply picker is open. |
3 | Switch to Cleanup, or choose quick reply 3 when quick reply picker is open. |
4 | Switch/load Contacts, or choose quick reply 4 when quick reply picker is open. |
tab / ctrl+i | Cycle focus forward, except in search where it can run server search. |
shift+tab | Cycle focus backward where supported. |
f | Toggle folder sidebar on tabs that support it. |
c | Toggle chat panel. |
l / L | Toggle log viewer. |
r | Refresh the current folder. |
S | Open settings. |
a | Start AI classification for the current folder. |
esc | Close or unwind the active transient state. |
| Key | Result |
|---|
j / down | Move down folder tree. |
k / up | Move up folder tree. |
space | Expand or collapse a folder tree node. |
enter | Select folder or toggle a synthetic parent node. |
| Key | Result |
|---|
enter | Open selected email, expand a collapsed thread, or open selected search result. |
j / down | Move down list, scroll preview, or move quick reply selection depending on focus. |
k / up | Move up list, scroll preview, or move quick reply selection depending on focus. |
/ | Open Timeline search. |
* | Toggle star on current email. |
R | Reply to current email in Compose. |
F | Forward current email in Compose. |
D | Delete current/selected target after confirmation. |
e | Archive current/selected target after confirmation. |
A | Re-classify current email with AI. |
ctrl+q | Open quick reply picker. |
z | Toggle full-screen reader when preview is open. |
s | Save selected attachment from preview. |
[ | Select previous attachment. |
] | Select next attachment. |
u | Unsubscribe when preview body includes unsubscribe data. |
h / H | Hide future mail from current sender. |
v | Toggle visual text selection in preview/full-screen. |
y | Start yy line copy or copy visual selection. |
Y | Copy full wrapped body. |
m | Toggle mouse-selection mode. |
| Key or prefix | Result |
|---|
| Plain query | Local search while typing. |
/b | Body/FTS search over cached bodies. |
/* | Cross-folder cached search. |
? prefix | Semantic search when AI/embeddings are available. |
enter | Run search or focus existing results. |
tab / ctrl+i | Run server IMAP search from search input. |
esc | Close preview, leave results, or clear search depending on current search state. |
| Key | Result |
|---|
j / down | Move to next reply. |
k / up | Move to previous reply. |
enter | Open selected reply in Compose. |
1 through 8 | Choose reply by number. |
esc | Close picker. |
| Key | Result |
|---|
tab | Move through To, CC, BCC, Subject, and Body; accept subject hint when visible. |
ctrl+s | Send message. |
ctrl+p | Toggle Markdown preview. |
ctrl+a | Open outgoing attachment path prompt. |
ctrl+g | Toggle Compose AI assistant panel. |
ctrl+j | Generate AI subject suggestion. |
ctrl+enter | Accept AI response into body. |
esc | Dismiss subject hint, AI panel, or compose status. |
up / down | Move autocomplete selection when suggestions are visible. |
enter / tab | Accept autocomplete suggestion when visible. |
esc | Dismiss autocomplete or attachment prompt when active. |
| Key | Result |
|---|
d | Toggle sender/domain grouping. |
space | Select summary row or detail message. |
enter | Load details from summary, open preview from details, or scroll preview. |
j / down | Move rows or scroll preview. |
k / up | Move rows or scroll preview. |
D | Delete selected/current target. |
e | Archive selected/current target. |
A | Re-classify preview email. |
u | Unsubscribe when preview body supports it. |
h / H | Hide future mail for focused sender. |
W | Open automation rule editor. |
P | Open custom prompt editor. |
C | Open cleanup manager. |
z | Toggle full-screen cleanup preview. |
esc | Close preview/full-screen/overlay. |
| Key | Result |
|---|
/ | Start keyword contact search. |
? | Start semantic contact search. |
| Printable text | Add characters to active contact search. |
backspace / ctrl+h | Delete a search character. |
enter | Confirm search, open contact detail, or open recent email preview depending on focus. |
esc | Clear search, close inline preview, or return from detail. |
tab | Toggle list/detail focus when detail is open. |
j / down | Move down contact list or recent emails. |
k / up | Move up contact list or recent emails. |
e | Enrich selected contact. |
| Overlay | Keys |
|---|
| Delete/archive confirmation | y/Y confirm, n/N/esc cancel. |
| Unsubscribe confirmation | y/Y confirm, n/N/esc cancel. |
| Attachment save prompt | enter save, esc cancel, text edits path. |
| Logs | l close, j/k or arrows scroll, q quit. |
| Chat | enter send, esc or tab close/leave chat, q quit. |
| Rule editor | Form navigation, esc cancel. |
| Prompt editor | Form navigation, esc cancel. |
| Cleanup manager | n new, enter edit, d/D delete, r run all, j/k move, esc close or cancel edit. |
| Settings | Form navigation, enter accept/save, esc cancel where supported. |
| OAuth wait | enter opens browser to authorization URL. |