Keyboard reference

Open Keyboard & clipboard help from the math toolbar, or press F1 while the formula has focus. This also works in a toolbar-free inline field. Some keyboards require Fn+F1. Close help to return to the previously focused input without editing the formula.

Use Cmd on macOS and Ctrl on Windows/Linux. Alt is Option on macOS. The host and operating system can reserve keys; the field only handles its shortcuts while it has focus.

Enter depends on context

An active suggestion normally receives Enter. Escape dismisses it first if you want a different action. Operand-only suggestions and existing-symbol replacement suggestions require an explicit keyboard choice before Enter applies them. The first Down selects the first candidate; further Up/Down changes the choice. Alt+Down explicitly opens and selects a context action. Clicking a candidate applies it directly. Moving the caret, changing the formula, leaving the field, or dismissing the menu clears the previous keyboard choice. Without a choice, Enter follows the field or host policy.

In a block field, Enter follows the configured newline/commit policy. Shift+Enter bypasses suggestion acceptance and creates a row in a grid or a line at the outer block level. Inline fields do not create top-level formula lines. Their completion and boundary-exit behavior belongs to the embedding host.

Delete depends on context

Backspace/Delete removes a selection. At a structure boundary it can unwrap retained contents. An empty slot can remove or reduce its enclosing structure. Populated grids require their grid selection/deletion policy so cells are not silently flattened. At the end of a top-level line, Delete joins the following line; Backspace at the next line's start joins backward. Undo restores the change.

Without a selection, ^, _, and / immediately use the preceding operand. a+b/ becomes a+\frac{b}{}; selecting all of a+b before / uses the whole selection as numerator. An existing structure immediately before the caret is one operand. x^2_3 puts both scripts on the same base. With no operand, / starts in an empty numerator; ^ and _ start in an empty script. Each conversion is one Undo step. Without a selection, opening fence keys create an empty body at the caret without consuming the preceding operand. Literal text, matrix rectangles and multiline ranges retain their own rules. See selection editing, copy and paste and practice exercises.

Change an existing symbol

Move the caret directly before or after a catalog symbol such as ℝ, α, or →. Suggestions show related symbols first. Press Down to select the first replacement, use Up/Down to change the choice, then Enter to apply it. Merely moving beside a symbol does not let Enter replace it. Only that symbol changes; surrounding text and the caret side remain intact. Escape closes the menu. At a boundary between two symbols, the left symbol is the target.

A bare letter prioritizes related mathematical letter forms: r or R shows ℝ and ρ before right-arrow matches. Use right, rightarrow, or -> to search for arrows explicitly. Text changes only after you accept a candidate.

Type brackets directly

A nonempty selection is wrapped instead. Nested fences close one at a time. A cursor inside a fraction or other nested slot must leave that slot before it can close the outer fence. A mismatched closer or a closer in the middle of a body remains ordinary text.

Half-open intervals and custom fences use their actual closing delimiter, including (…] and [… ). Choose their shape in suggestions or the toolbar; ( and [ start the ordinary matched pair. < and > remain comparison symbols. Two | keystrokes open and close an empty absolute value; use the norm tool or the ‖ character for a norm. Clipboard and IME input retain their own rules. Type cases or use the toolbar for a cases structure; { now creates braces directly.