ChatGPT & Gemini: Shortcuts and Prompt Workflows

Desktop commands and web commands can differ

A model name does not define the keyboard interface. A desktop app, browser tab, and embedded assistant can use different bindings. Custom settings and extensions can change them again. Start with the command list inside the application you are actually using.

In the ChatGPT desktop app, open Settings > Keyboard Shortcuts to inspect or customize bindings. The documented defaults include these examples. Check the current settings if a command does something different.

Reference: official OpenAI documentation for desktop commands. These examples describe the desktop app; use the web interface's own shortcut help in a browser.

Gemini: an @ selection is not a universal hotkey

In the prompt field, type @ to choose an available connected app. Which apps appear depends on your account, permissions, and interface. Selecting an app may require connecting it or granting permission. Typing its name does not grant access to an account by itself.

Gemini in Chrome is a separate interface with its own shortcuts. Avoid applying an integration shortcut to the standalone website. Review Google's Connected Apps instructions and Gemini in Chrome settings for the feature you use.

Practice with a prompt you can evaluate

Use a small sample rather than a private work document. For example, ask an assistant to turn a fictional meeting note into a checklist. Write the task, provide the sample, and specify the result:

Turn the note below into a checklist. Include only actions explicitly stated in the note. Keep names and dates unchanged. Mark missing owners as unspecified. Sample note: Rina will prepare the draft on Friday. The team still needs to choose a reviewer.

Check three things: did it preserve Friday, did it keep Rina as the draft owner, and did it avoid inventing a reviewer? If it made an assumption, revise the instruction or correct the output. A structured prompt makes evaluation easier; it does not guarantee a correct answer.

Use headings to separate instructions from source text. For code, preserve indentation and identify the language. Formatting helps readability, but it does not turn a prompt into an application command or automatically enable a feature.

When a key combination fails

Check which window and input field have focus. A browser, extension, operating system, or remote session can receive a command before the assistant does. Look up the action by name in the app's menus, try it there, then inspect its assigned shortcut.

For factual research, read original sources before relying on an answer. Check calculations and code with the appropriate tools. Save useful output in your own document and avoid pasting credentials into prompts.

Content revised 22 October 2026. Report a correction with the app, platform, command, and observed result.