fedora-simple-keybindings

Simplified and memorable GNOME keybindings for Fedora, applied automatically with one script.

Quick Overview

This project provides a streamlined, layered GNOME keybinding system for Fedora. It replaces GNOME’s default shortcuts with a consistent, mnemonic layout that groups actions by modifier keys:

• Super → Window management and system navigation
• Ctrl + Super → Application launching
• Alt + Super → Media and accessibility controls

All shortcuts are applied automatically via a single script that backs up your existing configuration, loads the new keybindings, and reloads GNOME Shell.

Keybindings

Expand

Super Layer

Action	Keybinding	Comment
Move window	Super + M
Resize window	Super + R
Quit window	Super + Q
Hide window	Super + H	Minimize window
Maximize / Unmaximize	Super + Up / Down	Default
Snap window to Left / Right	Super + ← / →	Default
Maximize horizontally / vertically	Super + End / Home
Center window	Super + C
Toggle fullscreen	Super + F
Toggle always-on-top	Super + T
Toggle show desktop	Shift + Super + H
Toggle show on all workspaces	Super + W
Switch workspace 1–10	Super + 1–0
Move window to workspace 1–10	Super + Shift + 1–0
Switch workspace left / right	Super + – / =
Move window to workspace left / right	Shift + Super + – / =
Force Suspend	Shift + Super + S	systemctl suspend -i (custom)
Lock screen	Super + L	Default
Log out	Shift + Super + L
Power off	Shift + Super + P
Restart	Shift + Super + R
Toggle notification tray	Super + N
Toggle quick settings	Super + S
Toggle application grid	Super + A	Default
Run Command Dialog	Shift + Super + T	opens run command prompt
Focus active notification	Shift + Super + N	focuses system notification

---

Ctrl + Super Layer

Action	Keybinding	Comment
Open Calculator	Ctrl + Super + C
Open Settings	Ctrl + Super + S
Open Software	Ctrl + Shift + Super + S	gnome-software (custom)
Open Browser	Ctrl + Super + B	opens default browser
Open Files	Ctrl + Super + F	nautilus --new-window (custom)
Open Terminal	Ctrl + Super + T	ptyxis --new-window (custom)
Open Notes	Ctrl + Super + N	gnome-text-editor --new-window (custom)
Open System Monitor	Ctrl + Super + M	gnome-system-monitor (custom)
Open Help	Ctrl + Super + F1

---

Alt + Super Layer

Action	Keybinding	Comment
Volume Up / Down / Mute	Alt + Super + Up / Down / M
Microphone Mute	Shift + Alt + Super + M
Previous / Play / Next	Alt + Super + ← / Space / →
Zoom Toggle	Alt + Super + Z
Zoom In / Out	Alt + Super + = / –
Toggle High Contrast	Alt + Super + C	Doesn't work for me
Screen Reader	Alt + Super + R
On-Screen Keyboard	Alt + Super + K
Decrease / Increase Text Size	Alt + Super + [ / ]
Screen Brightness Up / Down	Alt + Super + PgUp / PgDn	Requires additional set up (below), brightnessctl set +5% / 5%- (custom)

---

PrintScreen Layer

Action	Keybinding	Comment
Interactive Screenshot	PrtScn	Default
Screenshot of a window	Alt + PrtScn	Default
Full Screenshot	Super + PrtScn
Screen Recording	Shift + PrtScn

---

Some keybindings weren't listed as they were untouched.

Summary

This layout unifies all system actions under consistent modifier layers:

• Super → Window, workspace, and system navigation
• Ctrl + Super → Application launching
• Alt + Super → Media, accessibility, and system utilities
• PrintScreen → Capture and recording tools

Each layer is mnemonic, conflict-free, and script-driven for easy customization.

Downsides

Some useful keybinding are not used like:

• Super + PgUp / PgDn
• Super + grave
• Super + Enter
• Super + Esc
• Alt + grave
• Alt + Tab
• ...

If you have ideas for additional keybindings, feel free to share them.

Set Up

Install zsh:

sudo dnf install zsh

Clone the repository and navigate:

git clone https://github.com/A-l-e-s-t/fedora-simple-keybindings
cd fedora-simple-keybindings

Make apply-keybindings.sh executable:

chmod +x apply-keybindings.sh

Run apply-keybindings.sh (backs up your current keybindings):

./apply-keybindings.sh

You have installed my keybindings. You can also install additional custom keybindings.

If you want to revert to your old keybindings:

./revert-keybindings.sh

Additional Custom Keybindings

Windows Switching Behavior

Schema keys:

1. switch-windows — cycles through individual windows across all applications, showing window preview per opened window.
2. switch-applications — cycles between applications, showing one icon per app group.
3. switch-group — cycles between windows of the same application.

By default, my layout maps <Super>Tab to switch-windows, you can switch to GNOME’s default behavior switch-applications + switch-group, which use <Super>Tab + <Super>grave, respectively.

Switch to switch-applications + switch-group:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-windows "@as []"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-windows-backward "@as []"

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-applications "['<Super>Tab']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-applications-backward "['<Shift><Super>Tab']"

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-group "['<Super>grave']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-group-backward "['<Shift><Super>grave']"

Revert to switch-windows (my default layout)

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-applications "@as []"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-applications-backward "@as []"

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-group "@as []"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-group-backward "@as []"

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-windows "['<Super>Tab']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-windows-backward "['<Shift><Super>Tab']"

Docked Apps Launching Behavior

Schema keys:

1. switch-to-application-N — switches to an existing instance; launches a new one if not running.
2. open-new-window-application-N — always opens a new window for application N.

By default, my layout maps <Super><Control><key> to switch-to-application-N; you can change it to open-new-window-application-N if you prefer.

Switch to open-new-window-application-N:

for i in {1..9}; do
  gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-$i "@as []"
done

for i in {1..9}; do
  gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings open-new-window-application-$i "['<Super><Control>${i}']"
done

Revert to switch-to-application-N (my default layout)

for i in {1..9}; do
  gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings open-new-window-application-$i "@as []"
done

for i in {1..9}; do
  gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-$i "['<Super><Control>${i}']"
done

Open System Monitor

I recommend using Mission Center instead of System Monitor

Install Mission Center

flatpak install flathub io.missioncenter.MissionCenter

Update keybinding

./set-custom-keybinding.sh 19325306 "Open Mission Center" "flatpak run io.missioncenter.MissionCenter" "<Control><Super>m"

Revert

./set-custom-keybinding.sh 19325306 "Open System Monitor" "gnome-system-monitor" "<Control><Super>m"

flatpak uninstall io.missioncenter.MissionCenter

Adjust Brightness (Laptop)

Install dependency:

sudo dnf install brightnessctl

Set keybindings

./set-custom-keybinding.sh 19325307 "Laptop monitor brightness up" "brightnessctl set +5%" "<Alt><Super>Page_Up"
./set-custom-keybinding.sh 19325308 "Laptop monitor brightness down" "brightnessctl set 5%-" "<Alt><Super>Page_Down"

Revert

./delete-custom-keybinding.sh 19325307
./delete-custom-keybinding.sh 19325308

sudo dnf remove brightnessctl

brightnessctl is especially useful because it can dim your screen to 5%.

If you want to control external monitor brightness use ddcutil (via DDC)