Keyboard Shortcuts Reference

Quick Reference Table

Shortcut	Function
⌘⇧D	Global Lookup (trigger from any app)
Esc	Close learning card
⌘S	Save word to Word Book
← / →	Browse synonyms and related words
Space	Play pronunciation
Tab	Cycle focus between card sections
⌘,	Open Settings
⌘Q	Quit DevLingo

Detailed Descriptions

Global Lookup (⌘⇧D)

Select text in any app, then press ⌘⇧D to trigger a lookup. DevLingo will:

1. Capture the text you selected
2. Detect the context of the current app
3. Display a floating learning card (near the cursor or at a screen corner)

Note

Accessibility permission is required for the global hotkey. You’ll be prompted to grant it on first launch.

Close Card (Esc)

Press Esc to quickly close the floating learning card and return to your current app.

Save to Word Book (⌘S)

While a learning card is open, press ⌘S to save the current word to your Word Book. A confirmation prompt will appear after saving.

Browse Related Words (← / →)

On the card, use ← (left arrow) and → (right arrow) to browse:

• Synonyms: Words with similar meanings
• Related words: Words commonly used together
• Derived forms: Noun, verb, and adjective variants

Tip

The best way to quickly learn related vocabulary. Each browse updates your learning history.

Play Pronunciation (Space)

Press Space to play the English pronunciation of the current word. Includes:

• American English: Standard American pronunciation
• British English (if applicable)

Pronunciation is synthesized by Google Cloud TTS, based on official pronunciation and IPA annotations from the developer community consensus.

Cycle Focus (Tab)

Press Tab to cycle focus through different sections of the card:

1. Word title
2. Definition area
3. Example sentences
4. Synonym list
5. Related words

Ideal for keyboard-oriented users.

Open Settings (⌘,)

Press ⌘, to open the DevLingo settings panel, where you can adjust:

• Subscription and account
• App preferences
• Data export
• Custom shortcuts (planned)

Quit App (⌘Q)

Press ⌘Q to fully quit DevLingo. The menu bar icon disappears and the global hotkey is deactivated.

Note

Use ⌘Q instead of closing a window to ensure DevLingo fully exits from memory.

Shortcut Customization

DevLingo currently uses fixed keyboard shortcuts. Custom shortcut support is on the development roadmap, and will include:

• Modifying the global lookup shortcut (e.g., changing to ⌘⇧E)
• Adding custom shortcuts for other features
• Importing/exporting shortcut configurations

If ⌘⇧D conflicts with another app, you can:

1. Disable the conflicting shortcut in the other app
2. Check macOS System Settings > Keyboard > Shortcuts
3. Temporarily use the menu bar icon to manually trigger lookups

Global Hotkey Troubleshooting

Hotkey Not Responding?

Checklist:

1. Accessibility permission

   • System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility
   • Make sure DevLingo is checked

2. Another app has claimed the shortcut

   • Check if other software (Alfred, Raycast, Keyboard Maestro, etc.) has bound ⌘⇧D
   • Disable the shortcut in the conflicting app

3. Is DevLingo running?

   • Check if the DevLingo icon is in the right side of the menu bar
   • If not, relaunch the app: Applications > DevLingo

4. macOS system shortcut conflict

   • System Settings > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts
   • Check for system-level shortcut conflicts

5. Restart the app

   # Run in Terminal
   killall DevLingo
   # Then relaunch DevLingo from the Applications folder

Tip

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, contact [email protected] with your Mac model and macOS version.

Keyboard Navigation Mode

DevLingo supports full keyboard navigation (no mouse required):

• Tab: Navigate between card elements
• Return: Open the selected item (e.g., save to Word Book)
• Cmd+Z: Undo the last action (e.g., remove from Word Book)

Ideal for users who prefer efficient keyboard-driven workflows.

Accessibility Support

DevLingo supports macOS accessibility features:

• VoiceOver: Full screen reader support
• Keyboard-only navigation: All features accessible via keyboard
• Color contrast: Meets WCAG AA standards
• Dynamic Type: Supports large text mode

For help, see the accessibility guide or contact us.