PhpStorm trick: keyboard shortcut to expand your tool window
: Ctrl + L (Keeps history, just moves view down)
This is the most important shortcut in the entire IDE. Ctrl + Shift + A on Windows/Linux or ⌘ + Shift + A on macOS opens the "Find Action" dialog.
: Press Esc to jump back to your code without closing the terminal window.
Opens the Search Everywhere dialog.
For a full list of commands, you can always refer to the official JetBrains Terminal documentation .
This immediate access means you can quickly run a composer, npm, or git command without breaking your flow, keeping you focused on your code.
When you are finished with a session, close it cleanly without reaching for the mouse.
The default shortcut to open or toggle the tool window in PhpStorm is: Windows/Linux (Option + F12) Stack Overflow Essential Terminal Shortcuts phpstorm terminal shortcut top
Tip: If your function keys ( F12 ) require pressing an Fn key on your laptop, you can rebind this to a simpler combination like Ctrl + \ or Cmd + \ . 2. Tab Management and Navigation
: Enable full subcommand suggestions by going to Settings | Tools | Terminal | Command Completion and selecting Always . Terminal | PhpStorm Documentation - JetBrains
Standard terminal shortcuts still work: Ctrl + L .
: Alt + Right/Left Arrow (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + [ / ] (macOS) PhpStorm trick: keyboard shortcut to expand your tool
Instantly snaps your cursor to the absolute start or end of your current command line. Clear the Screen Windows / Linux / macOS: Ctrl + L
Once the terminal is open, you will likely need to manage multiple sessions.
Right-click a terminal tab → Rename → give it a meaningful name like “Docker” or “Artisan”. Now Alt + Right cycles by context, not index.
If you want to change the terminal shortcut (e.g., to move it to a "top" priority key for your workflow): on Windows/Linux; on macOS). Navigate to Search for "Terminal" in the search bar. Right-click Plugins | Terminal | Terminal and select Add Keyboard Shortcut Press your preferred key combination and click www.jetbrains.com For more advanced configuration, you can refer to the official PhpStorm Terminal documentation screen or change the default shell (like Bash or Zsh) used in PhpStorm? Opens the Search Everywhere dialog