Pairbar keyboard shortcuts and how to peek at the app's own sidebar

Before you start

• Pairbar installed, with Claude or Codex open.
• Accessibility allowed, for instant ⌥/⌘ peeking (Settings → General → Permissions).

Steps

1. Jump to a chat with ⌃1–9
   With Claude or Codex in front, ⌃1 to ⌃9 open the first nine chats on screen, in the order the list shows them.
2. Search and run actions with ⌘K
   Press ⌘K to put the cursor in Pairbar's search. Type part of a title, project, branch or something said in a chat; actions like "New chat", "Start " or Run "" appear too. ↑ ↓ move, Enter runs or opens, Esc clears and returns to the app.
3. Search from any app with ⌃⌥K
   Anywhere else, ⌃⌥K opens a Spotlight-style panel. Empty, it shows what needs you, what's working, what just finished and your latest chats. Press ⌃⌥K again or Esc to close it.
4. Peek with ⌥
   Hold ⌥ (or ⌘) with the pointer over Pairbar: it fades out and clicks go through to the app's own sidebar, for example to reach regular Claude chats. Release to bring Pairbar back.
5. Keep the peek with a double-tap
   Double-tap ⌥ to keep the app's own sidebar showing until you double-tap again. It also ends when you switch apps, or after 30 seconds with the pointer away from the sidebar.
6. Collapse Pairbar with ⌃⌥S
   ⌃⌥S collapses Pairbar into a small round button in the corner, from any app. Press it again, or click the button, to bring it back. In the basket the sidebar is docked with the apps and stays: ⌃⌥S says so, and you switch to Overlay to hide it.
7. Use single keys in a chat's menu
   Open ⋯ on a row (or right-click it) and press one letter, such as P to pin or K to check in. The full list is below.

Global and sidebar shortcuts

In a chat's menu

Search, selection and the composer

Turning shortcuts off

• ⌘K and ⌃1–9: Settings → Shortcuts → "⌘K to search, ⌃1–9 to jump to a chat". While it's on, ⌘K replaces the app's own ⌘K shortcut whenever Pairbar is showing, so turn it off if you rely on Claude's or Codex's.
• Peek keys: Settings → Chats & sidebar → Peek at the app's own sidebar has separate switches for "Hold ⌥ over the sidebar", "Hold ⌘ over the sidebar" (not while you type in Pairbar) and "Double-tap ⌥ to keep it" (until the next double-tap).

Troubleshooting

⌘K opens Claude's or Codex's own search instead of Pairbar's

Pairbar only takes ⌘K while it's showing and the ⌘K setting is on. Check Settings → Shortcuts, and that Pairbar isn't collapsed (⌃⌥S).

Holding ⌥ doesn't peek

The pointer must be over Pairbar, and the peek keys must be on in Settings → Chats & sidebar → Peek at the app's own sidebar. Allowing Accessibility makes the peek react instantly.

⌃⌥K only shows the sidebar

While Pairbar is locked (the trial has ended), quick search is off and ⌃⌥K shows the sidebar instead.