How to prevent "enter" from sending text to Copilot chat and instead create a new line?

[SamEdwardes]

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When using Copilot chat, I often want to sent multiple lines of text. For example:

Can you please explain to me what this code will do:

```python
name = 'sam'
print(name)
```

To create a new line, I need to use Shift+Enter. I would prefer if I could configure Enter to create a new line, and Shift+Enter to send the input.

[bonizario]

Here's a quick tutorial to achieve your desired behavior:

1. Press CTRL+SHIFT+P to open a VS Code panel that runs commands
2. Type: Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts
3. Search for: workbench.action.chat.acceptInput
4. Right-click this command and click Remove keybinding

If this helped you, consider marking my answer as the "Accepted answer" 😄

[SamEdwardes]

Thank you so much! I will give this a try.

[SamEdwardes]

Thank you so much! I changed the binding to SHIFT+ENTER, it is much easier to type multiline inputs now :)

[SamEdwardes]

As of 2024-05-05 I think the name of the command has changed. It is now workbench.action.chat.submit. Change this keybinding to shift + enter.

Default:

Change:

[SamEdwardes]

Another update. I am now running this version of VS Code:

Version: 1.99.2
Commit: 4949701c880d4bdb949e3c0e6b400288da7f474b
Date: 2025-04-10T01:21:25.295Z
Electron: 34.3.2
ElectronBuildId: 11161073
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.18.3
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Darwin arm64 24.4.0

I have set up these bindings:

{
    // Disable the default `enter` submit behaviour for GitHub Copilot chat
    {
        "key": "enter",
        "command": "-workbench.action.chat.submit",
        "when": "chatInputHasText && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInputHasText && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInstructionsAttached && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInstructionsAttached && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress && chatMode == 'ask'"
    },
    {
        "key": "cmd+enter",
        "command": "-workbench.action.chat.submitWithCodebase",
        "when": "chatInputHasText && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput || chatInputHasText && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress || chatInstructionsAttached && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput || chatInstructionsAttached && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress"
    },
    // Use the keyboard shortcuts you prefer.
    {
        "key": "cmd+enter",
        "command": "workbench.action.chat.submit",
        "when": "chatInputHasText && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInputHasText && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInstructionsAttached && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInstructionsAttached && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress && chatMode == 'ask'"
    },
    {
        "key": "cmd+shift+enter",
        "command": "workbench.action.chat.submitWithCodebase",
        "when": "chatInputHasText && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput || chatInputHasText && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress || chatInstructionsAttached && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput || chatInstructionsAttached && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress"
    },
}

Feedback welcome if there is a more simple way to do this.

[InvictusNavarchus]

hii, this works for ask mode. what about for the new agent mode?

[NaeemAbdullahAkram]

Another update. I am now running this version of VS Code:

Version: 1.99.2
Commit: 4949701c880d4bdb949e3c0e6b400288da7f474b
Date: 2025-04-10T01:21:25.295Z
Electron: 34.3.2
ElectronBuildId: 11161073
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.18.3
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Darwin arm64 24.4.0

I have set up these bindings:

{
    // Disable the default `enter` submit behaviour for GitHub Copilot chat
    {
        "key": "enter",
        "command": "-workbench.action.chat.submit",
        "when": "chatInputHasText && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInputHasText && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInstructionsAttached && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInstructionsAttached && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress && chatMode == 'ask'"
    },
    {
        "key": "cmd+enter",
        "command": "-workbench.action.chat.submitWithCodebase",
        "when": "chatInputHasText && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput || chatInputHasText && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress || chatInstructionsAttached && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput || chatInstructionsAttached && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress"
    },
    // Use the keyboard shortcuts you prefer.
    {
        "key": "cmd+enter",
        "command": "workbench.action.chat.submit",
        "when": "chatInputHasText && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInputHasText && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInstructionsAttached && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput && chatMode == 'ask' || chatInstructionsAttached && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress && chatMode == 'ask'"
    },
    {
        "key": "cmd+shift+enter",
        "command": "workbench.action.chat.submitWithCodebase",
        "when": "chatInputHasText && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput || chatInputHasText && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress || chatInstructionsAttached && chatRequestIsPaused && inChatInput || chatInstructionsAttached && inChatInput && !chatSessionRequestInProgress"
    },
}

Feedback welcome if there is a more simple way to do this.

✅ Yes, successfully configured Copilot Chat to use Enter for new lines and Cmd+Enter to send.

keybindings disable the default submit behavior and reassign submission to Cmd+Enter and Cmd+Shift+Enter.

[NaeemAbdullahAkram]

✅ Yes, successfully configured Copilot Chat to use Enter for new lines and Cmd+Enter to send.

keybindings disable the default submit behavior and reassign submission to Cmd+Enter and Cmd+Shift+Enter.

[SamEdwardes]

hii, this works for ask mode. what about for the new agent mode?

I found the same thing. There is an example that should work for all modes.

[
    // Disable the default `enter` submit behaviour for GitHub Copilot chat
    {
        "key": "enter",
        "command": "-workbench.action.chat.submit",
        "when": "inChatInput && (chatInputHasText || chatInstructionsAttached)"
    },
    {
        "key": "cmd+enter",
        "command": "-workbench.action.chat.submitWithCodebase",
        "when": "inChatInput && (chatInputHasText || chatInstructionsAttached)"
    },
    // Setup new bindings for GitHub Copilot chat
    {
        "key": "cmd+enter",
        "command": "workbench.action.chat.submit",
        "when": "inChatInput && (chatInputHasText || chatInstructionsAttached)"
    },
    {
        "key": "cmd+shift+enter",
        "command": "workbench.action.chat.submitWithCodebase",
        "when": "inChatInput && (chatInputHasText || chatInstructionsAttached)"
    },
    {
        "key": "enter",
        "command": "editor.action.insertLineAfter",
        "when": "inChatInput"
    }
]

Courtesy of Jenny Brian (can't tag on mobile).

[aspain-goodrx]

it seems the recent updates to copilot reset this for me, so I had to go back and redo it, but this still works as outlined above - thank you!

[SamEdwardes]

Same thing happened for me.

[NaeemAbdullahAkram]

✅ Yes, successfully configured Copilot Chat to use Enter for new lines and Cmd+Enter to send.

keybindings disable the default submit behavior and reassign submission to Cmd+Enter and Cmd+Shift+Enter.

[davpaez]

Thank you @SamEdwardes , your solution worked! This lack of easy new line capability was driving me crazy.

Is there any way to vote or suggest that the default should be to NOT use Enter for submitting the prompt, instead leave it to create new lines?

I find weird that this is not the default.

To submit the prompt, the default should be Ctrl+Enter

[moezhx]

now it's workbench.action.chat.submit