Global Shortcuts on Linux

Use keyboard shortcuts to control BetterStickies from anywhere, even when you're working in another app. On Linux, this takes a quick one-time setup in your desktop settings.

Using the Snap version? Global shortcuts aren't available there. The Snap runs in a security sandbox that blocks the connection the helper commands rely on. The AppImage and other versions support them, so if global shortcuts matter to you, switch to the AppImage from betterstickies.com.

How It Works

BetterStickies listens for commands in the background. Your desktop environment (KDE Plasma, GNOME, etc.) handles the keyboard shortcut and tells BetterStickies what to do. You just need to connect the two.

Available Commands

Before You Start

1. Make sure BetterStickies is running
2. Open Menu > Settings > Global Shortcuts in BetterStickies. You'll see the shortcut names listed there for reference

The dialog also has an Open System Settings button that takes you straight to your desktop's shortcut settings.

Setting Up on KDE Plasma

1. Open System Settings (or click Open System Settings in the BetterStickies dialog)
2. Go to Shortcuts in the sidebar
3. Click Custom Shortcuts
4. Click Edit > New > Global Shortcut > Command/URL

For each shortcut you want:

5. Give it a name (e.g. "BetterStickies - Create Note")
6. In the Trigger tab, click and press your key combination (e.g. Ctrl+Alt+N)
7. In the Action tab, enter the command from the table below
8. Click Apply

Commands to Use

These commands use ~/.config/BetterStickies/, which is where BetterStickies keeps its files on most systems. If you've moved your configuration folder somewhere custom (advanced users: XDG_CONFIG_HOME), the helper script lives in that folder under BetterStickies/ instead, so adjust the paths to match.

Repeat steps 4–8 for each shortcut you'd like to set up. You don't have to add all of them. Pick the ones you'll use.

Setting Up on GNOME

GNOME doesn't support custom command shortcuts by default, but you can add them with an extension:

1. Install Extension Manager if you don't have it:
   • Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-manager
   • Fedora: sudo dnf install gnome-extensions-app
2. Open Extension Manager and search for "Custom Hot Keys"
3. Install and enable the extension
4. Add shortcuts using the same commands from the table above

Suggested Key Combinations

These are just suggestions. Use whatever feels natural to you:

Troubleshooting

Shortcuts aren't working

• Is BetterStickies running? The shortcuts only work while the app is open (it can be in the system tray)
• Try running the command directly in a terminal to check: ~/.config/BetterStickies/betterstickies-cmd.sh create-note
• If you see "command not found", restart BetterStickies: it creates the helper file on startup

The helper file is missing

BetterStickies creates it automatically at ~/.config/BetterStickies/betterstickies-cmd.sh when it starts. If it's not there, restart the app. You can also check by opening a terminal and running: ls ~/.config/BetterStickies/betterstickies-cmd.sh

If you use a custom configuration folder, look in that folder under BetterStickies/ instead. And if you installed from the Snap Store, the file never appears at all: global shortcuts aren't supported there (see the note at the top of this page).

Quick Capture isn't pasting anything

Quick Capture grabs whatever is currently on your clipboard. If the clipboard is empty, it just creates a blank note instead.

See Also

• Keyboard Shortcuts: full list of in-app and global shortcuts
• Getting Started: overview of the app and basic usage
• Search Notes: find and jump to any note
• Troubleshooting: help with common issues