Move pane keymap

[dreamawakening]

VSCode has a keymap for moving a pane up/down/left/right.

The closest thing I've found in Zed is the split pane option, but this doesn't do the same thing. Instead, it duplicates the current pane to whatever side you specify (up/down/left/right).

But I never want to do this, I only want to move the pane (not duplicate it).

It would be great if there's a keymap for moving a pane instead of just splitting (duplicating) it in a different direction.

[AlvaroParker]

With normal keybinds (no vim mode) you have this:

      "ctrl-k shift-left": "workspace::SwapPaneLeft",
      "ctrl-k shift-right": "workspace::SwapPaneRight",
      "ctrl-k shift-up": "workspace::SwapPaneUp",
      "ctrl-k shift-down": "workspace::SwapPaneDown"

[sherbang]

Thanks, that's helpful, by mapping these to ctrl-alt-left/right I get most of the way there.

Added this to my zed keymap:

  {
    "context": "Editor",
    "bindings": {
      "ctrl-alt-right": "workspace::SwapPaneRight",
      "ctrl-alt-left": "workspace::SwapPaneLeft"
    }
  }

However, the behavior in VSCode for these will also create the group if it doesn't exist yet. In VSCode I use this keybinding (in combination of ctrl-pgup/pgdown which is allowed to move between groups in VSCode but not in Zed) all the time.

Here's a video demo (with sound on I say what keys I'm pressing):

vscode.move.editor-2025-09-26_10.22.26.mp4

[AlvaroParker]

A new keybind was added recetly to zed, pane::SplitAndMove<Direction> where <Direction> can be up, down, left and right. I think that does what you want?

[sherbang]

It's closer, but it always creates a new split and doesn't allow moving back.

The keybinding I'm showing from VSCode will move the current editor into the next pane if there is another pane in that direction. It will only create a new pane/split in that direction if there isn't one.

[JonGretar]

It's closer, but it always creates a new split and doesn't allow moving back.

I replied to the wrong place instead of inside this thread. But see my post about MoveItemToPaneInDirection below.
It only splits if there is nothing in that direction.

[JonGretar]

What you are looking for is MoveItemToPaneInDirection

      "cmd-alt-l": [
        "workspace::MoveItemToPaneInDirection",
        { "direction": "right" }
      ],
      "cmd-alt-h": [
        "workspace::MoveItemToPaneInDirection",
        { "direction": "left" }
      ],
      "cmd-alt-j": [
        "workspace::MoveItemToPaneInDirection",
        { "direction": "down" }
      ],
      "cmd-alt-k": [
        "workspace::MoveItemToPaneInDirection",
        { "direction": "up" }
      ],

[JonGretar]

There is also a possibility to have numbered splits. Move the item to split by a number. If there is no such number do a vertical split.

Optionally focuses or clones.

 "cmd-alt-1": [
        "workspace::MoveItemToPane",
        { "destination": 0, "focus": true, "clone": false }
      ],
 "cmd-alt-2": [
        "workspace::MoveItemToPane",
        { "destination": 2, "focus": true, "clone": false }
      ],
... etc

[sherbang]

That's the one, thank you!

It would make sense for this to be handled by the VSCode settings import.

[dreamawakening]

That's exactly what I wanted, cheers.