The prompt box

The box at the bottom of a session. You type prompts here, and pick the model, mode and effort.

Keys

Key	Does
Enter	Send
Shift+Enter	New line
Enter while Claude works	Steer: your message joins the running turn right away
Alt+Enter while Claude works (Option+Enter on a Mac)	Queue: your message waits and starts its own turn when Claude is idle
Esc	Stop the running turn (same as the Stop button)
Shift+Tab	Next permission mode
Ctrl+L	Jump to the prompt box from anywhere

In Settings > General > Sending you can swap the two: Enter queues and Alt+Enter steers. The send button follows the same choice, and a hint above it shows the keys.

Bash mode: !

1. Type ! as the first character. The box turns into a shell prompt.
2. Type a command, for example ! npm test, and press Enter.
3. It runs in the session's folder. The output shows in the timeline, and Claude sees it in the next turn.
4. Stop kills a command that hangs. To keep a long command running while you go on, click Run in background (Ctrl+Shift+B, see Background shells).
5. Esc (or Backspace in an empty box) leaves bash mode.

While Claude works, a ! command waits in the queue like a message and runs when the session is idle.

! also works in a new session's box: it starts the session and runs the command.

Slash commands: /

• Type / to list commands and skills. Pick one with the arrows and Enter. Tab inserts it.
• A /command works in the middle of a message too, like in Claude Code.
• Some open a dialog instead of being sent: /mcp, /skills (or /help), /plugins, /resume. See MCP, skills & plugins.
• /clear starts a fresh session in the same tab.
• /btw <question> asks an aside in a floating popup, also while Claude works.
• /tasks (or /bashes) opens the Background shells list.

Files and images

• Type @ and part of a file name to mention a file.
• Paste or drop images into the box, or click + (Add images and files). PNG, JPEG, GIF and WebP go to Claude as images.
• Other files are uploaded and added to the prompt as a path.
• A large text paste (more than 800 characters or more than 2 line breaks) shows as a block [Pasted text #1 +120 lines] in the box and in the sent message. Click the block to read the text. Delete it like one character (Backspace). Claude gets the whole text. Several pastes get numbers #1, #2…

Pickers under the box

Permission mode (see Permissions & modes), model, and thinking effort. On a phone they fold into one settings chip.

Good to know

• The formatting row above the box writes plain Markdown. Its keys are on the shortcuts page.
• What you type is saved as a draft in this browser. It survives a reload. Images are not saved in drafts.
• The ring next to the send button is the context meter. See Usage & context.