Setting up a Global Hotkey to Summon iTerm2

Sat Aug 09 2025

Need quick access to your terminal? iTerm2 offers a seamless way to summon it with a system‑wide hotkey—just like a drop‑down terminal. Here's how to set it up.

Method 1: Create a Dedicated Hotkey Window

Open iTerm2 → Preferences → Keys.
Click Create a Dedicated Hotkey Window. This generates a special profile (often named Hotkey Window) and opens configuration options for it.
In the configuration panel, you can set:

Whether the hotkey window stays open when losing focus (pin window).
If it should automatically reopen when iTerm2 is activated.
Whether it's a floating window, and whether to animate show/hide transitions.

Customize the profile’s appearance or behavior under Profiles → Hotkey Window, such as window size, transparency, or full‑screen layout.

This creates a dedicated, always-accessible, overlay-style terminal window—ideal for quick access.

Method 2: Use an Existing Profile as a Hotkey Window

Go to Preferences → Profiles, and select the profile you want to make hotkey-enabled.
Navigate to the Keys tab within that profile.
Enable “A hotkey opens a dedicated window with this profile”.
Click Configure Hotkey Window to assign the hotkey and tweak window properties.

Now, pressing your chosen hotkey will toggle this profile in a dedicated window—without creating a new one.

Summary of Both Methods

Method	Steps	Pros
Dedicated Hotkey Window	Preferences → Keys → Create Dedicated Hotkey Window → Configure options	Fast setup, always-available overlay
Existing Profile	Preferences → Profiles → (Profile) → Keys → Enable hotkey window → Configure hotkey	Reuses your customized profile and settings

Final Thoughts

Both approaches work well—choose whichever fits your workflow:

Want a quick, uniform terminal open with a global hotkey? Go with the Dedicated Hotkey Window.
Prefer customizing your own profile (colors, shell, layout)? Use the existing profile method.

With your hotkey set, your terminal is gone—until you need it again.

References