diff --git a/frontend/src/components/AppShell.vue b/frontend/src/components/AppShell.vue
index c1e471e..d5fea3d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/AppShell.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/AppShell.vue
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { computed, onMounted, ref, watch } from "vue";
+import { computed, onBeforeUnmount, onMounted, ref, watch } from "vue";
 import { useRoute, useRouter } from "vue-router";
 import { useSessionStore } from "../stores/session";
 import { useConfigStore } from "../stores/config";
 import { useLabelsStore } from "../stores/labels";
+import { useUiStore } from "../stores/ui";
 import Icon from "./Icon.vue";
 import LabelsModal from "./LabelsModal.vue";
 
@@ -12,14 +13,105 @@ const router = useRouter();
 const session = useSessionStore();
 const config = useConfigStore();
 const labels = useLabelsStore();
+const ui = useUiStore();
 
 const managing = ref(false);
+const showShortcuts = ref(false);
+const searchInput = ref<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
 const searchText = ref(typeof route.query.q === "string" ? route.query.q : "");
 let searchTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
 
+const shortcuts = [
+  { label: "New note", keys: ["c"] },
+  { label: "Search", keys: ["/"] },
+  { label: "Go to Board", keys: ["g", "b"] },
+  { label: "Go to Graph", keys: ["g", "g"] },
+  { label: "Go to Reminders", keys: ["g", "r"] },
+  { label: "Save & close (editor)", keys: ["⌘/Ctrl", "Enter"] },
+  { label: "Save & new (composer)", keys: ["Shift", "Enter"] },
+  { label: "Dismiss / close", keys: ["Esc"] },
+  { label: "This help", keys: ["?"] },
+];
+
+let gPending = false;
+let gTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+
+function isTyping(e: KeyboardEvent): boolean {
+  const el = e.target as HTMLElement | null;
+  return !!el && (el.tagName === "INPUT" || el.tagName === "TEXTAREA" || el.isContentEditable);
+}
+
+function focusSearch() {
+  searchInput.value?.focus();
+  searchInput.value?.select();
+}
+
+// `c` composes: jump to the board (which autofocuses its quick-add) or, if
+// already there, ask the board to reopen the composer.
+function compose() {
+  if (route.name !== "board") void router.push("/");
+  else ui.requestCompose();
+}
+
+// Global keyboard shortcuts, active only inside the authed shell. Ignored while
+// typing in a field (except Esc, which blurs it). `g` starts a two-key jump
+// (g b / g g / g r) with a short timeout.
+function onKeydown(e: KeyboardEvent) {
+  if (isTyping(e)) {
+    if (e.key === "Escape") (e.target as HTMLElement).blur();
+    return;
+  }
+  if (e.key === "Escape" && showShortcuts.value) {
+    showShortcuts.value = false;
+    return;
+  }
+  if (e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey || e.altKey) return;
+  if (gPending) {
+    gPending = false;
+    clearTimeout(gTimer);
+    if (e.key === "b") {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      void router.push("/");
+      return;
+    }
+    if (e.key === "g") {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      void router.push("/graph");
+      return;
+    }
+    if (e.key === "r") {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      void router.push("/reminders");
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+  if (e.key === "/") {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    focusSearch();
+    return;
+  }
+  if (e.key === "c") {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    compose();
+    return;
+  }
+  if (e.key === "?") {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    showShortcuts.value = true;
+    return;
+  }
+  if (e.key === "g") {
+    gPending = true;
+    clearTimeout(gTimer);
+    gTimer = setTimeout(() => (gPending = false), 800);
+  }
+}
+
 onMounted(() => {
   if (!labels.loaded) void labels.load();
+  window.addEventListener("keydown", onKeydown);
 });
+onBeforeUnmount(() => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKeydown));
 
 const currentLabelId = computed(() => (route.name === "label" ? String(route.params.id) : null));
 
@@ -62,6 +154,7 @@ async function signOut() {
 
         <div class="flex flex-1 justify-center">
           <input
+            ref="searchInput"
             :value="searchText"
             type="search"
             placeholder="Search notes…"
@@ -144,5 +237,43 @@ async function signOut() {
     </div>
 
     <LabelsModal v-if="managing" @close="managing = false" />
+
+    <div
+      v-if="showShortcuts"
+      class="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-center justify-center bg-black/40 p-4"
+      @click.self="showShortcuts = false"
+    >
+      <div
+        class="w-full max-w-sm rounded-xl border border-neutral-200 bg-white p-5 shadow-xl dark:border-neutral-700 dark:bg-neutral-900"
+        role="dialog"
+        aria-modal="true"
+        aria-label="Keyboard shortcuts"
+      >
+        <div class="mb-3 flex items-center justify-between">
+          <h2 class="text-sm font-semibold">Keyboard shortcuts</h2>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            class="text-neutral-400 hover:text-neutral-700 dark:hover:text-neutral-100"
+            aria-label="Close"
+            @click="showShortcuts = false"
+          >
+            ×
+          </button>
+        </div>
+        <dl class="flex flex-col gap-2 text-sm">
+          <div v-for="s in shortcuts" :key="s.label" class="flex items-center justify-between gap-4">
+            <dt class="text-neutral-600 dark:text-neutral-300">{{ s.label }}</dt>
+            <dd class="flex items-center gap-1">
+              <kbd
+                v-for="(k, i) in s.keys"
+                :key="i"
+                class="rounded border border-neutral-300 bg-neutral-100 px-1.5 py-0.5 font-mono text-xs text-neutral-700 dark:border-neutral-600 dark:bg-neutral-800 dark:text-neutral-200"
+                >{{ k }}</kbd
+              >
+            </dd>
+          </div>
+        </dl>
+      </div>
+    </div>
   </div>
 </template>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/QuickAdd.vue b/frontend/src/components/QuickAdd.vue
index 7fa3724..7792f77 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/QuickAdd.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/QuickAdd.vue
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ onMounted(() => {
   if (props.autofocus) void open();
 });
 onBeforeUnmount(() => document.removeEventListener("mousedown", onDocumentMousedown));
+
+// Let the board (via the global `c` shortcut) reopen + focus the composer.
+defineExpose({ open });
 </script>
 
 <template>
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/ui.ts b/frontend/src/stores/ui.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c49810
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/ui.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { defineStore } from "pinia";
+import { ref } from "vue";
+
+// Cross-component UI signals that don't belong to any single view (e.g. a
+// global shortcut in the app shell asking the board to act).
+export const useUiStore = defineStore("ui", () => {
+  // Bumped to ask the board to open + focus its quick-add composer.
+  const composeTick = ref(0);
+  function requestCompose() {
+    composeTick.value++;
+  }
+
+  return { composeTick, requestCompose };
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/BoardView.vue b/frontend/src/views/BoardView.vue
index 62d61be..67bc498 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/BoardView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/BoardView.vue
@@ -2,14 +2,24 @@
 import { computed, onMounted, ref, watch } from "vue";
 import { useRoute } from "vue-router";
 import { useNotesStore, type Note, type NoteView } from "../stores/notes";
+import { useUiStore } from "../stores/ui";
 import QuickAdd from "../components/QuickAdd.vue";
 import NoteCard from "../components/NoteCard.vue";
 import NoteEditor from "../components/NoteEditor.vue";
 
 const notes = useNotesStore();
 const route = useRoute();
+const ui = useUiStore();
 
 const editing = ref<Note | null>(null);
+const quickAdd = ref<InstanceType<typeof QuickAdd> | null>(null);
+
+// The global `c` shortcut bumps composeTick; reopen the composer when we're
+// already on the board (a fresh navigation autofocuses it via the prop).
+watch(
+  () => ui.composeTick,
+  () => quickAdd.value?.open(),
+);
 
 function viewForRoute(name: unknown): NoteView {
   if (name === "archive") return "archived";
@@ -77,7 +87,7 @@ async function onDrop(target: Note) {
 
 <template>
   <div class="mx-auto w-full max-w-6xl px-4 py-6">
-    <QuickAdd v-if="isMainBoard" autofocus class="mb-8" />
+    <QuickAdd v-if="isMainBoard" ref="quickAdd" autofocus class="mb-8" />
 
     <div v-if="notes.loading" class="py-24 text-center text-sm text-neutral-400">Loading…</div>