spotlight on ctrl+space, theme browser on ctrl+shift+up/down, no backdrop behind the theme list

src/apps/officer-web/Screens/Dashboard/Layout/Header/ThemeSwitcher.tsx

@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ const {
  *
  * ── The overlay ──
  *
- * `ctrl+shift+space` opens a list in the middle of the screen; `j`/`k` move through it and `l` applies the
+ * `ctrl+shift+↑/↓` opens a list in the middle of the screen; `j`/`k` move through it and `l` applies the
- * focused theme to the app BEHIND it. That is the whole idea, and it is why this is a portal over a
+ * focused theme to the app BEHIND it. That is the whole idea, and it is why this is a portal with no
- * translucent backdrop rather than a modal dialog: you are meant to watch the application change while
+ * backdrop rather than a modal dialog: you are meant to watch the application change while you browse,
- * you browse, so as little of it as possible should be covered.
+ * so nothing of it should be covered.
  *
  * Ported from the owner's `vimazing`, keys and all.
  */
@@ -156,9 +156,9 @@ export const ThemeSwitcher = () => {
       {open &&
         createPortal(
           <div
+            // No backdrop at all — the whole point of the browse is watching the app change behind the
+            // list, so nothing may sit between them. The full-screen div stays for click-outside-to-close.
             className="fixed inset-0 z-[900] flex items-center justify-center"
-            // Deliberately light: the point is to see the app change behind it.
-            style={{ backgroundColor: 'color-mix(in srgb, var(--background) 55%, transparent)' }}
             onClick={() => setOpen(false)}
           >
             <div

src/apps/officer-web/Screens/Dashboard/Layout/Spotlight/Spotlight.tsx

@@ -218,18 +218,23 @@ export const Spotlight = () => {
   // anywhere — including inside a panel that has its own key handling.
   useEffect(() => {
     const onKey = (ev: KeyboardEvent) => {
-      // `code`, not `key`: shift+space reports `key: ' '` on most layouts and something else on a few, while
+      // `code`, not `key`: ctrl+space reports `key: ' '` on most layouts and something else on a few, while
       // the physical key is `Space` everywhere.
       //
-      // Every other modifier must be ABSENT. `ctrl+shift+space` is the theme browser, and one chord opening
+      // Every other modifier must be ABSENT. `ctrl+shift+space` and `ctrl+alt+space` are the theme
-      // both is the bug that took a capture-phase listener to fix on the theme side.
+      // browser, and one chord opening both is the bug that took a capture-phase listener to fix on the
+      // theme side.
+      //
+      // Was shift+space until 2026-08-25: typing fires shift+space constantly (any capitalized word
+      // followed by a space), so the launcher kept popping open mid-sentence. Ctrl+space doesn't happen in
+      // normal typing.
       //
       // No focus check. There was one, inherited from shift-space where it was mandatory, and keeping it
       // "as belt-and-braces" was wrong in the plainest way: focus is usually IN the chat composer, so the
       // guard meant the launcher did not open from the place it is most often wanted. `preventDefault`
       // below covers the only thing the guard was protecting against — a layout that would otherwise type
       // a character.
-      if (ev.shiftKey && !ev.ctrlKey && !ev.altKey && !ev.metaKey && ev.code === 'Space') {
+      if (ev.ctrlKey && !ev.shiftKey && !ev.altKey && !ev.metaKey && ev.code === 'Space') {
         ev.preventDefault();
         // Take focus off whatever had it, explicitly, before the overlay mounts. The effect below focuses
         // this panel's own input, and on paper that is enough — but "on paper" is what produced arrow keys

src/apps/officer-web/locales/en-GB.json

@@ -478,11 +478,11 @@
     "codeEditor": "Code Editor"
   },
   "theme": {
-    "pillTitle": "Theme: {{name}}  ·  ctrl+shift+←/→ cycle · ctrl+shift+space browse · ctrl+shift+f {{starAction}}",
+    "pillTitle": "Theme: {{name}}  ·  ctrl+shift+←/→ cycle · ctrl+shift+↑/↓ browse · ctrl+shift+f {{starAction}}",
     "pillLabel": "Theme: {{name}}",
     "star": "star",
     "unstar": "unstar",
-    "cycleHint": "ctrl+shift+←/→ cycle · ctrl+shift+space browse",
+    "cycleHint": "ctrl+shift+←/→ cycle · ctrl+shift+↑/↓ browse",
     "everyShortcutHint": "ctrl+? for every shortcut",
     "favouritesOnly": "Favourites only ({{count}})",
     "favourites": "Favourites ({{count}})",

src/apps/officer-web/locales/es-ES.json

@@ -478,11 +478,11 @@
     "codeEditor": "Editor de código"
   },
   "theme": {
-    "pillTitle": "Tema: {{name}}  ·  ctrl+shift+←/→ recorrer · ctrl+shift+space explorar · ctrl+shift+f {{starAction}}",
+    "pillTitle": "Tema: {{name}}  ·  ctrl+shift+←/→ recorrer · ctrl+shift+↑/↓ explorar · ctrl+shift+f {{starAction}}",
     "pillLabel": "Tema: {{name}}",
     "star": "marcar",
     "unstar": "desmarcar",
-    "cycleHint": "ctrl+shift+←/→ recorrer · ctrl+shift+space explorar",
+    "cycleHint": "ctrl+shift+←/→ recorrer · ctrl+shift+↑/↓ explorar",
     "everyShortcutHint": "ctrl+? para todos los atajos",
     "favouritesOnly": "Solo favoritos ({{count}})",
     "favourites": "Favoritos ({{count}})",

src/apps/officer-web/locales/fr-FR.json

@@ -478,11 +478,11 @@
     "codeEditor": "Éditeur de code"
   },
   "theme": {
-    "pillTitle": "Thème : {{name}}  ·  ctrl+shift+←/→ parcourir · ctrl+shift+space explorer · ctrl+shift+f {{starAction}}",
+    "pillTitle": "Thème : {{name}}  ·  ctrl+shift+←/→ parcourir · ctrl+shift+↑/↓ explorer · ctrl+shift+f {{starAction}}",
     "pillLabel": "Thème : {{name}}",
     "star": "marquer",
     "unstar": "démarquer",
-    "cycleHint": "ctrl+shift+←/→ parcourir · ctrl+shift+space explorer",
+    "cycleHint": "ctrl+shift+←/→ parcourir · ctrl+shift+↑/↓ explorer",
     "everyShortcutHint": "ctrl+? pour tous les raccourcis",
     "favouritesOnly": "Favoris uniquement ({{count}})",
     "favourites": "Favoris ({{count}})",

src/apps/officer-web/locales/pt-PT.json

@@ -478,11 +478,11 @@
     "codeEditor": "Editor de código"
   },
   "theme": {
-    "pillTitle": "Tema: {{name}}  ·  ctrl+shift+←/→ percorrer · ctrl+shift+space explorar · ctrl+shift+f {{starAction}}",
+    "pillTitle": "Tema: {{name}}  ·  ctrl+shift+←/→ percorrer · ctrl+shift+↑/↓ explorar · ctrl+shift+f {{starAction}}",
     "pillLabel": "Tema: {{name}}",
     "star": "marcar",
     "unstar": "desmarcar",
-    "cycleHint": "ctrl+shift+←/→ percorrer · ctrl+shift+space explorar",
+    "cycleHint": "ctrl+shift+←/→ percorrer · ctrl+shift+↑/↓ explorar",
     "everyShortcutHint": "ctrl+? para todos os atalhos",
     "favouritesOnly": "Apenas favoritos ({{count}})",
     "favourites": "Favoritos ({{count}})",

src/apps/officer-web/locales/sv-SE.json

@@ -478,11 +478,11 @@
     "codeEditor": "Kod-editor"
   },
   "theme": {
-    "pillTitle": "Tema: {{name}}  ·  ctrl+shift+←/→ bläddra · ctrl+shift+space bläddra i galleri · ctrl+shift+f {{starAction}}",
+    "pillTitle": "Tema: {{name}}  ·  ctrl+shift+←/→ bläddra · ctrl+shift+↑/↓ bläddra i galleri · ctrl+shift+f {{starAction}}",
     "pillLabel": "Tema: {{name}}",
     "star": "stjärnmärk",
     "unstar": "avmarkera stjärna",
-    "cycleHint": "ctrl+shift+←/→ bläddra · ctrl+shift+space galleri",
+    "cycleHint": "ctrl+shift+←/→ bläddra · ctrl+shift+↑/↓ galleri",
     "everyShortcutHint": "ctrl+? för alla kortkommandon",
     "favouritesOnly": "Endast favoriter ({{count}})",
     "favourites": "Favoriter ({{count}})",

src/apps/officer-web/state/shortcuts.ts

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export const SHORTCUT_SECTIONS: ShortcutSection[] = [
     titleKey: 'shortcuts.navigation',
     shortcuts: [
       {
-        keys: 'Shift+Space',
+        keys: 'Ctrl+Space',
         descriptionKey: 'shortcuts.spotlight',
         implementedIn: 'Layout/Spotlight/Spotlight.tsx',
       },
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export const SHORTCUT_SECTIONS: ShortcutSection[] = [
     noteKey: 'shortcuts.themesNote',
     shortcuts: [
       {
-        keys: 'Ctrl+Shift+Space',
+        keys: 'Ctrl+Shift+↑ / ↓',
         descriptionKey: 'shortcuts.openBrowser',
         implementedIn: 'theme/useThemeKeys.ts',
       },

src/workspaces/theme/src/useThemeKeys.ts

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import type { ThemeId } from './themes';
  *
  *   ctrl+shift+→        next theme, from anywhere, no UI
  *   ctrl+shift+←        previous theme
- *   ctrl+shift+space    open the list, then browse it
+ *   ctrl+shift+↑/↓      open the list, then browse it
  *   ctrl+shift+f        star or unstar the current theme, from anywhere
  *
  * One modifier for all three, which took some choosing. `ctrl+alt+arrows` switches WORKSPACE on GNOME and
@@ -78,18 +78,22 @@ export function useThemeKeys(options: ThemeKeysOptions = {}) {
     const onKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
       const { themeId: current, focused: focus, open: isOpen } = state.current;
 
-      // Toggle the list. `ctrl+alt+space` is still accepted alongside `ctrl+shift+space` — it is what this
+      // Toggle the list. Vertical arrows on the SAME modifier as the horizontal cycle — one family:
-      // shipped with first, and fingers are quicker to learn than to unlearn.
+      // `ctrl+shift+←/→` steps the theme, `ctrl+shift+↑/↓` opens the browse. Was `ctrl+shift+space`
-      if (event.ctrlKey && (event.shiftKey || event.altKey) && event.code === 'Space') {
+      // (with a `ctrl+alt+space` legacy) until 2026-08-25; both space chords are gone, not kept as
+      // aliases, because `ctrl+space` became Spotlight the same day and space chords near it invite
+      // the wrong reflex.
+      if (event.ctrlKey && event.shiftKey && !event.altKey && (event.key === 'ArrowUp' || event.key === 'ArrowDown')) {
         event.preventDefault();
         /*
           Two problems solved by two lines, and both were reported from the same keystroke.
 
           `stopPropagation` stops the header's dropdown ALSO opening. The theme pill is a Radix
-          DropdownMenuTrigger, and a focused trigger opens on Space — so if the pill happened to have focus,
+          DropdownMenuTrigger, and a focused trigger opens on ArrowDown (it did on Space too, when Space
-          the chord opened the overlay and the menu behind it. React attaches its handlers at the root, which
+          was the chord) — so if the pill happened to have focus, the chord opened the overlay and the
-          bubbles before window, so the trigger saw the key first no matter what this listener did with it.
+          menu behind it. React attaches its handlers at the root, which bubbles before window, so the
-          This listener now runs in the CAPTURE phase and stops the event dead.
+          trigger saw the key first no matter what this listener did with it. This listener now runs in
+          the CAPTURE phase and stops the event dead.
 
           The blur stops the overlay opening with focus still in a text field, which made j/k/l do nothing:
           the guard below correctly refuses to steal keys from an input, and the input never lost focus.