# Escape key to cancel out of edit node dialog

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/escape-key-to-cancel-out-of-edit-node-dialog/79030>\
**Category:** Feature Requests\
**Created:** [7 June 2023 16:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/escape-key-to-cancel-out-of-edit-node-dialog/79030 "2023-06-07T16:49:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![christopher-lambe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/christopher-lambe/32/69369_2.png) [@christopher-lambe](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/christopher-lambe)\
**Post date:** [7 June 2023 16:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/escape-key-to-cancel-out-of-edit-node-dialog/79030/1 "2023-06-07T16:49:27Z")

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Hi there, when working with old or 3rd party flows, I usually open each node have a look and click cancel.  
Pressing escape to cancel out would be much quicker and more use friendly.

Cheers,

Chris

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**Author:** ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)\
**Post date:** [7 June 2023 16:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/escape-key-to-cancel-out-of-edit-node-dialog/79030/2 "2023-06-07T16:56:54Z")

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Yes, that is one of the things I like least about the Editor to be honest. Escape is so baked into most applications that it is very much in muscle memory.

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**Author:** ![jbudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)\
**Post date:** [7 June 2023 17:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/escape-key-to-cancel-out-of-edit-node-dialog/79030/3 "2023-06-07T17:04:18Z")

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Interestingly Esc works to get out of the Import dialog.  
Just as well that it does too because when you import a flow from the forum, "Error: Not a valid JSON array" [sometimes] covers up the Cancel button.

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [7 June 2023 21:42 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/escape-key-to-cancel-out-of-edit-node-dialog/79030/4 "2023-06-07T21:42:59Z")

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If you check the keyboard shortcuts settings you'll find that the default keyboard shortcut for cancelling the edit dialog is set to Ctrl-Escape (or Cmd-Escape on Mac). We used to close on Escape, but we got complaints that it was too easy (because of muscle memory) to discard changes accidentally.

Following a recent thread on this very same subject, we discovered an issue that prevented user from changing that default to be just Escape. That has been fixed in 3.1.

> <https://github.com/node-red/node-red/issues/4140>
>
> \### Current Behavior
> 
> After changing the key from \`ctrl-escape\` to \`escape\` in t…he editor settings dialog, pressing \`ESC\` does not close the "edit node" pane.
> 
> \### Expected Behavior
> 
> After configuring the keyboard shortcut to \`escape\`, pressing the \`ESC\` key should close the edit node pane, if it is open
> 
> \### Steps To Reproduce
> 
> 1) Open Settings, then choose Keyboard
> 2) Change the key for "Cancel Edit Tray" from \`ctrl-escape\` to \`escape\`.
> 3) Double click on any node in a flow
> 4) press \`ESC\`
> 5) confirm that the edit node pane is still open
> 
> 
> 
> 
> \### Example flow
> 
> \`\`\`
> paste your flow here
> \`\`\`
> 
> 
> \### Environment
> 
> \- Node-RED version: 3.02
> \- Node.js version: v14.21.3
> \- npm version: 6.14.18
> \- Platform/OS: Rocky 9
> \- Browser: Version 112.0.5615.121 (Official Build) (64-bit)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![christopher-lambe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/christopher-lambe/32/69369_2.png) [@christopher-lambe](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/christopher-lambe)\
**Post date:** [8 June 2023 06:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/escape-key-to-cancel-out-of-edit-node-dialog/79030/5 "2023-06-08T06:55:29Z")

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Thank you Nick and everyone. I will wait for release 3.1 and set the keyboard shortcut to Escape.

Burger \> Keyboard Shortcuts \> Cancel Edit Tray \> set to Escape

Cheers,

Chris

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [7 August 2023 06:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/escape-key-to-cancel-out-of-edit-node-dialog/79030/6 "2023-08-07T06:56:11Z")

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