# Native experience

> Outside a browser, Querylab.io gets a real menu bar, owns the shortcuts a browser would otherwise take, and behaves like any other app in the Dock. Closing a tab with ⌘W closes the query tab, not the whole IDE, and zoom, reload, and quit are the app's own.

Source: https://docs.querylab.io/desktop-app/native-experience/

**Menu bar**

<div style="display:flex;gap:16px;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:flex-start">

  </div>

## What each menu does

The menus follow each system's layout. The shortcuts below are the Mac ones; on Windows, read `Ctrl` for `⌘`.

### Querylab.io menu (Mac)

About Querylab.io, **Check for Updates...** (see [Updates](https://docs.querylab.io/desktop-app/#updates)), **Settings...** (`⌘ ,`), then the system items: Services, Hide, and Quit (`⌘ Q`).

### File menu

| Item           | Shortcut                             | Does                                               |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------- |
| New Query      | `⌘ T`             | Opens a new query tab                              |
| New Notebook   |                                      | Opens a new SQL notebook                           |
| New Window     | `⌘ N`             | Opens another Querylab.io window                   |
| Import Data... |                                      | Opens the import tab to load a file into BigQuery  |
| Close Tab      | `⌘ W`             | Closes the active query tab. The window stays open |
| Close Window   | `⇧ ⌘ W` | Mac only. Closes the window                        |
| Exit           |                                      | Windows only. Quits Querylab.io                    |

Tabs are persisted automatically, so there's nothing to lose by closing one.

### Edit menu

Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All: the standard system items. They act on whatever has focus, editor or text field.

### View menu

| Item               | Shortcut                                              | Does                                                        |
| ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| Reload             | `⌘ R`                              | Reloads the whole app, like a browser refresh. Tabs survive |
| Zoom In / Zoom Out | `⌘ =` / `⌘ −`   | Zooms the whole app                                         |
| Actual Size        | `⌘ 0`                              | Back to 100%                                                |
| Full Screen        | `⌃ ⌘ F` / `F11` | Mac / Windows                                               |

Zoom resets to 100% when you relaunch.

The View menu also shows or hides the left sidebar and the results panel.

### Query and Tools menus

These run the same actions as the [command palette](https://docs.querylab.io/tabs-organization/command-palette/), The menu items show no shortcuts; the editor's own shortcuts still work, for example `⌘ ⇧ F` for Format SQL and `⌘ ⇧ C` for Compare.

| Menu  | Items                                                                                                 |
| ----- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Query | Format SQL, Compare, Version History, Copy Results as Image, Generate Queries...                      |
| Tools | Query History, Usage Statistics, Shared Queries, MCP Activity, Open Google Sheet..., New Google Sheet |

On Windows, Tools ends with **Settings...** (`Ctrl ,`).

### Window menu (Mac)

Minimize, Zoom, Bring All to Front, and the list of open windows: the system items. Windows has no Window menu; minimize and maximize are in the title bar.

### Help menu

| Item                               | Does                                                                                                                                                |
| ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Documentation                      | Opens the docs in your default browser                                                                                                              |
| Report an Issue                    | Opens the [contact form](https://querylab.io/contact) in your default browser                                                                       |
| Troubleshooting → Reset Sign-In... | Clears the sign-in on this device and reloads. Recovery for a stuck sign-in; see [Local credentials](https://docs.querylab.io/desktop-app/local-credentials/#reset-sign-in) |
| Check for Updates...               | Windows only (on a Mac it is in the Querylab.io menu). Runs the update check now; see [Updates](https://docs.querylab.io/desktop-app/#updates)                              |
| About Querylab.io                  | Windows only (on a Mac it is in the Querylab.io menu). Shows the version                                                                            |

## Shortcuts that differ from the web app

In a browser these keys belong to the browser. On the desktop they belong to Querylab.io:

| Keys                                                                           | Browser                                         | Desktop                      |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| `⌘ W`                                                       | Closes the browser tab with the whole IDE in it | Closes the query tab         |
| `⌘ T`                                                       | Opens a browser tab                             | Opens a query tab            |
| `⌘ R`                                                       | Reloads the page                                | Reloads the app; same effect |
| `⌘ =` / `⌘ −` / `⌘ 0` | Page zoom                                       | App zoom                     |
| `⌘ Q`                                                       | Quits the browser                               | Quits Querylab.io            |

`⌘`
`W` closes the tab even when the cursor is in the SQL editor.
Everything else (running queries, formatting, completions, go-to-definition)
uses the same keys on both; the full list is on [Keyboard
shortcuts](https://docs.querylab.io/getting-started/keyboard-shortcuts/).

## Sizing and moving the window

- Size and position aren't remembered between launches.
- The title bar is hidden and the traffic-light buttons sit inside the app's own header; drag the header to move the window.
- **New Window** in the File menu opens a second window.

## Links and sign-in round-trips

Sign-in with Google opens your browser. When the consent screen finishes, switch back to the app; it already has the token. Details on [Authentication](https://docs.querylab.io/getting-started/authentication/#desktop-app).

External links inside the app (Documentation, Report an Issue, links in Prism AI answers) open in your default browser.