feat: add task navigation with Ctrl+# shortcuts

src/main/settings.ts

@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ export interface ShortcutBinding {
   modifier: ShortcutModifier;
 }
 
+export type NumberShortcutBehavior = 'ctrl-tasks' | 'cmd-tasks';
+
 export interface KeyboardSettings {
   commandPalette?: ShortcutBinding;
   settings?: ShortcutBinding;
@@ -48,6 +50,7 @@ export interface KeyboardSettings {
   newTask?: ShortcutBinding;
   nextAgent?: ShortcutBinding;
   prevAgent?: ShortcutBinding;
+  numberShortcutBehavior?: NumberShortcutBehavior;
 }
 
 export interface InterfaceSettings {
@@ -166,6 +169,7 @@ const DEFAULT_SETTINGS: AppSettings = {
     newTask: { key: 'n', modifier: 'cmd' },
     nextAgent: { key: ']', modifier: 'cmd+shift' },
     prevAgent: { key: '[', modifier: 'cmd+shift' },
+    numberShortcutBehavior: 'ctrl-tasks',
   },
   interface: {
     autoRightSidebarBehavior: false,
@@ -448,6 +452,10 @@ export function normalizeSettings(input: AppSettings): AppSettings {
     newTask: normalizeBinding(keyboard.newTask, DEFAULT_SETTINGS.keyboard!.newTask!),
     nextAgent: normalizeBinding(keyboard.nextAgent, DEFAULT_SETTINGS.keyboard!.nextAgent!),
     prevAgent: normalizeBinding(keyboard.prevAgent, DEFAULT_SETTINGS.keyboard!.prevAgent!),
+    numberShortcutBehavior:
+      keyboard.numberShortcutBehavior === 'cmd-tasks'
+        ? 'cmd-tasks'
+        : DEFAULT_SETTINGS.keyboard!.numberShortcutBehavior,
   };
   const platformTaskDefaults = getPlatformTaskSwitchDefaults();
   const isLegacyArrowPair =

src/renderer/components/AppKeyboardShortcuts.tsx

@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ const AppKeyboardShortcuts: React.FC<AppKeyboardShortcutsProps> = ({
   const { toggle: toggleRightSidebar } = useRightSidebar();
   const { toggleTheme } = useTheme();
   const { settings: keyboardSettings } = useKeyboardSettings();
-  const { handleNextTask, handlePrevTask, handleNewTask } = useTaskManagementContext();
+  const { handleNextTask, handlePrevTask, handleNewTask, handleSelectTaskByIndex } =
+    useTaskManagementContext();
 
   useKeyboardShortcuts({
     onToggleCommandPalette: handleToggleCommandPalette,
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ const AppKeyboardShortcuts: React.FC<AppKeyboardShortcutsProps> = ({
       ),
     onSelectAgentTab: (tabIndex) =>
       window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('emdash:select-agent-tab', { detail: { tabIndex } })),
+    onSelectTask: handleSelectTaskByIndex,
     onOpenInEditor: handleOpenInEditor,
     onCloseModal: (
       [

src/renderer/components/KeyboardSettingsCard.tsx

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import React, { useState, useCallback, useRef, useMemo, useEffect } from 'react'
 import { ArrowBigUp, Command, RotateCcw } from 'lucide-react';
 import { Button } from './ui/button';
 import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipProvider, TooltipTrigger } from './ui/tooltip';
+import { Select, SelectContent, SelectItem, SelectTrigger, SelectValue } from './ui/select';
 import { toast } from '../hooks/use-toast';
 import {
   APP_SHORTCUTS,
@@ -144,7 +145,12 @@ const KeyboardSettingsCard: React.FC = () => {
     const result: Record<string, ShortcutBinding> = {};
     for (const shortcut of CONFIGURABLE_SHORTCUTS) {
       const saved = keyboard?.[shortcut.settingsKey as keyof typeof keyboard];
-      result[shortcut.settingsKey] = saved ?? { key: shortcut.key, modifier: shortcut.modifier! };
+      // Only use saved if it's a ShortcutBinding (has key and modifier)
+      if (saved && typeof saved === 'object' && 'key' in saved && 'modifier' in saved) {
+        result[shortcut.settingsKey] = saved;
+      } else {
+        result[shortcut.settingsKey] = { key: shortcut.key, modifier: shortcut.modifier! };
+      }
     }
     return result as Record<ShortcutSettingsKey, ShortcutBinding>;
   }, [settings?.keyboard]);
@@ -345,6 +351,34 @@ const KeyboardSettingsCard: React.FC = () => {
             </div>
           </div>
         ))}
+
+        {/* Number shortcuts behavior setting */}
+        <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-4 border-t pt-4">
+          <div className="flex flex-1 flex-col gap-0.5">
+            <p className="text-sm">Number shortcuts (1-9)</p>
+            <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+              Choose which modifier switches tasks vs agent tabs
+            </p>
+          </div>
+          <Select
+            value={settings?.keyboard?.numberShortcutBehavior ?? 'ctrl-tasks'}
+            onValueChange={(next) =>
+              updateSettings({
+                keyboard: { numberShortcutBehavior: next as 'ctrl-tasks' | 'cmd-tasks' },
+              })
+            }
+            disabled={loading || saving}
+          >
+            <SelectTrigger className="w-auto shrink-0 gap-2 [&>span]:line-clamp-none">
+              <SelectValue />
+            </SelectTrigger>
+            <SelectContent>
+              <SelectItem value="ctrl-tasks">⌃N for tasks, ⌘N for agents</SelectItem>
+              <SelectItem value="cmd-tasks">⌘N for tasks, ⌃N for agents</SelectItem>
+            </SelectContent>
+          </Select>
+        </div>
+
         {error ? <p className="text-xs text-destructive">{error}</p> : null}
       </div>
     </div>

src/renderer/components/TaskItem.tsx

@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ interface TaskItemProps {
   showDelete?: boolean;
   showDirectBadge?: boolean;
   primaryAction?: 'delete' | 'archive';
+  /** 1-9 index for keyboard shortcut badge display */
+  shortcutIndex?: number;
+  /** Which modifier to show in the badge: 'ctrl' (⌃) or 'cmd' (⌘) */
+  shortcutModifier?: 'ctrl' | 'cmd';
 }
 
 export const TaskItem: React.FC<TaskItemProps> = ({
@@ -73,6 +77,8 @@ export const TaskItem: React.FC<TaskItemProps> = ({
   showDelete,
   showDirectBadge = true,
   primaryAction = 'delete',
+  shortcutIndex,
+  shortcutModifier = 'ctrl',
 }) => {
   const { totalAdditions, totalDeletions, isLoading } = useTaskChanges(task.path, task.id);
   const { pr } = usePrStatus(task.path);
@@ -276,6 +282,12 @@ export const TaskItem: React.FC<TaskItemProps> = ({
           />
         ) : (
           <>
+            {shortcutIndex !== undefined && (
+              <kbd className="flex-shrink-0 rounded bg-muted px-1 py-0.5 font-mono text-[10px] text-muted-foreground">
+                {shortcutModifier === 'cmd' ? '⌘' : '⌃'}
+                {shortcutIndex}
+              </kbd>
+            )}
             {isPinned && (
               <Pin
                 className="h-3 w-3 flex-shrink-0 cursor-pointer text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"

src/renderer/components/sidebar/LeftSidebar.tsx

@@ -141,6 +141,25 @@ export const LeftSidebar: React.FC<LeftSidebarProps> = ({
 
   const { settings } = useAppSettings();
   const taskHoverAction = settings?.interface?.taskHoverAction ?? 'delete';
+  const taskModifier = settings?.keyboard?.numberShortcutBehavior === 'cmd-tasks' ? 'cmd' : 'ctrl';
+
+  // Compute global shortcut indices for tasks across all projects (1-9)
+  const taskShortcutIndices = useMemo(() => {
+    const indices = new Map<string, number>();
+    let globalIndex = 0;
+    for (const project of sortedProjects) {
+      const tasks = (tasksByProjectId[project.id] ?? [])
+        .slice()
+        .sort((a, b) => (b.metadata?.isPinned ? 1 : 0) - (a.metadata?.isPinned ? 1 : 0));
+      for (const task of tasks) {
+        if (globalIndex < 9) {
+          indices.set(task.id, globalIndex + 1); // 1-indexed for display
+        }
+        globalIndex++;
+      }
+    }
+    return indices;
+  }, [sortedProjects, tasksByProjectId]);
 
   const [forceOpenIds, setForceOpenIds] = useState<Set<string>>(new Set());
   const prevTaskCountsRef = useRef<Map<string, number>>(new Map());
@@ -313,6 +332,8 @@ export const LeftSidebar: React.FC<LeftSidebarProps> = ({
                                 )
                                 .map((task) => {
                                   const isActive = activeTask?.id === task.id;
+                                  // Get global shortcut index (1-9) for first 9 tasks across all projects
+                                  const shortcutIndex = taskShortcutIndices.get(task.id);
                                   return (
                                     <motion.div
                                       key={task.id}
@@ -334,6 +355,8 @@ export const LeftSidebar: React.FC<LeftSidebarProps> = ({
                                         onDelete={() => handleDeleteTask(typedProject, task)}
                                         onArchive={() => onArchiveTask?.(typedProject, task)}
                                         primaryAction={taskHoverAction}
+                                        shortcutIndex={shortcutIndex}
+                                        shortcutModifier={taskModifier}
                                       />
                                     </motion.div>
                                   );

src/renderer/hooks/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts

@@ -280,13 +280,57 @@ export function hasShortcutConflict(shortcut1: ShortcutConfig, shortcut2: Shortc
   );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Get task selection index for Ctrl/Cmd+1-9 shortcuts.
+ * Returns 0-8 for keys 1-9 if the task modifier is pressed, null otherwise.
+ */
+export function getTaskSelectionIndex(
+  event: Pick<KeyboardEvent, 'key' | 'metaKey' | 'ctrlKey' | 'altKey' | 'shiftKey'>,
+  useCmdForTasks: boolean,
+  isMac = isMacPlatform
+): number | null {
+  // Determine which modifier to check based on setting
+  let hasTaskModifier: boolean;
+  if (useCmdForTasks) {
+    // User wants Cmd/Meta for tasks
+    hasTaskModifier = isMac ? event.metaKey && !event.ctrlKey : event.metaKey;
+  } else {
+    // Default: Ctrl for tasks (not Meta)
+    hasTaskModifier = event.ctrlKey && !event.metaKey;
+  }
+
+  if (!hasTaskModifier || event.altKey || event.shiftKey) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const key = normalizeShortcutKey(event.key);
+  if (!/^[1-9]$/.test(key)) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  return Number(key) - 1;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get agent tab selection index for Cmd/Ctrl+1-9 shortcuts.
+ * Returns 0-8 for keys 1-9 if the agent modifier is pressed, null otherwise.
+ */
 export function getAgentTabSelectionIndex(
   event: Pick<KeyboardEvent, 'key' | 'metaKey' | 'ctrlKey' | 'altKey' | 'shiftKey'>,
+  useCtrlForAgents: boolean,
   isMac = isMacPlatform
 ): number | null {
-  const hasCommandModifier =
-    (isMac ? event.metaKey : event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey) && !event.shiftKey;
-  if (!hasCommandModifier || event.altKey) {
+  // Determine which modifier to check based on setting (inverse of tasks)
+  let hasAgentModifier: boolean;
+  if (useCtrlForAgents) {
+    // When tasks use Cmd, agents use Ctrl
+    hasAgentModifier = event.ctrlKey && !event.metaKey;
+  } else {
+    // Default: agents use Cmd/Meta (or Ctrl on non-Mac when Meta not available)
+    hasAgentModifier = isMac ? event.metaKey && !event.ctrlKey : event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey;
+  }
+
+  if (!hasAgentModifier || event.altKey || event.shiftKey) {
     return null;
   }
 
@@ -557,7 +601,27 @@ export function useKeyboardShortcuts(handlers: GlobalShortcutHandlers) {
         }
       }
 
-      const agentTabIndex = getAgentTabSelectionIndex(event);
+      // Handle number key shortcuts (1-9) for task/agent selection
+      const useCmdForTasks =
+        handlers.customKeyboardSettings?.numberShortcutBehavior === 'cmd-tasks';
+
+      // Check for task selection first (Ctrl+1-9 by default, or Cmd+1-9 if configured)
+      const taskIndex = getTaskSelectionIndex(event, useCmdForTasks);
+      if (taskIndex !== null) {
+        const isCommandPaletteOpen = Boolean(handlers.isCommandPaletteOpen);
+        if (isCommandPaletteOpen) {
+          event.preventDefault();
+          handlers.onCloseModal?.();
+          setTimeout(() => handlers.onSelectTask?.(taskIndex), 100);
+          return;
+        }
+        event.preventDefault();
+        handlers.onSelectTask?.(taskIndex);
+        return;
+      }
+
+      // Check for agent tab selection (Cmd+1-9 by default, or Ctrl+1-9 if tasks use Cmd)
+      const agentTabIndex = getAgentTabSelectionIndex(event, useCmdForTasks);
       if (agentTabIndex === null) {
         return;
       }

src/renderer/hooks/useTaskManagement.ts

@@ -389,6 +389,24 @@ export function useTaskManagement() {
     [activateProjectView, projects, openTaskModal]
   );
 
+  const handleSelectTaskByIndex = useCallback(
+    (index: number) => {
+      // Build a flat list of all tasks in sidebar order (by project, then pinned first within each)
+      const allTasksInOrder: Task[] = [];
+      for (const project of projects) {
+        const projectTasks = (tasksByProjectId[project.id] ?? [])
+          .slice()
+          .sort((a, b) => (b.metadata?.isPinned ? 1 : 0) - (a.metadata?.isPinned ? 1 : 0));
+        allTasksInOrder.push(...projectTasks);
+      }
+
+      if (index >= 0 && index < allTasksInOrder.length) {
+        handleSelectTask(allTasksInOrder[index]);
+      }
+    },
+    [projects, tasksByProjectId, handleSelectTask]
+  );
+
   // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Delete task mutation
   // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1005,6 +1023,7 @@ export function useTaskManagement() {
     handleTaskInterfaceReady,
     openTaskModal,
     handleSelectTask,
+    handleSelectTaskByIndex,
     handleNextTask,
     handlePrevTask,
     handleNewTask,

src/renderer/types/shortcuts.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ export type ShortcutModifier =
   | 'cmd+shift'
   | 'ctrl+shift';
 
+export type NumberShortcutBehavior = 'ctrl-tasks' | 'cmd-tasks';
+
 export interface ShortcutBinding {
   key: string;
   modifier: ShortcutModifier;
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ export interface KeyboardSettings {
   nextAgent?: ShortcutBinding;
   prevAgent?: ShortcutBinding;
   openInEditor?: ShortcutBinding;
+  numberShortcutBehavior?: NumberShortcutBehavior;
 }
 
 export interface ShortcutConfig {
@@ -92,6 +95,9 @@ export interface GlobalShortcutHandlers {
   onPrevAgent?: () => void;
   onSelectAgentTab?: (tabIndex: number) => void;
 
+  // Task selection by number (Ctrl+1-9)
+  onSelectTask?: (index: number) => void;
+
   // Open in editor
   onOpenInEditor?: () => void;