diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
index 9848b286..b5569277 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
@@ -1032,6 +1032,18 @@ function App() {
     setIsGraphOpen(false)
   }, [])
 
+  // Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+L to open main chat view
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if ((e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey) && e.key === 'l') {
+        e.preventDefault()
+        handleOpenFullScreenChat()
+      }
+    }
+    document.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown)
+    return () => document.removeEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown)
+  }, [handleOpenFullScreenChat])
+
   const toggleExpand = (path: string, kind: 'file' | 'dir') => {
     if (kind === 'file') {
       setSelectedPath(path)
@@ -1513,6 +1525,11 @@ function App() {
                         <div className="text-4xl font-semibold tracking-tight text-foreground/80 sm:text-5xl md:text-6xl">
                           Rowboat
                         </div>
+                        <div className="mt-3 text-sm text-muted-foreground flex items-center gap-1">
+                          <kbd className="px-1.5 py-0.5 text-xs font-medium bg-muted rounded border border-border">⌘</kbd>
+                          <kbd className="px-1.5 py-0.5 text-xs font-medium bg-muted rounded border border-border">L</kbd>
+                          <span className="ml-1">to open chat from anywhere</span>
+                        </div>
                       </ConversationEmptyState>
                     ) : (
                       <>