diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dashboard.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dashboard.ts
index e59e34146..00baa93fa 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dashboard.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-dashboard.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
   resolveSliceFile,
 } from "./paths.js";
 import { isDbAvailable, getMilestoneSlices, getSliceTasks } from "./gsd-db.js";
+import { formatShortcut } from "./files.js";
 import { readFileSync, writeFileSync, existsSync } from "node:fs";
 import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
 import { truncateToWidth, visibleWidth } from "@gsd/pi-tui";
@@ -855,7 +856,7 @@ export function updateProgressWidget(
         // Hints line
         const hintParts: string[] = [];
         hintParts.push("esc pause");
-        hintParts.push(process.platform === "darwin" ? "⌃⌥G dashboard" : "Ctrl+Alt+G dashboard");
+        hintParts.push(`${formatShortcut("Ctrl+Alt+G")} dashboard`);
         const hintStr = theme.fg("dim", hintParts.join(" | "));
         const commitStr = lastCommit
           ? theme.fg("dim", `${lastCommit.timeAgo} ago: ${commitMsg}`)
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/bootstrap/system-context.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/bootstrap/system-context.ts
index c82217449..7d16b3b00 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/bootstrap/system-context.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/bootstrap/system-context.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import { hasSkillSnapshot, detectNewSkills, formatSkillsXml } from "../skill-dis
 import { getActiveAutoWorktreeContext } from "../auto-worktree.js";
 import { getActiveWorktreeName, getWorktreeOriginalCwd } from "../worktree-command.js";
 import { deriveState } from "../state.js";
-import { formatOverridesSection, loadActiveOverrides, loadFile, parseContinue, parseSummary } from "../files.js";
+import { formatOverridesSection, formatShortcut, loadActiveOverrides, loadFile, parseContinue, parseSummary } from "../files.js";
 import { toPosixPath } from "../../shared/mod.js";
 import { markCmuxPromptShown, shouldPromptToEnableCmux } from "../../cmux/index.js";
 
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ export async function buildBeforeAgentStartResult(
   const systemContent = loadPrompt("system", {
     bundledSkillsTable: buildBundledSkillsTable(),
     templatesDir: getTemplatesDir(),
+    shortcutDashboard: formatShortcut("Ctrl+Alt+G"),
+    shortcutShell: formatShortcut("Ctrl+Alt+B"),
   });
   const loadedPreferences = loadEffectiveGSDPreferences();
   if (shouldPromptToEnableCmux(loadedPreferences?.preferences)) {
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/commands/handlers/core.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/commands/handlers/core.ts
index 6ddc51107..e321dca4f 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/commands/handlers/core.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/commands/handlers/core.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { runEnvironmentChecks } from "../../doctor-environment.js";
 import { deriveState } from "../../state.js";
 import { handleCmux } from "../../commands-cmux.js";
 import { projectRoot } from "../context.js";
+import { formatShortcut } from "../../files.js";
 
 export function showHelp(ctx: ExtensionCommandContext): void {
   const lines = [
@@ -24,12 +25,12 @@ export function showHelp(ctx: ExtensionCommandContext): void {
     "  /gsd new-milestone  Create milestone from headless context (used by gsd headless)",
     "",
     "VISIBILITY",
-    "  /gsd status         Show progress dashboard  (Ctrl+Alt+G)",
+    `  /gsd status         Show progress dashboard  (${formatShortcut("Ctrl+Alt+G")})`,
     "  /gsd visualize      Interactive 10-tab TUI (progress, timeline, deps, metrics, health, agent, changes, knowledge, captures, export)",
     "  /gsd queue          Show queued/dispatched units and execution order",
     "  /gsd history        View execution history  [--cost] [--phase] [--model] [N]",
     "  /gsd changelog      Show categorized release notes  [version]",
-    "  /gsd notifications  View persistent notification history  [clear|tail|filter]  (Ctrl+Alt+N)",
+    `  /gsd notifications  View persistent notification history  [clear|tail|filter]  (${formatShortcut("Ctrl+Alt+N")})`,
     "",
     "COURSE CORRECTION",
     "  /gsd steer <desc>   Apply user override to active work",
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/files.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/files.ts
index 9bd194604..e92876bec 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/files.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/files.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,25 @@ export function clearParseCache(): void {
   for (const cb of _cacheClearCallbacks) cb();
 }
 
+// ─── Platform shortcuts ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+const IS_MAC = process.platform === "darwin";
+
+/**
+ * Format a keyboard shortcut for the current OS.
+ * Input: modifier key combo like "Ctrl+Alt+G"
+ * Output: "⌃⌥G" on macOS, "Ctrl+Alt+G" on Windows/Linux.
+ */
+export function formatShortcut(combo: string): string {
+  if (!IS_MAC) return combo;
+  return combo
+    .replace(/Ctrl\+Alt\+/i, "⌃⌥")
+    .replace(/Ctrl\+/i, "⌃")
+    .replace(/Alt\+/i, "⌥")
+    .replace(/Shift\+/i, "⇧")
+    .replace(/Cmd\+/i, "⌘");
+}
+
 // ─── Helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 /** Extract the text after a heading at a given level, up to the next heading of same or higher level. */
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/notification-overlay.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/notification-overlay.ts
index 886862ec6..1b5e3bec5 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/notification-overlay.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/notification-overlay.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // GSD Extension — Notification History Overlay
 // Scrollable panel showing all persisted notifications with severity filtering.
-// Toggled with Ctrl+Alt+N or opened from /gsd notifications.
+// Toggled with Ctrl+Alt+N (⌃⌥N on macOS) or opened from /gsd notifications.
 
 import type { Theme } from "@gsd/pi-coding-agent";
 import { truncateToWidth, visibleWidth, matchesKey, Key } from "@gsd/pi-tui";
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/notification-widget.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/notification-widget.ts
index 15ac855e2..8a963be5e 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/notification-widget.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/notification-widget.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import type { ExtensionContext } from "@gsd/pi-coding-agent";
 
 import { getUnreadCount, readNotifications } from "./notification-store.js";
+import { formatShortcut } from "./files.js";
 
 // ─── Pure rendering ──���────────────────────────���─────────────────────────
 
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ export function buildNotificationWidgetLines(): string[] {
     ? latest.message.slice(0, msgMax - 1) + "…"
     : latest.message;
 
-  return [`  ${icon} [${badge}]  ${truncated}  (Ctrl+Alt+N to view)`];
+  return [`  ${icon} [${badge}]  ${truncated}  (${formatShortcut("Ctrl+Alt+N")} to view)`];
 }
 
 // ─── Widget init ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/parallel-monitor-overlay.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/parallel-monitor-overlay.ts
index 4b671f973..1293ebbc7 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/parallel-monitor-overlay.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/parallel-monitor-overlay.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * GSD Parallel Monitor Overlay
  *
  * Full-screen TUI overlay showing real-time parallel worker progress.
- * Opened via `/gsd parallel watch` or Ctrl+Alt+P.
+ * Opened via `/gsd parallel watch` or Ctrl+Alt+P (⌃⌥P on macOS).
  * Reads the same data sources as `scripts/parallel-monitor.mjs` but
  * renders as a native pi-tui overlay with theme integration.
  */
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/prompts/system.md b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/prompts/system.md
index a78c82daf..e7847a315 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/prompts/system.md
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/prompts/system.md
@@ -131,8 +131,8 @@ Templates showing the expected format for each artifact type are in:
 - `/gsd status` - progress dashboard overlay
 - `/gsd queue` - queue future milestones (safe while auto-mode is running)
 - `/gsd quick <task>` - quick task with GSD guarantees (atomic commits, state tracking) but no milestone ceremony
-- `Ctrl+Alt+G` - toggle dashboard overlay
-- `Ctrl+Alt+B` - show shell processes
+- `{{shortcutDashboard}}` - toggle dashboard overlay
+- `{{shortcutShell}}` - show shell processes
 
 ## Execution Heuristics
 
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/format-shortcut.test.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/format-shortcut.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b6c90e4b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/format-shortcut.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+// GSD Extension — formatShortcut tests
+// Verifies OS-specific keyboard shortcut rendering.
+
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { formatShortcut } from '../files.ts';
+
+// ─── formatShortcut renders per-platform shortcuts ──────────────────────
+
+test('formatShortcut: converts Ctrl+Alt combo on macOS', () => {
+  // formatShortcut uses process.platform at module load time.
+  // We can only test the current platform's behavior.
+  const result = formatShortcut('Ctrl+Alt+G');
+  if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, '⌃⌥G', 'macOS should use ⌃⌥ symbols');
+  } else {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, 'Ctrl+Alt+G', 'non-macOS should pass through unchanged');
+  }
+});
+
+test('formatShortcut: converts Ctrl+Alt+N', () => {
+  const result = formatShortcut('Ctrl+Alt+N');
+  if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, '⌃⌥N');
+  } else {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, 'Ctrl+Alt+N');
+  }
+});
+
+test('formatShortcut: converts Ctrl+Alt+B', () => {
+  const result = formatShortcut('Ctrl+Alt+B');
+  if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, '⌃⌥B');
+  } else {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, 'Ctrl+Alt+B');
+  }
+});
+
+test('formatShortcut: converts standalone Ctrl modifier', () => {
+  const result = formatShortcut('Ctrl+C');
+  if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, '⌃C');
+  } else {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, 'Ctrl+C');
+  }
+});
+
+test('formatShortcut: converts Shift modifier', () => {
+  const result = formatShortcut('Shift+Tab');
+  if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, '⇧Tab');
+  } else {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, 'Shift+Tab');
+  }
+});
+
+test('formatShortcut: converts Cmd modifier', () => {
+  const result = formatShortcut('Cmd+S');
+  if (process.platform === 'darwin') {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, '⌘S');
+  } else {
+    assert.strictEqual(result, 'Cmd+S');
+  }
+});
+
+test('formatShortcut: passes through plain key names', () => {
+  assert.strictEqual(formatShortcut('Escape'), 'Escape');
+  assert.strictEqual(formatShortcut('Enter'), 'Enter');
+});