diff --git a/web/src/app.css b/web/src/app.css
index 24dd470..e9597bd 100644
--- a/web/src/app.css
+++ b/web/src/app.css
@@ -498,12 +498,12 @@
 		@apply font-copernicus mb-4 text-center text-4xl;
 	}
 
-	.greeting-bottom-link {
-		@apply cursor-pointer text-[var(--light-accent)]/70 transition-colors duration-200 hover:underline;
+	.greeting-bottom-highlight {
+		@apply mx-1 cursor-default rounded-lg border-1 border-[var(--light-text)]/10 p-0.5 text-[var(--light-accent)]/70 transition-colors duration-200 hover:text-[var(--light-highlight-text)];
 	}
 
-	.dark .greeting-bottom-link {
-		@apply text-[var(--dark-accent)];
+	.dark .greeting-bottom-highlight {
+		@apply border-[var(--dark-text)]/10 text-[var(--dark-accent)] hover:text-[var(--light-highlight-text)];
 	}
 
 	/* * * * * * * * * * * * * */
@@ -570,6 +570,14 @@
 		@apply border-[var(--dark-text)]/10 text-[var(--dark-text)] hover:bg-[var(--dark-foreground)]/80;
 	}
 
+	.button-keyboard-shortcut-hint {
+		@apply ml-2 rounded-lg border-1 border-[var(--light-text)]/10 px-1 text-[var(--light-text)]/50;
+	}
+
+	.dark .button-keyboard-shortcut-hint {
+		@apply border-[var(--dark-text)]/10 text-[var(--dark-text)]/50;
+	}
+
 	.note-action-icon-button {
 		@apply flex h-9 w-9 items-center justify-center rounded-lg border border-[var(--light-text)]/10 bg-transparent p-0 text-[var(--light-text)] hover:bg-[var(--light-foreground)]/80;
 	}
@@ -700,7 +708,7 @@
 		@apply list-decimal;
 	}
 
-	/* Checkboxes ('todo items') */
+	/* Checkboxes */
 
 	.markdown-preview input[type="checkbox"] {
 		@apply mr-1 h-4 w-4 appearance-none rounded-md border-[var(--light-text)]/30 bg-[var(--light-foreground)] p-0 align-text-bottom;
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/AuthForm.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/AuthForm.svelte
index 8fd9b1e..de40fcb 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/AuthForm.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/AuthForm.svelte
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@
 	let passwordError = ""
 	let isFormValid = false
 
-	// TODO (optional feature):
-	// during `onMount`, check whether user is *already authenticated* (redirect straight to `/` if yes)
+	// TODO (optional): route already authenticated users straight to "/"
 
 	// clear any errors when swapping between login/signup views
 	onMount(() => ($cError = null))
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/NoteEditor.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/NoteEditor.svelte
index f09a671..9d5402d 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/NoteEditor.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/NoteEditor.svelte
@@ -191,19 +191,20 @@
 			</h1>
 		{/if}
 
-		<!-- TODO: add pagination support for versions dropdown -->
+		<!-- TODO: handle versions pagination support later if it becomes an issue (`util/itemPagination.ts`) -->
 
 		<!-- Note action buttons -->
 		<div class="note-action-container">
 			<!-- Editor mode toggle button -->
 			{#if isLatestVersion(note)}
-				<button on:click={toggleEditMode} class="note-action-button w-28">
+				<button on:click={toggleEditMode} class="note-action-button w-28 sm:w-auto">
 					{#if isEditing}
 						<EditPen classString="mr-3 h-4 w-4" />
 					{:else}
 						<ViewEye classString="mr-3 h-4 w-4" />
 					{/if}
 					{isEditing ? "Editing" : "Viewing"}
+					<span class="button-keyboard-shortcut-hint hidden sm:inline">⌥ + a</span>
 				</button>
 			{:else}
 				<button disabled class="note-action-button w-28 cursor-not-allowed opacity-40"
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/NoteView.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/NoteView.svelte
index f7057bf..646fd11 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/NoteView.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/NoteView.svelte
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 	let username = "friend"
 	let greetMessage = "What's up?"
 	let currentContentHash = ""
+	const keysPressed = new Map()
 
 	onMount(async (): Promise<any> => {
 		// the following fetch attempts to refresh any expired tokens automatically
@@ -67,10 +68,42 @@
 		isComponentReady = true
 
 		return () => {
+			// listener destructors on unmount
 			window.removeEventListener("resize", handleResize)
 		}
 	})
 
+	const handleKeydown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+		keysPressed.set(event.code, true)
+
+		if (keysPressed.has("AltLeft") && keysPressed.has("KeyE")) {
+			// toggle sidebar with alt/option + e
+			event.preventDefault()
+			isSidebarOpen = !isSidebarOpen
+		} else if (keysPressed.has("AltLeft") && keysPressed.has("KeyN")) {
+			// create new note with alt/option + n
+			event.preventDefault()
+			createNewNote()
+		} else if (isSidebarOpen && keysPressed.has("AltLeft") && keysPressed.has("KeyK")) {
+			// focus to searchbar with alt/option + k
+			event.preventDefault()
+			document.getElementById("sidebar-search-bar")?.focus()
+		} else if ($currentFullNote !== null && keysPressed.has("AltLeft") && keysPressed.has("KeyA")) {
+			// toggle note editor mode with alt/option + e
+			event.preventDefault()
+			isEditing = !isEditing
+		}
+	}
+
+	const handleKeyUp = (_event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+		keysPressed.clear()
+	}
+
+	const handleBlur = () => {
+		// blur = window losing focus
+		keysPressed.clear()
+	}
+
 	const loadNotes = async () => {
 		const notes = await apiClient.listNotes()
 
@@ -249,6 +282,9 @@
 	})
 </script>
 
+<!-- Keyboard shortcuts -->
+<svelte:window on:keydown={handleKeydown} on:keyup={handleKeyUp} on:blur={handleBlur} />
+
 {#if isComponentReady}
 	<div class="main-layout-container">
 		<!-- Error notification -->
@@ -309,18 +345,11 @@
 						<div class="greeting-container">
 							<p class="greeting-message">{greetMessage}</p>
 							<p class="greeting-message text-base">
-								Want to create a new note?<span class="hidden sm:inline"> </span>
-								<span class="block whitespace-nowrap sm:inline"
-									>Click
-									<!-- svelte-ignore a11y_click_events_have_key_events -->
-									<!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_static_element_interactions -->
-									<span
-										class="greeting-bottom-link"
-										on:click={createNewNote}
-										aria-roledescription="create-note-text-link">here</span
-									></span
-								>
-								<!-- TODO: italic & grayed out text new note creation keyboard shortcut -->
+								<span class="block whitespace-nowrap sm:inline">
+									Press
+									<span class="greeting-bottom-highlight">⌥ + n</span>
+									to create a new note
+								</span>
 							</p>
 						</div>
 					{/if}
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/Sidebar.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/Sidebar.svelte
index c435c93..86e4ec4 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/Sidebar.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/Sidebar.svelte
@@ -156,7 +156,13 @@
 		</div>
 
 		<div class="relative flex flex-col px-2 pb-3">
-			<input type="text" placeholder="Search" bind:value={searchQuery} class="sidebar-search-bar" />
+			<input
+				type="text"
+				placeholder="⌥ + k"
+				bind:value={searchQuery}
+				id="sidebar-search-bar"
+				class="sidebar-search-bar"
+			/>
 			<Search classString="sidebar-search-bar-icon" />
 		</div>
 
diff --git a/web/src/lib/icons/editor/ViewEye.svelte b/web/src/lib/icons/editor/ViewEye.svelte
index b3be933..ddf23d9 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/icons/editor/ViewEye.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/icons/editor/ViewEye.svelte
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 	export let classString = "h-6 w-6"
 </script>
 
-<!-- TODO: this needs to be fixed :) -->
-
 <svg
 	viewBox="0 -4 20 20"
 	class={classString}