diff --git a/config/hypr/bindings.lua b/config/hypr/bindings.lua
index 6da7b938..1164a339 100644
--- a/config/hypr/bindings.lua
+++ b/config/hypr/bindings.lua
@@ -25,4 +25,4 @@
 -- Logitech MX Keys examples:
 -- o.bind("SUPER + SHIFT + S", nil, "omarchy-capture-screenshot")
 -- o.bind("SUPER + H", nil, "voxtype record toggle")
--- o.bind("SUPER + PERIOD", nil, "omarchy-shell shell toggle omarchy.emojis")
+-- o.bind("SUPER + PERIOD", nil, { panel = "omarchy.emojis" })
diff --git a/default/agents/skills/omarchy/hyprland.md b/default/agents/skills/omarchy/hyprland.md
index fd518ad3..fd0e1b62 100644
--- a/default/agents/skills/omarchy/hyprland.md
+++ b/default/agents/skills/omarchy/hyprland.md
@@ -36,8 +36,12 @@ Edit `~/.config/hypr/bindings.lua`. Format:
 ```lua
 o.bind("SUPER + SHIFT + R", "SSH", "alacritty -e ssh your-server")
 o.bind("SUPER + B", "Browser", { launch = "chromium" })  -- launch wraps with uwsm-app
+o.bind("SUPER + M", "Theme menu", { menu = "theme" })     -- toggle an Omarchy menu route
+o.bind("SUPER + N", "Network", { panel = "omarchy.network" })  -- toggle a shell panel
 ```
 
+Prefer `{ menu = ... }` and `{ panel = ... }` over running `omarchy-menu toggle ...` or `omarchy-shell shell toggle ...` as a command. Routes and panels listed in `$OMARCHY_PATH/default/omarchy/shortcuts` go straight to the running shell as Hyprland global shortcuts, with no process started on each press; any other route or panel still works, through the command.
+
 View current bindings: `omarchy menu keybindings --print`
 
 **IMPORTANT: When re-binding an existing key:**
diff --git a/default/hypr/bindings/clipboard.lua b/default/hypr/bindings/clipboard.lua
index 4aba781d..a44fe157 100644
--- a/default/hypr/bindings/clipboard.lua
+++ b/default/hypr/bindings/clipboard.lua
@@ -46,4 +46,4 @@ o.bind("SUPER + A", "Select all", send_shortcut_once("CTRL", "A"))
 o.bind("SUPER + C", "Universal copy", universal_clipboard_shortcut("CTRL", "C", "CTRL SHIFT", "C"))
 o.bind("SUPER + V", "Universal paste", universal_clipboard_shortcut("CTRL", "V", "CTRL SHIFT", "V"))
 o.bind("SUPER + X", "Universal cut", send_shortcut_once("CTRL", "X"))
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + V", "Clipboard manager", "omarchy-shell shell toggle omarchy.clipboard")
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + V", "Clipboard manager", { panel = "omarchy.clipboard" })
diff --git a/default/hypr/bindings/utilities.lua b/default/hypr/bindings/utilities.lua
index 9c03d273..23066f29 100644
--- a/default/hypr/bindings/utilities.lua
+++ b/default/hypr/bindings/utilities.lua
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-o.bind("SUPER + SPACE", "Omarchy menu", "omarchy-menu toggle")
-o.bind("SUPER + ALT + SPACE", "Apps menu", "omarchy-menu toggle apps")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + E", "Emojis", "omarchy-shell shell toggle omarchy.emojis")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + C", "Capture menu", "omarchy-menu toggle capture")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + O", "Toggle menu", "omarchy-menu toggle toggle")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + H", "Hardware menu", "omarchy-menu toggle hardware")
-o.bind("SUPER + SHIFT + code:201", "Omarchy menu", "omarchy-menu toggle root")
-o.bind("SUPER + ESCAPE", "System menu", "omarchy-menu toggle system")
-o.bind("XF86PowerOff", "Power menu", "omarchy-menu toggle system", { locked = true })
+o.bind("SUPER + SPACE", "Omarchy menu", { menu = "root" })
+o.bind("SUPER + ALT + SPACE", "Apps menu", { menu = "apps" })
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + E", "Emojis", { panel = "omarchy.emojis" })
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + C", "Capture menu", { menu = "capture" })
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + O", "Toggle menu", { menu = "toggle" })
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + H", "Hardware menu", { menu = "hardware" })
+o.bind("SUPER + SHIFT + code:201", "Omarchy menu", { menu = "root" })
+o.bind("SUPER + ESCAPE", "System menu", { menu = "system" })
+o.bind("XF86PowerOff", "Power menu", { menu = "system" }, { locked = true })
 o.bind("SUPER + K", "Keybindings", "omarchy-menu-keybindings")
 o.bind("SUPER + ALT + K", "Tmux keybindings", "omarchy-menu-tmux-keybindings")
 o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + K", "Herdr keybindings", "omarchy-menu-herdr-keybindings")
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + Q", "Calculator", "omacalc")
 o.bind("XF86Calculator", "Calculator", "omacalc")
 
 o.bind_toggle("SUPER + SHIFT + SPACE", "Toggle top bar", "bar")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + SPACE", "Background switcher", "omarchy-menu toggle background")
-o.bind("SUPER + SHIFT + CTRL + SPACE", "Theme menu", "omarchy-menu toggle theme")
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + SPACE", "Background switcher", { menu = "background" })
+o.bind("SUPER + SHIFT + CTRL + SPACE", "Theme menu", { menu = "theme" })
 o.bind("SUPER + BACKSPACE", "Toggle window transparency", "omarchy-hyprland-window-transparency-toggle")
 o.bind("SUPER + SHIFT + BACKSPACE", "Toggle window gaps", "omarchy-hyprland-window-gaps-toggle")
 o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + BACKSPACE", "Toggle single-window square aspect", "omarchy-hyprland-window-single-square-aspect-toggle")
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ hl.on("layer.closed", function(layer)
   end
 end)
 
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + S", "Share", "omarchy-menu toggle share")
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + S", "Share", { menu = "share" })
 
 o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + PERIOD", "Transcode", "omarchy-transcode")
 
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + R", "Set reminder", "omarchy-menu toggle reminder-set")
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + R", "Set reminder", { menu = "reminder-set" })
 o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + ALT + R", "Show reminders", "omarchy-reminder show")
 o.bind("SUPER + SHIFT + CTRL + R", "Clear reminders", "omarchy-reminder clear")
 
@@ -95,12 +95,12 @@ o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + ALT + B", "Show battery remaining", "omarchy-notification
 o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + ALT + W", "Toggle weather", "omarchy-notification-weather")
 
 o.bind("SUPER + SHIFT + CTRL + A", "Agent", "omarchy-agent --pick")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + A", "Audio", "omarchy-shell shell toggle omarchy.audio")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + B", "Bluetooth", "omarchy-shell shell toggle omarchy.bluetooth")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + D", "Display", "omarchy-shell shell toggle omarchy.monitor")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + ALT + D", "Calendar", "omarchy-shell shell toggle omarchy.clock")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + W", "Network", "omarchy-shell shell toggle omarchy.network")
-o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + P", "Power", "omarchy-shell shell toggle omarchy.power")
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + A", "Audio", { panel = "omarchy.audio" })
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + B", "Bluetooth", { panel = "omarchy.bluetooth" })
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + D", "Display", { panel = "omarchy.monitor" })
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + ALT + D", "Calendar", { panel = "omarchy.clock" })
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + W", "Network", { panel = "omarchy.network" })
+o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + P", "Power", { panel = "omarchy.power" })
 o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + T", "Activity", { tui = "btop" })
 
 -- The letters above name a panel; the numbers count them. 1 is the leftmost
diff --git a/default/hypr/helpers.lua b/default/hypr/helpers.lua
index 04964703..ca557f52 100644
--- a/default/hypr/helpers.lua
+++ b/default/hypr/helpers.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 -- Shared helpers for Hyprland Lua configuration.
 
+local paths = require("default.hypr.paths")
+
 o = o or {}
 
 local function shell_quote(value)
@@ -53,6 +55,38 @@ function o.cmd_missing(command)
   return not o.cmd_present(command)
 end
 
+-- The global shortcuts the shell registers, read from the same list it reads.
+local shell_shortcuts = nil
+
+local function shell_shortcut_registered(name)
+  if not shell_shortcuts then
+    shell_shortcuts = {}
+    local file = io.open(paths.omarchy_path .. "/default/omarchy/shortcuts", "r")
+    if file then
+      for line in file:lines() do
+        local kind, target = line:match("^(%a+)%s+(%S+)%s*$")
+        if kind then
+          shell_shortcuts[kind .. "." .. target] = true
+        end
+      end
+      file:close()
+    end
+  end
+
+  return shell_shortcuts[name] == true
+end
+
+-- Reach the shell through its global shortcut when it registers one, so the
+-- keypress spawns nothing. Anything else runs the command as before.
+local function shell_dispatcher(kind, target, command)
+  local name = kind .. "." .. target
+  if shell_shortcut_registered(name) then
+    return hl.dsp.global("omarchy:" .. name)
+  end
+
+  return command
+end
+
 local function command_from(value, description)
   if type(value) ~= "table" then
     return value
@@ -60,6 +94,10 @@ local function command_from(value, description)
 
   if value.omarchy then
     return "omarchy-launch-" .. value.omarchy
+  elseif value.menu then
+    return shell_dispatcher("menu", value.menu, "omarchy-menu toggle " .. shell_quote(value.menu))
+  elseif value.panel then
+    return shell_dispatcher("panel", value.panel, "omarchy-shell shell toggle " .. shell_quote(value.panel))
   elseif value.focus and value.launch then
     return o.launch_sole(value.focus, value.launch)
   elseif value.launch then
diff --git a/default/omarchy/shortcuts b/default/omarchy/shortcuts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3975edc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/default/omarchy/shortcuts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Hyprland global shortcuts the Omarchy shell registers, one per line: a menu
+# route to toggle, or a panel plugin to toggle. A binding written as
+# o.bind(keys, description, { menu = "theme" }) or { panel = "omarchy.emojis" }
+# dispatches the matching shortcut straight to the shell, with no IPC client to
+# spawn per keypress. A route or panel missing here still binds, through the
+# omarchy-menu or omarchy-shell command instead.
+menu root
+menu apps
+menu capture
+menu toggle
+menu hardware
+menu system
+menu background
+menu theme
+menu share
+menu reminder-set
+panel omarchy.clipboard
+panel omarchy.emojis
+panel omarchy.audio
+panel omarchy.bluetooth
+panel omarchy.monitor
+panel omarchy.clock
+panel omarchy.network
+panel omarchy.power
diff --git a/shell/shell.qml b/shell/shell.qml
index 82080624..21f13e0a 100644
--- a/shell/shell.qml
+++ b/shell/shell.qml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import QtQuick
 import QtQml.Models
 import Quickshell
+import Quickshell.Hyprland
 import Quickshell.Io
 
 import qs.Commons
@@ -1513,6 +1514,51 @@ ShellRoot {
     }
   }
 
+  // ------------------------------------------------------ global shortcuts
+  //
+  // Bindings that open a menu route or panel dispatch these through Hyprland,
+  // so a keypress reaches the shell without spawning an omarchy-shell IPC
+  // client. The list is shared with default/hypr/helpers.lua, which binds a
+  // route or panel missing from it through the command instead.
+
+  function parseShortcuts(raw) {
+    var entries = []
+    var lines = String(raw || "").split("\n")
+    for (var i = 0; i < lines.length; i++) {
+      var match = /^([A-Za-z]+)\s+(\S+)\s*$/.exec(lines[i])
+      if (match && (match[1] === "menu" || match[1] === "panel"))
+        entries.push({ kind: match[1], target: match[2], name: match[1] + "." + match[2] })
+    }
+    return entries
+  }
+
+  function runShortcut(entry) {
+    if (entry.kind === "menu")
+      shell.toggle("omarchy.menu", JSON.stringify({ menu: entry.target }))
+    else
+      shell.toggle(entry.target, "{}")
+  }
+
+  FileView {
+    id: shortcutsFile
+    path: shell.omarchyPath + "/default/omarchy/shortcuts"
+    watchChanges: true
+    onFileChanged: reload()
+  }
+
+  Variants {
+    model: shell.parseShortcuts(shortcutsFile.text())
+
+    GlobalShortcut {
+      required property var modelData
+
+      appid: "omarchy"
+      name: modelData.name
+      description: modelData.kind === "menu" ? "Toggle the " + modelData.target + " menu" : "Toggle the " + modelData.target + " panel"
+      onPressed: shell.runShortcut(modelData)
+    }
+  }
+
   // --------------------------------------------------- image selector IPC
 
   function imagePickerItem() {
diff --git a/test/shell.d/clock-test.sh b/test/shell.d/clock-test.sh
index e10d62f1..d2bde8a1 100755
--- a/test/shell.d/clock-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/clock-test.sh
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ shell_json=$(cd "$ROOT" && jq -r '[.bar.layout.center[].id] | join(",")' config/
 [[ $shell_json != *"omarchy.calendar"* ]] || fail "clock hosts the calendar instead of a second bar pill" "center: $shell_json"
 pass "default bar layout includes the clock widget"
 
-grep -q 'o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + ALT + D", "Calendar", "omarchy-shell shell toggle omarchy.clock")' \
+grep -q 'o.bind("SUPER + CTRL + ALT + D", "Calendar", { panel = "omarchy.clock" })' \
   "$ROOT/default/hypr/bindings/utilities.lua" ||
   fail "SUPER+CTRL+ALT+D toggles the calendar panel"
 pass "SUPER+CTRL+ALT+D toggles the calendar panel"
diff --git a/test/shell.d/shell-shortcuts-test.sh b/test/shell.d/shell-shortcuts-test.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..17e211e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/shell.d/shell-shortcuts-test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+source "$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)/base-test.sh"
+
+require_command lua
+
+shortcuts="$ROOT/default/omarchy/shortcuts"
+
+# Load the helpers and every default binding against a stub hl, and print one
+# line per binding: "global <name>" for a global shortcut, "exec <command>" for
+# a command, then its description.
+list_bindings() {
+  HOME="$(mktemp -d)" OMARCHY_PATH="$ROOT" lua <<'LUA'
+package.path = os.getenv("OMARCHY_PATH") .. "/?.lua;" .. package.path
+
+local function proxy()
+  return setmetatable({}, {
+    __index = function(self, key)
+      local value = proxy()
+      rawset(self, key, value)
+      return value
+    end,
+    __call = function()
+      return {}
+    end,
+  })
+end
+
+local dsp = proxy()
+rawset(dsp, "global", function(name) return { global = name } end)
+rawset(dsp, "exec_cmd", function(command) return { exec = command } end)
+
+hl = setmetatable({
+  dsp = dsp,
+  bind = function(keys, dispatcher, opts)
+    local kind, target = "other", ""
+    if type(dispatcher) == "table" and dispatcher.global then
+      kind, target = "global", dispatcher.global
+    elseif type(dispatcher) == "table" and dispatcher.exec then
+      kind, target = "exec", dispatcher.exec
+    end
+    print(kind .. "\t" .. target .. "\t" .. ((opts or {}).description or ""))
+  end,
+}, {
+  __index = function()
+    return function() return {} end
+  end,
+})
+
+require("default.hypr.helpers")
+
+o.bind("A", "listed menu", { menu = "theme" })
+o.bind("B", "unlisted menu", { menu = "setup.power" })
+o.bind("C", "listed panel", { panel = "omarchy.emojis" })
+o.bind("D", "unlisted panel", { panel = "omarchy.wifiqr" })
+
+for _, file in ipairs({ "utilities", "clipboard" }) do
+  dofile(os.getenv("OMARCHY_PATH") .. "/default/hypr/bindings/" .. file .. ".lua")
+end
+LUA
+}
+
+bindings=$(list_bindings)
+
+expect_binding() {
+  local expected="$1"
+  local message="$2"
+  grep -Fxq "$expected" <<<"$bindings" || fail "$message: $(grep -F "$(cut -f3 <<<"$expected")" <<<"$bindings")"
+}
+
+expect_binding $'global\tomarchy:menu.theme\tlisted menu' "a listed menu route binds its global shortcut"
+expect_binding $'exec\tomarchy-menu toggle \'setup.power\'\tunlisted menu' "an unlisted menu route falls back to the command"
+expect_binding $'global\tomarchy:panel.omarchy.emojis\tlisted panel' "a listed panel binds its global shortcut"
+expect_binding $'exec\tomarchy-shell shell toggle \'omarchy.wifiqr\'\tunlisted panel' "an unlisted panel falls back to the command"
+pass "shell bindings use global shortcuts only for what the shell registers"
+
+# Every default binding that toggles a listed route or panel goes through its
+# shortcut, and none toggles one through a command any more.
+! grep -E $'^exec\t(omarchy-menu toggle|omarchy-shell shell toggle) ' <<<"$bindings" | grep -v $'\tunlisted ' ||
+  fail "default bindings toggle menus and panels through global shortcuts"
+expect_binding $'global\tomarchy:menu.root\tOmarchy menu' "SUPER+SPACE opens the menu through its shortcut"
+expect_binding $'global\tomarchy:menu.theme\tTheme menu' "the theme menu binding uses its shortcut"
+expect_binding $'global\tomarchy:panel.omarchy.clipboard\tClipboard manager' "the clipboard binding uses its shortcut"
+pass "default bindings toggle menus and panels through global shortcuts"
+
+# The shell and the helpers read the same list, in the same format.
+while IFS= read -r line; do
+  [[ -z $line || $line == \#* ]] && continue
+  [[ $line =~ ^(menu|panel)\ [^[:space:]]+$ ]] || fail "shortcuts lines are a kind and a target: $line"
+done <"$shortcuts"
+grep -q 'path: shell.omarchyPath + "/default/omarchy/shortcuts"' "$ROOT/shell/shell.qml" ||
+  fail "the shell registers the shortcuts the helpers bind"
+grep -q 'paths.omarchy_path .. "/default/omarchy/shortcuts"' "$ROOT/default/hypr/helpers.lua" ||
+  fail "the helpers bind the shortcuts the shell registers"
+pass "the shell and the helpers share one shortcut list"
+
+# Every default menu binding target is a real menu route.
+run_node_test <<'JS'
+const fs = require('fs')
+const menu = requireFromRoot('shell/plugins/menu/MenuModel.js')
+const entries = menu.parseMenuJsonc(fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, 'default/omarchy/omarchy-menu.jsonc'), 'utf8'))
+const items = {}
+const order = []
+for (const entry of entries) { items[entry.id] = entry; order.push(entry.id) }
+items.root = items.root || { id: 'root' }
+
+const lines = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, 'default/omarchy/shortcuts'), 'utf8').split('\n')
+for (const line of lines) {
+  const match = /^menu (\S+)$/.exec(line)
+  if (!match) continue
+  const route = match[1]
+  assert(route === 'root' || items[menu.resolveRoute(items, order, route)], `shortcut menu route resolves: ${route}`)
+}
+JS
+pass "every shortcut menu route resolves in the menu"