Ghostty 1.3.0: 3 Must-Try New Features for Power Users

Ghostty 1.3.0 just dropped with a major update that brings 2,800+ commits from 180 contributors. This open-source terminal emulator built on Zig now delivers powerful tools to streamline your workflow. Let’s dive into the top features that make this release a game-changer for macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD users.

1. Scrollback Search: Find Text Instantly

Ever spent minutes scrolling through terminal logs to find a specific error message? Ghostty 1.3.0 solves this with its scrollback search feature. Press Ctrl+Shift+F (Linux) or Cmd+F (macOS) to open a search bar in the corner of your screen. Drag it to any corner for convenience.

How It Works

• Searches text in the current viewport (not full scroll history)
• Use arrow keys or keyboard shortcuts to navigate matches
• Search runs in a dedicated thread to avoid slowing down performance

The search thread only activates when needed, ensuring zero resource drain when you’re not searching. This makes Ghostty 1.3.0 ideal for developers debugging complex scripts or analyzing logs.

2. Native Scrollbars: Visual Context at Your Fingertips

Ghostty 1.3.0 adds native scrollbars that adapt to your system settings. On Ubuntu, you’ll see overlay scrollbars (invisible until you hover). macOS users get full drag-and-drop functionality.

Why This Matters

• Visual progress tracking for deep scroll sessions
• Click to jump to specific sections
• Drag to scroll smoothly through long outputs

While Ghostty already supported mouse wheel/touchpad scrolling, the new scrollbars provide intuitive visual feedback. This is especially helpful when reviewing multi-page command outputs.

3. Process Completion Notifications: Never Miss a Task

Long-running commands can now trigger customizable notifications. Configure your ghostty.conf to:

• Play a sound when processes finish
• Display desktop alerts (with optional delay)
• Set dock badges on macOS

Ghostty 1.3.0 also adds click-to-navigate support in Fish, Zsh, and Nushell shells. Click on file paths or commands to jump directly to them.

Other Notable Improvements

• Two-finger swipe to switch tabs (macOS)
• -e and --working-directory CLI options for new windows
• Improved OSC 133 implementation for consistent shell behavior
• GNOME middle-click paste compatibility
• Drag-and-drop split reordering (macOS)

Getting Ghostty 1.3.0

Ubuntu users can install via PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkasberg/ghostty-ubuntu
sudo apt update && sudo apt install ghostty

macOS users get official binaries with in-app updates. Homebrew and other package managers are also supported.

Why Upgrade Today?

Ghostty 1.3.0 isn’t just a feature update—it’s a productivity boost. The scrollback search alone saves hours for developers, while native scrollbars make long sessions less frustrating. With 2,800+ commits, this release shows the project’s commitment to delivering a terminal experience that’s both powerful and user-friendly.

Ready to streamline your workflow? Install Ghostty 1.3.0 now and experience the future of terminal emulation.