Skip to content

Navigator#

Navigator is the panel on the left of the layout, where you connect to clusters, move between cluster views, and monitor the state of your clusters.

Resize the panel by dragging its right edge.

Right-click an item to open a context menu with the actions available for it, such as connecting to a cluster, or opening Preferences and cluster settings.

Cluster sections#

Clusters are grouped into two top-level sections:

Sections appear only when the corresponding feature is enabled for your subscription, so what you see depends on your plan and on the integrations you have configured. See Premium Features for details.

To locate a cluster without expanding the tree, use the Search button. See Find a cluster.

Extensions section#

Below the cluster sections, the Extensions section holds Lens Extensions:

  • Create new: start a new extension with your AI tool. See Create an extension.
  • Browse Marketplace: open the Extension Marketplace. See Install an extension.
  • Meet the Community: join the Lens Slack channel for extension developers.
  • Installed: the extensions installed in Lens, with their state.

A NEW badge marks the section for subscribers. Without a subscription, it shows a PREMIUM badge instead. When Lens runs in safe mode, the section carries a red SAFE MODE badge, and the extensions under Installed show as Held back. See Start Lens in safe mode.

Keyboard navigation#

Key Action
Up / Down Move through the items
Right Open the section
Left Close the section
Tab / Shift+Tab Move between items
Enter Open the view in preview mode
Shift+Enter Open the view in a fixed tab

When you switch between tabs from different clusters, Navigator displays the corresponding location.

To focus on a single section or cluster, use Drill Into mode:

  1. Hover over the section header or cluster, and click the chevron button on its right.

    Contextual Tab Filtering shows only the tabs and views relevant to that section or cluster, and temporarily hides the others.

  2. To leave the mode, click the chevron button in Navigator, or use the drop-down menu above it to switch between levels of the tree.

The video below shows Drill Into and Contextual Tab Filtering in use:

Tab modes#

You can open a view in a tab in two modes:

  • Preview mode

    Opens with a single click (Enter) and reuses the existing tab when you navigate to other views.

  • Fixed tab mode

    Opens with a double click (Shift+Enter), and the tab stays associated with that view. Navigating to another view opens a new tab.