diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/keybindingsEditor.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/keybindingsEditor.ts
index 8af33ba4a1978d84dbd5ec50fb7e7ea7469beded..0339712cf9587716bbc12d4f06ca52b8e0e8169b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/keybindingsEditor.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/keybindingsEditor.ts
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@ export class KeybindingsEditor extends BaseEditor implements IKeybindingsEditor
 		this.headerContainer = DOM.append(parent, $('.keybindings-header'));
 		this.searchWidget = this._register(this.instantiationService.createInstance(SearchWidget, DOM.append(this.headerContainer, $('.search-container')), {
 			ariaLabel: localize('SearchKeybindings.AriaLabel', "Search keybindings"),
-			placeholder: localize('SearchKeybindings.Placeholder', "Search keybindings")
+			placeholder: localize('SearchKeybindings.Placeholder', "Search keybindings"),
+			navigateByArrows: true
 		}));
 		this._register(this.searchWidget.onDidChange(searchValue => this.delayedFiltering.trigger(() => this.render())));
 		this._register(this.searchWidget.onNavigate(back => this._onNavigate(back)));
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesEditor.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesEditor.ts
index e82dab7a55f2d7901f976060aa22897bea527474..a2a991e8362ba522d03dd98cd0df8c573d78f1a9 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesEditor.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesEditor.ts
@@ -125,7 +125,9 @@ export class PreferencesEditor extends BaseEditor {
 
 		this.searchWidget = this._register(this.instantiationService.createInstance(SearchWidget, this.headerContainer, {
 			ariaLabel: nls.localize('SearchSettingsWidget.AriaLabel', "Search settings"),
-			placeholder: nls.localize('SearchSettingsWidget.Placeholder', "Search Settings")
+			placeholder: nls.localize('SearchSettingsWidget.Placeholder', "Search Settings"),
+			navigateByArrows: true,
+			navigateByEnter: true
 		}));
 		this._register(this.searchWidget.onDidChange(value => this.filterPreferences(value.trim())));
 		this._register(this.searchWidget.onNavigate(shift => this.preferencesRenderers.focusNextPreference(!shift)));
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesWidgets.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesWidgets.ts
index fee6ca77d7248bf6ee3bb51f58541a0bcc646ad4..ba69694b80821aca0f72629b8c736034f46ba670 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesWidgets.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesWidgets.ts
@@ -224,6 +224,11 @@ export class SettingsTabsWidget extends Widget {
 	}
 }
 
+export interface SearchOptions extends IInputOptions {
+	navigateByEnter?: boolean;
+	navigateByArrows?: boolean;
+}
+
 export class SearchWidget extends Widget {
 
 	public domNode: HTMLElement;
@@ -238,7 +243,7 @@ export class SearchWidget extends Widget {
 	private _onNavigate = this._register(new Emitter<boolean>());
 	public onNavigate: Event<boolean> = this._onNavigate.event;
 
-	constructor(parent: HTMLElement, protected options: IInputOptions,
+	constructor(parent: HTMLElement, protected options: SearchOptions,
 		@IContextViewService private contextViewService: IContextViewService,
 		@IContextMenuService private contextMenuService: IContextMenuService,
 		@IInstantiationService protected instantiationService: IInstantiationService
@@ -299,15 +304,21 @@ export class SearchWidget extends Widget {
 		let handled = false;
 		switch (keyboardEvent.keyCode) {
 			case KeyCode.Enter:
-				this._onNavigate.fire(keyboardEvent.shiftKey);
-				handled = true;
+				if (this.options.navigateByEnter) {
+					this._onNavigate.fire(keyboardEvent.shiftKey);
+					handled = true;
+				}
 				break;
 			case KeyCode.UpArrow:
-				this._onNavigate.fire(true);
+				if (this.options.navigateByArrows) {
+					this._onNavigate.fire(true);
+				}
 				handled = true;
 				break;
 			case KeyCode.DownArrow:
-				this._onNavigate.fire(false);
+				if (this.options.navigateByArrows) {
+					this._onNavigate.fire(false);
+				}
 				handled = true;
 				break;
 			case KeyCode.Escape: