To view a list of all available keyboard shortcuts, press ⌘/ (Mac) or Ctrl/ (Windows/Linux) from Slack on your desktop, or visit Slack keyboard shortcuts and commands.
Keyboard navigation basics
Use the keyboard shortcuts below to navigate between elements from the Slack desktop app or Slack in a browser. You’ll know an element is in focus when it’s surrounded by a blue outline, or when a text cursor is blinking in a message field.
Action
Desktop app shortcut
Browser shortcut
Move focus to the next section
F6
or
⌘Ctrl→ (Mac only)
Mac: ⌘F6 Windows/Linux: CtrlF6
Move focus to the previous section
ShiftF6
or
⌘Ctrl← (Mac only)
Mac: ⌘ShiftF6 Windows/Linux: CtrlShiftF6
Move focus within the current section
Tab or ShiftTab
Tab or ShiftTab
Move focus between items in a list, ex. messages, channels, etc.
↑ or ↓*
↑ or ↓*
Move focus to first unread message
Mac: ⌘J Windows/Linux: CtrlJ
Mac: ⌘J Windows/Linux: CtrlJ
Move to the oldest message
Home
Home
Move to the most recent message
End
End
*If using a screen reader on Windows, you may need to toggle the virtual cursor off so shortcuts provided by your screen reader don’t collide with Slack shortcuts.
Note: If you’re not typing a message and there aren't any menus open, pressing Esc will mark messages as read.
Type the name of a channel or person into the search field.
Press Enter to open the conversation.
Tip: To open a conversation in split view, press ⌘ (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows/Linux) and click the name of a channel or DM in your sidebar.
Read messages in a conversation
Move focus to the empty message field and press ↑ to start navigating between individual messages. Then, use any of these keys:
Page up or Page down to jump up or down.
Home to go to the oldest message.
End to go to the most recent message.
⌘J (Mac) or CtrlJ (Windows/Linux) to move focus to the first unread message.
FnShift↑ (Mac) or ShiftPage Up (Windows/Linux) to scroll to the start of the previous day’s messages.
FnShift↓ (Mac) or ShiftPage down (Windows/Linux) to scroll to the start of the next day’s messages.
Spacebar to scroll through messages.
→ to enter the thread associated with a message. Within the thread, all of the above keys will function the same way. Press ← from anywhere in the thread to navigate back to the main conversation.
Tip: Continously pressing Tab will allow you to explore channels you don’t have permission to post in.
Interact with messages in a conversation
When focused on the empty message input field, press ↑ to start navigating between individual messages.
When focused on a message, press Tab to scroll through links, attachments, etc. or use contextual one-key shortcuts to take actions (like editing, replying, or sharing) quickly.
Tip: To open the Message Actions menu, you can press TabM (on Mac, with full keyboard access enabled) or the Menu key (on Windows).
Navigate unread messages
Press ⌘ShiftA (Mac) or CtrlShiftA (Windows/Linux) to open the Unreads view, then use these keys to review your unread messages:
↑ or ↓ to move between individual messages.
OptionClick (Mac) or AltClick (Windows/Linux) to mark a single message as unread.
