Take actions quickly from the shortcuts menu in Slack
- All members and guests
- Free, Standard, Plus, and Enterprise Grid
Shortcuts in Slack help you get work done quickly and easily. Open the shortcuts menu by clicking the lightning bolt icon to the left of the message field, then search for a specific action to find built-in Slack shortcuts, ex. setting your status, or browse the menu to see what’s available.
What to expect
- When you open the shortcuts menu from a channel or direct message (DM), you may see actions specific to that conversation, like the option to add someone to the channel or start a Slack call.
- Scroll to the Browse by app section of the shortcuts menu to view all shortcuts and slash commands offered by apps in your workspace.
- In channels shared with external organizations, members can only use app shortcuts and slash commands installed to their own workspace.
Tip: If your workspace is on a paid plan, any workflows added to a channel will be visible at the top of the shortcuts menu when you open it from that channel.
Use shortcuts and slash commands
Follow the steps below to use a shortcut or slash command from the shortcuts menu.
Shortcuts
Slash commands
- Click the lightning bolt icon to the left of the message field to open the shortcuts menu.
- Search for and select the shortcut you'd like to use, then follow the prompts.
- Click the lightning bolt icon to the left of the message field or type a / forward slash in the message field of any conversation to open the shortcuts menu.
- Search for and select the slash command you'd like to use.
- Following the slash command in the message field, add any other text you need to use the command. For example, you might type /remind list to view a list of your recent reminders.
- Send your message.
Built-in Slack shortcuts
Some Slack shortcuts will always be visible in the shortcuts menu in the Suggested section. Others can be used by searching for the action you want to take. Review the table below for a list of Slack’s built-in shortcuts:
| Action | Shortcut |
| Add someone to a channel | Invite someone to this channel |
| Archive the current channel* | Archive this channel |
| Browse Slack apps | Browse apps |
| Browse channels in your workspace | Browse channels |
| Browse files in your workspace | Browse files |
| Create a code or text snippet | Create a text snippet |
| Create a new channel* | Create a channel |
| Create a new post | Create a post |
| Create a workflow with Workflow Builder** | Create a workflow |
| Edit the current channel’s description | Edit this channel’s description |
| Find people in your workspace | Browse people and user groups |
| Leave the current channel | Leave this channel |
| Manage notifications for a channel or DM | Change this [channel’s/group DM’s] notifications |
| Mute or unmute a conversation | [Mute/unmute] this [channel/DM] |
| Open Workflow Builder** | Open Workflow Builder |
| Remove someone from the current channel* | Remove someone from this [channel/DM/group DM] |
| Rename the current channel* | Rename this channel |
| Search Slack | Search — for anything, anywhere in Slack |
| Send a new message with the compose button | Send a new message |
| Set a reminder for yourself | Set yourself a reminder |
| Set the current channel topic | Edit this channel’s topic |
| Set your status to away or active | Set yourself as [away/active] |
| Start a Slack call | Start a call in this [channel/DM/group DM] |
| Turn dark mode on or off | Toggle dark mode |
| Turn Do Not Disturb (DND) on or off | [Pause/resume] all your notifications |
| View your DMs | View all your DMs |
| View your downloaded files and images | View all your downloads |
| View your draft messages | View all your drafts |
| View your mentions & reactions | View all your mentions & reactions |
| View your saved items | View all your saved items |
| View Slack keyboard shortcuts | View keyboard shortcuts |
*May be restricted to owners and admins
**Only available on paid plans
App shortcuts and slash commands
Some Slack apps include shortcuts you can use to take actions in another service right from your workspace. Other apps rely on slash commands, another type of shortcut you can now find in the shortcuts menu. You can access slash commands by opening the shortcuts menu and searching for them, or use your keyboard to type a / and the text of the command you want to use.