Slack keyboard shortcuts

Move through Slack seamlessly by using our keyboard shortcuts. You can view a list of keyboard shortcuts in Slack by pressing ⌘ , (Mac) and Ctrl , (Windows/Linux) from Slack on your desktop, or read on for a complete list.

Move through Slack seamlessly by using our keyboard shortcuts. You can view a list of keyboard shortcuts in Slack by pressing ⌘ ö (Mac) and Ctrl ö (Windows/Linux) from Slack on your desktop, or read on for a complete list.

Move through Slack seamlessly by using our keyboard shortcuts. You can view a list of keyboard shortcuts in Slack by pressing ⌘ / (Mac) and Ctrl / (Windows/Linux), or read on for a complete list.

Move through Slack seamlessly by using our keyboard shortcuts. You can view a list of keyboard shortcuts in Slack by pressing ⌘ ・ (Mac) and Ctrl ・ (Windows/Linux), or read on for a complete list.

Move through Slack seamlessly by using our keyboard shortcuts. You can view a list of keyboard shortcuts in Slack by pressing ⌘ ' (Mac) and Ctrl ' (Windows/Linux), or read on for a complete list.

Move through Slack seamlessly by using our keyboard shortcuts. You can view a list of keyboard shortcuts in Slack by pressing ⌘ à (Mac) and Ctrl à (Windows/Linux), or read on for a complete list. 

What to expect 

  • Shortcuts marked with a single asterisk (*) may differ from what’s listed if your keyboard is configured for a language other than English.
  • Shortcuts marked with a double asterisk (**) only work on the Slack desktop app.
  • It’s not currently possible to set custom keyboard shortcuts for Slack.

Tip: For more information on keyboard accessibility, visit Navigate Slack with your keyboard. Or learn more about using Slack with a screen reader.


Slack basics

Mac

Windows/Linux

Action Shortcut
Compose a new message

⌘ N

⌘ Shift K

Unsend a message ⌘ Z
Set your status ⌘ Shift Y
Open your preferences** ⌘ ,
Resize the left sidebar† ← or →
Hide the right sidebar ⌘ .
Create a new canvas ⌘ Shift N
Upload a file** ⌘ O
View all downloaded files ⌘ Shift J
Create a new snippet ⌘ Shift Enter
Add an emoji reaction to a message*

⌘ Shift `

⌘ Shift #

⌘ Shift \

⌘ Shift _

⌘ Shift ¡

⌘ Shift à

⌘ Shift 、

Start a search ⌘ G
Search in the current conversation ⌘ F
Start, join, leave, or end a huddle ⌘ Shift H
Toggle mute on a huddle ⌘ Shift Space
Open Help F1
Toggle full screen view Ctrl ⌘ F
Close window ⌘ W
Reopen last closed window ⌘ Shift W
Open the People view ⌘ Shift E
Quit Slack** ⌘ Q
Action Shortcut
Compose a new message

Ctrl N

Ctrl Shift K

Unsend a message Ctrl Z
Set your status Ctrl Shift Y
Open your preferences** Ctrl ,
Resize the left sidebar† ← or →
Hide the right sidebar Ctrl .
Create a new canvas Ctrl Shift N
Upload a file** Ctrl O
View all downloaded files Ctrl Shift J
Create a new snippet Ctrl Shift Enter
Add an emoji reaction to a message*

Ctrl Shift `

Ctrl Shift #

Ctrl Shift \

Ctrl Shift _

Ctrl Shift ¡

Ctrl Shift à

Ctrl Shift 、

Start a search Ctrl G
Search in the current conversation Ctrl F
Start, join, leave, or end a huddle Ctrl Shift H
Toggle mute on a huddle Ctrl Shift Space
Toggle full screen view F11
Close window Ctrl W
Reopen last closed window Ctrl Shift W
Open the People view Ctrl Shift E
Quit Slack** Ctrl Q

*This shortcut may vary by keyboard.

**This shortcut only works on the Slack desktop app.

†Use F6 to move focus to this section first.


Navigate conversations and messages

Mac

Windows/Linux

Action Shortcut
Jump to the most recent unread message in a conversation ⌘ J**
Jump to previous unread channel or direct message (DM) Option Shift ↑ 
Jump to next unread channel or DM Option Shift ↓
Jump to previous channel or DM in the sidebar Option ↑ 
Jump to next channel or DM in the sidebar Option ↓
Go back in history ⌘ [
Go forward in history ⌘ ]
Open the Home view Ctrl 1 
Browse DMs ⌘ Shift K
Open the Activity view** ⌘ Shift M
Open the More View  Ctrl 0
Open the Threads view** ⌘ Shift T
Browse channels** ⌘ Shift L
Open conversation details ⌘ Shift I
Move focus to the next section F6
Move focus to the previous section Shift F6
Expand or collapse all sidebar sections Option Click
Action Shortcut
Jump to a conversation

Ctrl K

Ctrl T**

Jump to the most recent unread message in a conversation Ctrl J**
Jump to previous unread channel or direct message (DM) Alt Shift ↑
Jump to next unread channel or DM Alt Shift ↓
Jump to previous channel or DM in the sidebar Alt ↑
Jump to next channel or DM in the sidebar Alt ↓
Go back in history Alt ←
Go forward in history Alt →
Open the Home view Ctrl Shift 1
Browse DMs Ctrl Shift 2
Open the Activity view** Ctrl Shift M
Open the More view  Ctrl Shift 0
Open the Threads view** Ctrl Shift T
Browse channels** Ctrl Shift L
Open conversation details Ctrl Shift I
Move focus to the next section F6
Move focus to the previous section Shift F6
Expand or collapse all sidebar sections Alt Click

**This shortcut only works on the Slack desktop app.


Mark messages read or unread

Mac

Windows/Linux

Action Shortcut
Mark all messages in current conversation as read Esc
Mark all messages as read Shift Esc
Mark a message as unread Option Click
Action Shortcut
Mark all messages in current conversation as read Esc
Mark all messages as read Shift Esc
Mark a message as unread Alt Click


Navigate unread messages

To catch up on what you missed in Slack, you can navigate your All unreads view using these shortcuts:

Mac

Windows/Linux

Action Shortcut
Open the All unreads view ⌘ Shift A
Move between messages ↑ or ↓
Mark a message as unread Option Click
Mark a group of messages as read Esc
Open or collapse a group of messages ← or →
Action Shortcut
Open the All unreads view Ctrl Shift A
Move between messages ↑ or ↓
Mark a message as unread Alt Click
Mark a group of messages as read Esc
Open or collapse a group of messages ← or →


Switch workspaces

If you're signed in to more than one workspace, you can switch between them.

Mac

Windows/Linux

Action Shortcut
Expand or collapse the workspace switcher ⌘ Shift S
Switch to previous workspace Ctrl Shift Tab 
Switch to next workspace Ctrl Tab 
Switch to a specific workspace (hover over a workspace icon in the left sidebar of the Slack desktop app to see its assigned number) ⌘ [number]
Action Shortcut
Expand or collapse the workspace switcher Ctrl Shift S
Switch to previous workspace Ctrl Shift Tab 
Switch to next workspace Ctrl Tab 
Switch to a specific workspace (see assigned number under the workspace icon in the left sidebar of the Slack desktop app) Ctrl [number]


Switch tabs

Switch between the tabs in your navigation bar with these shortcuts:

Mac

Windows/Linux

Action Shortcut
Switch to the previous tab Ctrl Page up
Switch to the next tab Ctrl Page down
Switch to a specific tab (hold Ctrl to see a tab's assigned number in the navigation bar) Ctrl [number]
Action Shortcut
Switch to the previous tab Ctrl Page up
Switch to the next tab Ctrl Page down
Switch to a specific tab (hold Ctrl to see a tab's assigned number in the navigation bar) Shift Ctrl [number]


Take actions on messages

You can right-click any message to reveal the common actions menu, or when focused on a message, use these one-key shortcuts to quickly take actions:

Action Shortcut
Edit a message you sent E
Delete a message you sent Delete
Open or reply to a thread T or →
Forward a message F
Pin or unpin a message P
Save a message (or remove a message from Later) A
Mark all messages above the one in focus as unread U
Create a reminder about a message M
Add an emoji reaction to a message R

Tip: By default, pressing the ↑ up arrow key from the message field lets you edit the last message you sent. You can adjust this preference so pressing ↑ moves focus to the last visible message in a conversation instead.


Format messages

Make sure your cursor is in the message field to perform these shortcuts.

Mac

Windows/Linux

Action Shortcut
Select text to beginning of current line Shift ↑
Select text to end of current line Shift ↓
Create a new line Shift Enter
Bold selected text ⌘ B
Italicize selected text ⌘ I
Underline selected text ⌘ U
Strikethrough selected text ⌘ Shift X
Hyperlink selected text ⌘ Shift U
Quote selected text ⌘ Shift 9
Code selected text ⌘ Shift C
Codeblock selected text ⌘ Alt Shift C
Format selected text as a bulleted list ⌘ Shift 8
Format selected text as a numbered list ⌘ Shift 7
Apply markdown formatting ⌘ Shift F
Undo formatting ⌘ Z

Tip: If a link is copied to your clipboard, you can use the ⌘ V shortcut to hyperlink selected text.

Action Shortcut
Select text to beginning of current line Shift ↑
Select text to end of current line Shift ↓
Create a new line Shift Enter
Bold selected text Ctrl B
Italicize selected text Ctrl I
Strikethrough selected text Ctrl Shift X
Hyperlink selected text Ctrl Shift U
Quote selected text Ctrl Shift 9
Code selected text Ctrl Shift C
Codeblock selected text Ctrl Alt Shift C
Format selected text as a bulleted list Ctrl Shift 8
Format selected text as a numbered list Ctrl Shift 7
Apply markdown formatting Ctrl Shift F
Undo formatting Ctrl Z
Add an emoji reaction to a message*

Ctrl Shift `

Ctrl Shift #

Ctrl Shift \

Ctrl Shift _

Ctrl Shift ¡

Ctrl Shift à

Ctrl Shift 、

Tip: If a link is copied to your clipboard, you can use the CtrlV shortcut to hyperlink selected text.

*This shortcut may vary by keyboard.


Format text in a canvas

Format text in a canvas using the message shortcuts above, or you can make canvas-specific formatting changes with these shortcuts:

Mac

Windows/Linux

Action Shortcut
Format selected text as paragraph ⌘ Option 0
Format selected text as big heading ⌘ Option 1
Format selected text as medium heading ⌘ Option 2
Format selected text as small heading ⌘ Option 3
Format selected text as checklist ⌘ Shift 0
Format selected text as bulleted list ⌘ Shift 8
Format selected text as numbered list ⌘ Shift 7
Toggle heading and list styles Ctrl `
Action Shortcut
Format selected text as paragraph Ctrl Alt 0
Format selected text as big heading Ctrl Alt 1
Format selected text as medium heading Ctrl Alt 2
Format selected text as small heading Ctrl Alt 3
Format selected text as checklist Ctrl Shift 0
Format selected text as bulleted list Ctrl Shift 8
Format selected text as numbered list Ctrl Shift 7
Toggle heading and list styles Ctrl `


Navigate a canvas

When you’re working in a canvas, use these shortcuts to navigate and edit your content:

Mac

Windows/Linux

Action Shortcut
View comment thread ⌘ Option T
Show reader or edit view ⌘ Option R
Open context menu ⌘ Shift /
Find text in the canvas ⌘ F
Find next ⌘ G
Find previous ⌘ Shift G
Find and replace ⌘ Shift H
Copy anchor link to section Ctrl Option Q
Undo last action ⌘ Z
Redo last action ⌘ Shift Z
Move item in a formatted list up ⌘ Option ↑
Move item in a formatted list down ⌘ Option ↓
Action Shortcut
View comment thread Ctrl Alt T
Show reader or edit view Ctrl Alt R
Open context menu Shift F10
Find text in the canvas Ctrl F
Find next Ctrl G
Find previous Ctrl Shift G
Find and replace Ctrl Shift H
Copy anchor link to section Ctrl Alt Q
Undo last action Ctrl Z
Redo last action Ctrl Shift Z
Move item in a formatted list up Ctrl Alt ↑
Move item in a formatted list down Ctrl Alt ↓