Google Chat, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Webex, and Zoom News

84 Slack Keyboard Shortcuts: Your Cheat Sheet

Blog
Slack Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

author:

84 Slack Keyboard Shortcuts: Your Cheat Sheet

Slack Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

If you’re looking for the best Slack keyboard shortcuts then you’re in the right place.

In this post, we detail how Slack shortcuts work, the most common shortcuts, and even how you can create your own.

Let’s get started!

What are shortcuts in Slack?

In Slack, “shortcuts” have a wider scope than merely triggering quick access via keyboard key combinations.

When communicating, you want to trigger interactions as easily as possible.

Therefore, Slack shortcuts are also tools that enable users to trigger workflows from prominent UI locations within the app.

Following this definition, Slack shortcuts can be accessed via both a keyboard or an entry point.

These entry points are available after an app or workflow is added to Slack.

Adding an app to Slack

Therefore, there are two types of app shortcuts:

  1. Global Shortcuts – These shortcuts are available when searching on Slack, or via the shortcuts button in composer.
Slack global shortcuts
  1. Message Shortcuts – You can access these shortcuts in Slack messages context menus.
Slack message shortcuts

Slack shortcuts work in shared channels and Slack Connect too.

How do I use Slack shortcuts?

Slack keyboard shortcuts are accessible to all users – all you have to do is own a Slack account.

Go through our keyboard shortcuts table below to learn which key combinations will be most useful to you. Regular use will make it easier so that you don’t always have to refer to this Slack shortcuts handbook.

If you’re on the Slack desktop app, the first shortcut to know is Ctrl / (Windows or Linux) or ⌘ / (macOS). This key combination opens a sidebar with the most common keyboard shortcuts.

With other shortcuts, you can access them through convenient Slack client elements:

  • Slash commands
Slash commands as Slack keyboard shortcuts
  • Entry points in app surfaces
Slack entry points

What are the best Slack shortcuts?

Ultimately, the best Slack shortcuts are the ones you used the most.

Here’s a list of the most common shortcuts available in Slack.

Slack basic shortcuts

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Compose a new messageCtrl N⌘N
Edit last message (when the current message box is empty)Ctrl ↑⌘↑
Jump to a conversationCtrl K or Ctrl T#⌘ K or ⌘ T#
Set a statusShift Ctrl Y⌘ Shift Y
Open preferences#Ctrl ,⌘ ,
Open searchCtrl G⌘ G
Search current conversationCtrl F⌘ F
Search the Help CenterF1F1
Browse channelsShift Ctrl L⌘ Shift L
Access all DMsShift Ctrl K⌘ Shift K
Access all threads#Shift Ctrl T⌘ Shift T
Go back in historyAlt ←⌘ [
Go forward in historyAlt →⌘ ]
Dismiss dialogsEscEsc
Toggle sidebar visibilityShift Ctrl D⌘ Shift D
Open context menuShift F10Shift M with VoiceOver running

Navigation

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Navigate focus across messagesoror
Navigate focus to the next sectionF6F6
Navigate focus to the previous sectionShift F6Shift F6
Imitate “clicking” on a focused elementEnterEnter
Scroll& or pg up & pg dn↑ & ↓ 
Scroll to the previous dayShift pg upFn Shift ↑
Scroll to the next dayShift pg dnFn Shift ↓
Jump to unread messagesCtrl J⌘ J
Increase text font sizeCtrl +⌘ +
Decrease text font sizeCtrl –⌘ –
Access mentions and reactions#Shift Ctrl M⌘ Shift M
Access directoryShift Ctrl E⌘ Shift E
Toggle right pane visibilityCtrl .⌘ .
Toggle fullscreenCtrl Shift FCtrl ⌘ F
Open sidebar item in split viewCtrl & “click”& “click”
Open a conversation in split viewCtrl Enter⌘ Enter
View channel InfoShift Ctrl I⌘ Shift I
View saved itemsShift Ctrl S⌘ Shift S

For Focused Messages

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Edit focused message (your own message)EE
Delete focused message (your own message)DeleteDelete
Share a focused messageSS
Open a thread on a focused messageor Tor T
Add an emoji reaction to a focused messageRR
Set a “remind me” on a focused messageMM
Mark a focused message unreadUU
Pin/unpin a focused messagePP
Save/unsave a focused messageAA

Messaging

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Bold textCtrl B⌘ B
Italicize textCtrl I⌘ I
Strikethrough textShift Ctrl X⌘ Shift X
Format text as hyperlinkShift Ctrl U⌘ Shift U
Format text as codeShift Ctrl C⌘ Shift C
Format text as codeblockShift Ctrl Alt C⌘ Alt Shift C
Format selection as bullet listShift Ctrl 8⌘ Shift 8
Format selection as numbered listShift Ctrl 7⌘ Shift 7
Format selection as quoteShift Ctrl 9⌘ Shift 9
Undo formattingCtrl Z⌘ Z
Autocomplete emoji::
Autocomplete channel##
Autocomplete username@@
Start a new lineShift EnterShift Enter
React to last message (or a message focused on)Shift Ctrl /*⌘ Shift /
Select text to the beginning of current lineShift ↑Shift ↑
Select text to the end of current lineShift ↓Shift ↓

Marking messages

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Mark a read message as unreadAlt & “click” messageOption & “click” message
Mark all unread messages as readShift EscShift Esc
Mark all unread messages in a channel as readEscEsc

Workspace switching

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Go to previous workspaceCtrl Tab⌘ Shift [
Go to next workspaceCtrl Shift Tab⌘ Shift ]
Go to a specific workspaceCtrl & “1 – 9”& “1 – 9”

Channels & direct messages

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Previous chat (channel or DM) historyAlt ↑Option ↑
Next chat (channel or DM) historyAlt ↓Option ↓
Previous unread chat (channel or DM)Alt Shift ↑Option Shift ↑
Next unread chat (channel or DM)Alt Shift ↓Option Shift ↓

All Unreads

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Open the “All unreads” dialogCtrl Shift A⌘ Shift A
Next unread channelShift pg dnOption Shift ↓
Previous unread channelShift pg upOption Shift ↑
Collapse unread channel
Expand unread channel

Files and snippets

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Add a fileCtrl U⌘ U
Create a snippetShift Ctrl Enter⌘ Shift Enter
View all file downloadsShift Ctrl J⌘ Shift J

Calls

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Toggle mute on a Slack callMM
Toggle video on a Slack callVV
Invite participants to a Slack call+ or A+ or A
Use emoji reactions in a Slack callE then “1 – 9″E then “1 – 9″

Huddle

FunctionWindows ShortcutmacOS Shortcut
Initiate (start or join) or terminate (leave or end) a Slack huddleCtrl Shift H⌘ Shift H
Toggle mute in a Slack huddleCtrl Shift Space⌘ Shift Space

NOTE: Functions or shortcuts with the # superscript only work on the Slack desktop app. Functions or shortcuts with the * superscript may vary by keyboard layout.

How do I change Slack shortcuts?

Depending on your keyboard layout, shortcuts may differ. An example is the reactji keyboard shortcut.

You can effect changes that will allow you to access other Slack shortcuts on your keyboard using these steps:

  • Sign in to Slack on your browser.
  • Click on your profile picture in the top right corner and select “Preferences”.
How to change preferences in Slack
  • A mini window appears, then click on “Langauge & region”.
  • Under “Keyboard Layout”, select your preferred layout to change the Slack shortcuts available to you.
Slack language preferences

Creating custom Slack shortcuts

If you want to create your own custom Slack shortcuts for your apps, follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to your app dashboard. Click on “Interactivity & Shortcuts” in the sidebar, then toggle on “Interactivity”.
Create custom shortcut in Slack
  1. Input your HTTP Post Request URL. Then, under the “Shortcuts” section, click the “Create new shortcuts” button.
Interactivity and shortcuts
  1. Choose if you want to access your shortcut as a “Global” or “On messages” shortcut and click “Next”.
Create message shortcut in Slack
  1. Fill in the required information in the next dialog and hit the “Create” button.
Slack shortcut details
  1. You’ll be redirected to the “Interactivity & Shortcuts” page where you’ll click the “Save Changes” button.
  1. Your new app shortcut for Slack is now ready to use.

Mio’s custom Slack shortcut

The Mio app allows you to message users on Microsoft Teams from your Slack workspace.

If you have colleagues who don’t use Slack because they use Microsoft Teams, what’s your current process?

Do you have to log in to Teams every time you want to chat with them? Or end up reverting to email?

Maybe you can only work synchronously with them because they don’t have Slack. Isn’t it annoying to only be able to chat with them on a scheduled call?

With Mio installed, you can connect Slack and Teams.

Once connected, you stay in Slack, they stay in Teams, and you message cross-platform.

Features supported include:

  • Cross-platform messages
  • Edits and deletions
  • GIFs
  • File uploads
  • Emojis and reactjis
  • Security and admin features for enterprise customers

You can even use message threads cross-platform.

You’ll get a Teams icon next to users who aren’t on Slack in channel messages, DMs, and threads.

Threads between Slack and Microsoft Teams

CodeStream is a code collaboration software company using Mio to connect Slack and Teams.

CodeStream’s CEO, Peter Pezaris, says:

“Our sales and customer success teams use Slack shared channels whenever possible. Until discovering Mio, we were still using email to communicate with customers who use Teams. Mio allows us to communicate with all our customers in real-time, regardless of which team collaboration app they use.”

To find out more about Mio, visit our website.