Slack keyboard shortcuts
Slack puts a key on nearly every place you go in it: a conversation, your threads, your unread messages, the Activity feed. Once a message has focus, a single letter edits, forwards, pins or reacts to it, with no modifier at all. The Windows column also covers Linux, a few keys work only in the desktop app, and Slack does not currently let you change any of them.
Checked against Slack Help Center — Slack keyboard shortcuts, Navigate Slack with your keyboard, Format your messages, Formatting with markup, Set your Enter key preference and Edit or delete messages. Version: Slack desktop app and Slack in a browser, with desktop-only keys noted.
Showing the Windows keyboard. Showing the Mac keyboard.
119 shortcuts
The top 20 are the Slack shortcuts this page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear here. The drill asks the marked ones first too, shuffled. Or tick your own and print those.
The 20 to learn first: the shortcuts the Slack page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear on it.
Your own sheet: the Slack shortcuts you ticked.
Start here
Practise theseJump to a conversation # Type a channel or person's name, then press Enter. Ctrl+T works in the desktop app only, and Slack gives no second key on a Mac.WinControl plusKorControl plusTMacCommand plusK
Search Slack #WinControl plusGMacCommand plusG
Start a new message #WinControl plusNorControl plusShift plusKMacCommand plusNorShift plusCommand plusK
Mark the conversation you are in as read # Only when you are not typing a message and no menu is open.WinEscapeMacEscape
Mark every conversation as read #WinShift plusEscapeMacShift plusEscape
Edit the last message you sent # From the message field. A preference can make Up move to the last message in the conversation instead, and then E edits the one in focus.WinUp arrowMacUp arrow
Show Slack's own list of shortcuts #WinControl plusSlashMacCommand plusSlash
Upload a file # Desktop app only.WinControl plusOMacCommand plusO
Open your threads # Desktop app only.WinControl plusShift plusTMacShift plusCommand plusT
Open Activity # The first key works in the desktop app only.WinControl plusShift plusMorControl plusShift plus3MacShift plusCommand plusMorControl plus3
Open All unreads #WinControl plusShift plusAMacShift plusCommand plusA
Moving between conversations
Practise theseGo to the previous unread channel or DM #WinAlt plusShift plusUp arrowMacOption plusShift plusUp arrow
Go to the next unread channel or DM #WinAlt plusShift plusDown arrowMacOption plusShift plusDown arrow
Go to the channel or DM above in the sidebar #WinAlt plusUp arrowMacOption plusUp arrow
Go to the channel or DM below in the sidebar #WinAlt plusDown arrowMacOption plusDown arrow
Go back to where you were #WinAlt plusLeft arrowMacCommand plusLeft bracket
Go forward again #WinAlt plusRight arrowMacCommand plusRight bracket
Open a conversation in a new window # With the channel or DM's name focused in the sidebar.WinControl plusEnterMacCommand plusReturn
Open the Home view # Ctrl, not Cmd, on a Mac.WinControl plusShift plus1MacControl plus1
Browse your DMs # Slack's Mac list gives the same key for starting a new message.WinControl plusShift plus2MacShift plusCommand plusK
Open the More view #WinControl plusShift plus0MacControl plus0
Browse channels # Desktop app only.WinControl plusShift plusLMacShift plusCommand plusL
Open the People view #WinControl plusShift plusEMacShift plusCommand plusE
Show the conversation's details #WinControl plusShift plusIMacShift plusCommand plusI
Expand or collapse every sidebar section #WinAlt plusclickMacOption plusclick
Switch to a tab by its number # Hold Ctrl to see each tab's number in the navigation bar.WinControl plusShift plusnumberMacControl plusnumber
Reading and catching up
Most of these work once a message in the conversation has focus.
Practise theseJump to the unread messages in the conversation # Slack's shortcut list marks this desktop app only, but its keyboard navigation guide gives the same key in a browser.WinControl plusJMacCommand plusJ
Search the conversation you are in #WinControl plusFMacCommand plusF
Move from message to message # The same keys move through All unreads and the Activity feed.WinUp arroworDown arrowMacUp arroworDown arrow
Jump up or down the conversation #WinPage UporPage DownMacPage UporPage Down
Go to the oldest message #WinHomeMacHome
Go to the most recent message #WinEndMacEnd
Go to the start of the previous day's messages #WinShift plusPage UpMacFunction key plusShift plusUp arrow
Go to the start of the next day's messages #WinShift plusPage DownMacFunction key plusShift plusDown arrow
Scroll through the messages #WinSpace barMacSpace bar
Go back from a thread to the conversation # From anywhere in the thread. Right, on a focused message, opens its thread.WinLeft arrowMacLeft arrow
Expand or collapse a group of messages # In All unreads.WinLeft arroworRight arrowMacLeft arroworRight arrow
Mark a group of messages as read # In All unreads.WinEscapeMacEscape
Reply to an item in Activity # In the Activity feed.WinEnterMacReturn
Mark an item in Activity as read # In the Activity feed. On a message in a conversation, R adds a reaction instead.WinRMacR
Clear an item from Activity # In the Activity feed.WinCMacC
Select or unselect an item in Activity # In the Activity feed.WinXMacX
Acting on a message
With a message in focus, one letter does it. No modifier is needed.
Practise theseEdit the message # Your own messages only.WinEMacE
Delete the message # Your own messages only, and deleting is permanent.WinDeleteMacDelete
Open the thread, or reply in it #WinTorRight arrowMacTorRight arrow
Forward the message #WinFMacF
Pin or unpin the message #WinPMacP
Save the message for later, or take it out of Later #WinAMacA
Mark every message above this one as unread #WinUMacU
Set a reminder about the message #WinMMacM
React to the message with an emoji #WinRMacR
Add an emoji reaction to a message # Slack says this key may differ if your keyboard is set to a language other than English. On a focused message, R does the same.WinControl plusShift plusBackslashMacShift plusCommand plusBackslash
Mark a message as unread #WinAlt plusclickMacOption plusclick
Unsend the message you just sent # Within 15 seconds, before you leave the conversation, and with the message field empty. Slack asks you to confirm, then puts the message back in the field to fix.WinControl plusZMacCommand plusZ
Writing and formatting a message
With the cursor in the message field. Select the text first for the formatting keys.
Practise theseStart a new line # A preference can make plain Enter start a new line instead.WinShift plusEnterMacShift plusReturn
Send the message, when Enter is set to start a new line # Set under Preferences, then Advanced.WinControl plusEnterMacCommand plusReturn
Bold the selection #WinControl plusBMacCommand plusB
Italicise the selection #WinControl plusIMacCommand plusI
Underline the selection # Slack lists this key for the Mac only.WinNot listedMacCommand plusU
Strike the selection through #WinControl plusShift plusXMacShift plusCommand plusX
Turn the selection into a link # With a link already copied, pasting over the selected text links it too.WinControl plusShift plusUMacShift plusCommand plusU
Quote the selection #WinControl plusShift plus9MacShift plusCommand plus9
Format the selection as code #WinControl plusShift plusCMacShift plusCommand plusC
Format the selection as a code block #WinControl plusAlt plusShift plusCMacOption plusShift plusCommand plusC
Make a bulleted list #WinControl plusShift plus8MacShift plusCommand plus8
Make a numbered list #WinControl plusShift plus7MacShift plusCommand plus7
Start a numbered list as you type # Type 1 and a full stop, then press Space. Not with the markup preference on, which turns automatic lists off.
1.Start a bulleted list as you type # Type an asterisk, then press Space. Not with the markup preference on.
*Apply the markdown you have typed #WinControl plusShift plusFMacShift plusCommand plusF
Undo the formatting # In the message field. Just after sending, the same key unsends instead.WinControl plusZMacCommand plusZ
Select to the start of the line #WinShift plusUp arrowMacShift plusUp arrow
Select to the end of the line #WinShift plusDown arrowMacShift plusDown arrow
Create a snippet #WinControl plusShift plusEnterMacShift plusCommand plusReturn
Formatting you type
These need Format messages with markup turned on, under Preferences, then Advanced. The formatting appears once the message is sent.
Canvases
The message formatting keys work in a canvas too. These are the ones a canvas adds.
Practise theseCreate a canvas #WinControl plusShift plusNMacShift plusCommand plusN
Make the selection a big heading #WinControl plusAlt plus1MacOption plusCommand plus1
Make the selection a medium heading #WinControl plusAlt plus2MacOption plusCommand plus2
Make the selection a small heading #WinControl plusAlt plus3MacOption plusCommand plus3
Make the selection a plain paragraph #WinControl plusAlt plus0MacOption plusCommand plus0
Make the selection a checklist #WinControl plusShift plus0MacShift plusCommand plus0
Switch between heading and list styles # Ctrl on a Mac as well.WinControl plusBacktickMacControl plusBacktick
Move a list item up #WinControl plusAlt plusUp arrowMacOption plusCommand plusUp arrow
Move a list item down #WinControl plusAlt plusDown arrowMacOption plusCommand plusDown arrow
Open the comment thread #WinControl plusAlt plusTMacOption plusCommand plusT
Switch between reading and editing #WinControl plusAlt plusRMacOption plusCommand plusR
Find in the canvas #WinControl plusFMacCommand plusF
Find the next match # Inside a canvas. Outside one, the same key starts a Slack search.WinControl plusGMacCommand plusG
Find the previous match #WinControl plusShift plusGMacShift plusCommand plusG
Find and replace #WinControl plusShift plusHMacShift plusCommand plusH
Copy a link to this section # Ctrl, not Cmd, on a Mac.WinControl plusAlt plusQMacControl plusOption plusQ
Undo #WinControl plusZMacCommand plusZ
Redo #WinControl plusShift plusZMacShift plusCommand plusZ
Huddles, workspaces and the window
Practise theseStart, join, leave or end a huddle #WinControl plusShift plusHMacShift plusCommand plusH
Mute or unmute yourself in a huddle #WinControl plusShift plusSpace barMacShift plusCommand plusSpace bar
Set your status #WinControl plusShift plusYMacShift plusCommand plusY
Show or hide the workspace switcher #WinControl plusShift plusSMacShift plusCommand plusS
Switch to the next workspace # Ctrl on a Mac as well. For when you are signed in to more than one workspace.WinControl plusTabMacControl plusTab
Switch to the previous workspace #WinControl plusShift plusTabMacControl plusShift plusTab
Switch to a workspace by its number # Each workspace's number shows by its icon in the desktop app's left sidebar. On a Mac, hover over the icon to see it.WinControl plusnumberMacCommand plusnumber
Move focus to the next part of the window # In the desktop app. In a browser, Slack gives Ctrl+F6 on Windows and Cmd+F6 on a Mac.WinF6MacF6orControl plusCommand plusRight arrow
Move focus to the previous part of the window # In the desktop app. In a browser, Ctrl+Shift+F6 on Windows and Cmd+Shift+F6 on a Mac.WinShift plusF6MacShift plusF6orControl plusCommand plusLeft arrow
Resize the left sidebar # Move focus to the sidebar with F6 first.WinLeft arroworRight arrowMacLeft arroworRight arrow
Hide the right-hand sidebar #WinControl plusFull stopMacCommand plusFull stop
Show the files you have downloaded #WinControl plusShift plusJMacShift plusCommand plusJ
Open your preferences # Desktop app only.WinControl plusCommaMacCommand plusComma
Open Slack's help # Slack lists this key for the Mac only.WinNot listedMacF1
Go full screen, or back #WinF11MacControl plusCommand plusF
Close the window #WinControl plusWMacCommand plusW
Reopen the window you last closed #WinControl plusShift plusWMacShift plusCommand plusW
Quit Slack # Desktop app only.WinControl plusQMacCommand plusQ
Next
Gmail
Gmail runs on single keys and short sequences: C starts a new message, E archives, and G then I goes back to the inbox.
Notion
Notion treats everything on a page as a block, so most of its speed comes from selecting blocks, moving them and changing their type from the keyboard.
Chrome
Most of these hold in Edge, Brave, Opera and Vivaldi too, because they all share the same engine and the same conventions.
macOS
These work in the Finder and, with few exceptions, in every app that follows Apple's conventions.
Slack keyboard shortcuts — comboshelf.com. Checked 25 September 2026 against Slack Help Center — Slack keyboard shortcuts.