Apps & Games How to

Slack Keyboard Shortcuts on Mac and Windows

Keyboard shortcuts are not just handy for Apple’s applications on Mac, however, they can be awesome for third-party apps as well. If you depend on the app, then you may have many shortcuts that can help you navigate, chat, edit, or manage the window. Without even the need for a mouse or trackpad. Slack is one of these applications. In this article, we are going to talk about Slack Keyboard Shortcuts on Mac and Windows. Let’s begin!

Power up your team communications along with the right keystroke combinations. You can also use these to control the Slack interface, format messages, and instantly find the content that you need. Become a Slack expert with these familiar, functional hotkeys for Windows, Mac, and Linux as well.

The Slack window on Mac

Switch between workspaces, open and then close sidebars, or see specific categories with these shortcuts.

  • Move to the next workspace: Command + Shift + ] (right bracket)
  • Move to the earlier workspace: Command + Shift + [ (left bracket)
  • Go to a numbered workspace: Command + Workspace number
  • Enter or exit the full-screen mode: Control + Command + F
  • Open or also close the right sidebar: Command + . (period)
  • Open or close the left sidebar as well: Command + Shift + D
  • Launch preferences: Command + , (comma)
  • Open the Channel browser: Command + Shift + L
  • To open Direct Messages window: Command + Shift + K
  • See All unread: Command + Shift + A
  • See Threads: Command + Shift + T
  • View Mentions and also reactions: Command + Shift + M
  • See People: Command + Shift + E
  • View stored items: Command + Shift + S
  • Search channel or conversation as well: Command + F
  • Upload a file: Command + U

Messages | Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

You can also create a new message, format its text, add a reaction, create a reminder, and much more with these keyboard shortcuts.

  • Create a new message: Command + N
  • Create a new line in the message: Shift + Return
  • Add an emoji: Command + Shift + \ (Backslash)
  • Choose the text to the beginning of the line: Shift + Up arrow
  • Select the text to the end of the line: Shift + Down arrow
  • Bold the text: Command + B
  • Italicize the text: Command + I (capital letter “i”)
  • Strikethrough the text: Command + Shift + X
  • Convert the text to the numbered list: Command + Shift + 7
  • Convert the text to the bulleted list: Command + Shift + 8
  • Undo the message formatting: Command + Z

For the following actions, use the F6 key in order to put the selected message in focus. Then, use one of these shortcuts to perform the actions.

  • Edit the message: E
  • Add a reaction: R
  • Open or reply to a thread: T or Right arrow
  • Pin or unpin the message: P
  • Share the message: S
  • Save the message: A
  • Delete the message: Delete
  • Create a reminder: M
  • Mark as unread: U

Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

Hotkeys for Slack on Windows and Linux | Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

Well, Slack’s keyboard shortcuts for Windows are the same as those for Linux. Let’s see a helpful cheat sheet you keep nearby. A few of these are only available in the Windows desktop application, and not Slack’s web application, but most of them work on both.

Navigation

You can also use the following hotkeys to navigate Slack on Windows or Linux:

  • To open  Conversation: Ctrl+K
  • Hover over Direct Messages (DM): Ctrl+Shift+K
  • Open Channels: Ctrl+Shift+L
  • To open Mentions: Ctrl+Shift+M (Desktop app only)
  • Open People: Ctrl+Shift+E
  • View Saved Items: Ctrl+Shift+S
  • Open the next Section: F6
  • Go to the previous Section: Shift+F6
  • Go to the next Unread: Alt+Shift+Down
  • Hover over previous Unread: Alt+Shift+Up
  • Go to next Channel or DM: Alt+Right
  • Go to previous Channel or DM: Alt+Left
  • See next Workspace: Ctrl+Tab (Windows), Ctrl+] (Linux)
  • Then to open previous Workspace: Ctrl+Shift+Tab (Windows), Ctrl+Shift+[ (Linux)
  • Go to a particular Workspace: Ctrl+[number under workspace icon] (Desktop app only)
  • Open Channel Info: Ctrl+Shift+I
  • To open New Message: Ctrl+N
  • View Preferences: Ctrl+, (Desktop app only)
  • Go to Threads: Ctrl+Shift+T (Desktop app only)
  • Allow the right pane: Ctrl+.
  • Toggle Full-Screen View: Ctrl+Shift+F
  • Search current Channel or Conversation: Ctrl+F
  • Go to the previous Search: Ctrl+G

Unread | Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

The Slack desktop app has a window that shows all unread content in DMs and channels. If you want to turn off this feature, click the name of the Workspace at the top left. Then, go to the Preferences > Sidebar > Show All Unread, and delete the checkmark next to this option.

You can also use the following hotkeys in order to open and navigate this menu:

  • Toggle All Unread view: Ctrl+Shift+A
  • To Mark message as Unread: Alt+Left Click
  • Move between messages: Up or Down arrows
  • Open or collapse Channels: Left or Right arrows

Mark Messages

You can also use these following hotkeys to mark messages:

  • Mark all messages in current Channel or DM Read: Esc
  • Mark all messages Read: Shift+Esc
  • Set message as oldest Unread: Alt+Left Click (Windows), Ctrl+Alt+Left Click (Linux)

Message Action

Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

The following hotkeys apply only when you select a message:

  • Edit message: E
  • Add emoji: R
  • Open thread: T or Right arrow
  • Pin or Unpin message: P
  • Share: S
  • Save or Unsave message: A
  • Mark Unread: U
  • Delete message: Delete

Format Messages | Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use the following hotkeys if you want to format messages:

  • Edit last message: Ctrl+Up
  • Select text to the beginning of the current line: Shift+Up
  • Select text to end of the current line: Shift+Down
  • Insert return: Shift+Enter
  • Add emoji: Ctrl+Shift+\
  • Bold: Ctrl+B
  • Italicize: Ctrl+I
  • Strike-through: Ctrl+Shift+X
  • Also Quote selected text: Ctrl+Shift+9
  • Code selected text: Ctrl+Shift+C
  • Code block selected text: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C
  • Create numbered list: Ctrl+Shift+7
  • Then create a bulleted list: Ctrl+Shift+8
  • Apply formatting to markdown text: Ctrl+Shift+F
  • Undo message formatting: Ctrl+Z

Files

use these following hotkeys along with files:

  • Upload file: Ctrl+U
  • Create snippet: Ctrl+Shift+Enter

During a Call | Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use the following hotkeys when you are on a call:

  • Toggle Mute: M
  • Toggle Video: V
  • Open Invites: + or A
  • View and select an emoji: E+ (select 1-9)

Conclusion

Alright, That was all Folks! I hope you guys like this Slack Keyboard Shortcuts article and find it helpful to you. Give us your feedback on it. Also if you guys have further queries related to this article. Then let us know in the comments section below. We will get back to you shortly.

Have a Great Day!

Also See: How Use Reactions in Slack for Quick Responses

About the author

Windy Moore

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