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Messages Shortcuts

This page is a complete keyboard shortcut reference for Messages on macOS, covering all 44 shortcuts organized into 2 sections. Whether you’re new to Messages or looking to master advanced features, this cheat sheet has every key combination you need — from basic editing and navigation to app-specific power-user actions.

Keyboard shortcuts are the fastest way to work in Messages. Every time you use a shortcut instead of reaching for the mouse, you save a few seconds — and those seconds compound into hours over weeks and months. Start with the shortcuts you use most (copy, paste, undo, save), then gradually add app-specific ones as they become relevant to your workflow. Bookmark this page or download the PDF cheat sheet for quick reference.

Using keyboard shortcuts in Messages reduces context switching between keyboard and mouse, helping you maintain focus and work more efficiently. Research shows that shortcut-driven workflows can save up to 8 working days per year compared to menu-driven navigation. On macOS, most Messages shortcuts follow standard conventions — once you learn the modifier key patterns, new shortcuts become intuitive.

Tips for Learning Shortcuts

  • Practice one new Messages shortcut each day. Muscle memory builds faster when you focus on a single combination at a time rather than trying to learn them all at once.
  • Print or bookmark this page for quick reference while working in Messages. Having shortcuts visible nearby helps bridge the gap between looking them up and recalling them from memory.
  • Start with the shortcuts you use most. In Messages, common actions like copy, paste, undo, and save are worth learning first since they apply across nearly every workflow.

General25

ActionShortcut
Delete Conversation⌘Delete
New Tab⌘T
Bold⌘B
Italic⌘I
Underline⌘U
Send Drawing⌘D
Send Message⌘↩
Start a new message⌘N
Close the Messages window⌘W
Search all conversations⌘F
Quit Messages⌘Q
Show all conversations⌃⌘1
Show conversations from known senders⌃⌘2
Go to the first unpinned conversation⌥⌘1
Open Messages settings⌘,
Open the Messages window⌘0
Show conversations from unknown senders⌃⌘3
Open the Emoji and Symbols window⌃⌘Space
Hide everything except Messages⌥⌘H
Print the conversation⌘P
Show recently deleted messages⌃⌘5
Enter full-screen view⌃⌘F
Hide Messages⌘H
Show conversations with unread messages⌃⌘4
Minimize a window⌘M

Conversations19

ActionShortcut
Edit a sent message⌘E
Reply to the last incoming message⌘R
Hide or unhide alerts for a conversation⌥⌘M
Show selected image in Quick LookSpace
Copy the selected text⌘C
Add a Tapback to the last message⌘T
Mark a conversation as unread or read⇧⌘U
Delete a single messageDelete
Paste copied text⌘V
Select the next conversation⌃Tab
Open the Contact card⌥⌘B
Make the text smaller⌘-
Check for spelling and grammar issues⌘;
Open the conversation Info view⌥⌘I
Show video effects⇧⌘E
Make the text bigger⌘+
Open the Spelling and Grammar window⇧⌘:
Select the previous conversation⌃⇧Tab
Send an email to a selected person⌥⌘E

Frequently Asked Questions

Access Messages shortcuts from your menu bar

KeyShortcut detects the active app and shows its shortcuts instantly. No memorization needed.