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Slack Shortcuts

This page is a complete keyboard shortcut reference for Slack on macOS, covering all 82 shortcuts organized into 11 sections. Whether you’re new to Slack 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 Slack. 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 Slack 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 Slack shortcuts follow standard conventions — once you learn the modifier key patterns, new shortcuts become intuitive.

Tips for Learning Shortcuts

  • Practice one new Slack 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 Slack. 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 Slack, common actions like copy, paste, undo, and save are worth learning first since they apply across nearly every workflow.

Workspaces4

ActionShortcut
shortcuts.slack.expandCollapseWorkspaceSwitcher⇧⌘S
shortcuts.slack.switchToPreviousWorkspace⌃⇧Tab
shortcuts.slack.switchToNextWorkspace⌃Tab
shortcuts.slack.switchToSpecificWorkspace⌘1

Mark Messages2

ActionShortcut
shortcuts.slack.markAllInCurrentConversationAsReadEsc
shortcuts.slack.markAllMessagesAsRead⇧Esc

Message Actions9

ActionShortcut
Edit MessageE
Delete MessageDelete
shortcuts.slack.openReplyToThreadT
shortcuts.slack.forwardMessageF
shortcuts.slack.pinUnpinMessageP
Save MessageA
shortcuts.slack.markMessagesAboveAsUnreadU
Create ReminderM
shortcuts.slack.addEmojiReactionR

Format Messages13

ActionShortcut
shortcuts.slack.createNewLine⇧↩
Bold⌘B
Italic⌘I
shortcuts.slack.underline⌘U
Strikethrough⇧⌘X
shortcuts.slack.hyperlinkText⇧⌘U
shortcuts.slack.quoteText⇧⌘9
Code Inline⇧⌘C
Code Block⌥⇧⌘C
Bulleted List⇧⌘8
Numbered List⇧⌘7
Apply Markdown⇧⌘F
Undo Formatting⌘Z

Canvas17

ActionShortcut
shortcuts.slack.formatAsParagraph⌥⌘0
shortcuts.slack.formatAsBigHeading⌥⌘1
shortcuts.slack.formatAsMediumHeading⌥⌘2
shortcuts.slack.formatAsSmallHeading⌥⌘3
shortcuts.slack.formatAsChecklist⇧⌘0
shortcuts.slack.viewCommentThread⌥⌘T
shortcuts.slack.showReaderEditView⌥⌘R
shortcuts.slack.openContextMenu⇧⌘/
shortcuts.slack.findTextInCanvas⌘F
shortcuts.slack.findNext⌘G
shortcuts.slack.findPrevious⇧⌘G
shortcuts.slack.findAndReplace⇧⌘H
shortcuts.slack.copyAnchorLink⌃⌥Q
shortcuts.slack.undoLastAction⌘Z
shortcuts.slack.redoLastAction⇧⌘Z
shortcuts.slack.moveListItemUp⌥⌘↑
shortcuts.slack.moveListItemDown⌥⌘↓

Huddles & Calls2

ActionShortcut
shortcuts.slack.startJoinLeaveHuddle⇧⌘H
shortcuts.slack.toggleHuddleMute⇧⌘Space

Files4

ActionShortcut
Upload File⌘O
shortcuts.slack.viewDownloadedFiles⇧⌘J
Create Snippet⇧⌘↩
shortcuts.slack.createCanvas⇧⌘N

Window4

ActionShortcut
shortcuts.slack.closeWindow⌘W
shortcuts.slack.reopenLastClosedWindow⇧⌘W
shortcuts.slack.quitSlack⌘Q
shortcuts.slack.openHelpF1

Tabs2

ActionShortcut
shortcuts.slack.switchToPreviousTab⌃Page Up
shortcuts.slack.switchToNextTab⌃Page Down

Frequently Asked Questions

Access Slack shortcuts from your menu bar

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