Slack Keyboard Shortcuts Cheatsheet - Channels & Search

Slack users drowning in messages should first learn Cmd/Ctrl+K to jump to any channel or DM, Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+M to see only mentions of you, and Shift+Esc to mark everything read — three bindings that save a lot of clicking. This reference organizes 5 groups covering message editing, channel browsing, conversation navigation, global search and formatting, with macOS and Windows side by side. After reading you will communicate and track messages noticeably faster.

Shortcuts·30 commands·Last updated 2026-07-31

Messages 7

Enter / Enter

Send message (configurable to Ctrl/Cmd+Enter)

Shift+Enter / Shift+Enter

Insert line break in message

↑ / ↑

Edit your last sent message

Cmd+Z / Ctrl+Z

Undo typing (some input boxes only)

Cmd+Shift+↵ / Ctrl+Shift+↵

Reply in a thread on a new line

Cmd+Shift+Y / Ctrl+Shift+Y

Set status (emoji + text)

Cmd+\ / Ctrl+\

Quick-open emoji picker

Channels 6

Cmd+K / Ctrl+K

Quick switch to channel or DM (fuzzy match)

Cmd+Shift+L / Ctrl+Shift+L

Browse channel list

Cmd+Shift+C / Ctrl+Shift+C

View unread channels

Cmd+Shift+M / Ctrl+Shift+M

View mentions of you

Cmd+Shift+I / Ctrl+Shift+I

View saved items

Shift+Esc / Shift+Esc

Mark all channels as read

Search 4

Cmd+F / Ctrl+F

Search messages in current channel

Cmd+G / Ctrl+G

Open global search (across all channels)

Cmd+Shift+T / Ctrl+Shift+T

Open Threads view

Cmd+Shift+A / Ctrl+Shift+A

Open Activity view

Formatting 7

Cmd+B / Ctrl+B

Bold

Cmd+I / Ctrl+I

Italic

Cmd+Shift+X / Ctrl+Shift+X

Strikethrough

Cmd+Shift+> / Ctrl+Shift+>

Quote (or type > at line start)

Cmd+Shift+C / Ctrl+Shift+C

Code block (``` multiline)

Cmd+Shift+8 / Ctrl+Shift+8

Unordered list

Cmd+Shift+7 / Ctrl+Shift+7

Ordered list

Tips

Cmd+K / Ctrl+K is the core Slack shortcut — jump to any channel or DM far faster than clicking.
↑ edits your last message — fix typos instantly instead of posting corrections.
Cmd+Shift+M / Ctrl+Shift+M shows all mentions of you, so important @s are never missed.
Cmd+. / Ctrl+. opens the shortcuts panel to browse all shortcuts when you forget one.

FAQ

What are the most useful Slack keyboard shortcuts?

Start with Cmd/Ctrl+K to jump to any channel, DM or search; Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+M to see only mentions of you; and Shift+Esc to mark messages read at once. Mastering these three saves the most clicks. The full list is grouped into Messages, Channels, Navigation, Search and Formatting on this page.

How do I quickly jump to a channel or DM in Slack?

Press Cmd/Ctrl+K to open the quick switcher, then type a channel name, person or keyword to jump straight there without scrolling the sidebar. Use Cmd on macOS, Ctrl on Windows/Linux.

Is there a Slack shortcut to see only mentions of me?

Yes — Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+M opens the Mentions view, gathering everything that needs your response in one place, which is handy in high-volume channels.

Are Slack keyboard shortcuts the same on Mac and Windows?

The combos are identical except the modifier: macOS uses Cmd, Windows and Linux use Ctrl. The other keys (K, M, Shift+Esc, and so on) are the same.

Official References

Each command links to its official documentation below, so you can verify the latest usage and read deeper.

Slack Help

Maintained by LaoHand

Publicly updated on Jul 31, 2026, continuously proofread against official docs.

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