You can use keyboard shortcuts in Google Chat on Android, Chrome OS, macOS, and Windows. To access shortcuts in Chat, type ?anytime, except when you enter text in a field.
Use keyboard shortcuts in Chat
Important:To make the shortcuts “/,” “h then c,” “h then r,” and “q” available, enable keyboard shortcuts in the “?” dialog.
Available everywhere
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
|
Open Keyboard Shortcut help
|
? | ? |
|
Search in "Chats and Spaces"
|
/ | / |
|
Focus on "Direct message" conversation list
|
hthen c |
hthen c |
|
Focus on Spaces list
|
hthen r | hthen r |
|
Browse Spaces
|
Ctrl+ o | Command+ o |
|
Create a Space
|
Ctrl+ i | Command+ i |
|
New chat
|
qor Ctrl+ Shift+ k | qor Command+ Shift+ k |
Navigating within the sidebar
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
|
Focus on previous or next space or direct message
|
↑or ↓ | ↑or ↓ |
|
Focus on previous or next unread space or direct message
|
Shift+ ↑or Shift+ ↓ | Shift+ ↑or Shift+ ↓ |
|
Move focus between “Shortcuts,” “Spaces,” or “Direct messages”
|
Ctrl+ ↑or Ctrl+ ↓ | Command ↑or Command+ ↓ |
|
Select Shortcut, Space, or Direct message
|
→or Enter | →or Enter |
|
Focus on "Direct message" conversation list
|
hthen c | hthen c |
|
Focus on Spaces list
|
hthen r | hthen r |
Navigating chat messages
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
|
Focus on previous or next message
|
↑or ↓ | ↑or ↓ |
|
Focus main reply box
|
ror Ctrl+ s | ror Command+ s |
|
Open Space or Direct message menu
|
Ctrl+ g | Command+ g |
|
Focus the last message
|
Ctrl+ j | Command+ j |
|
Return focus to sidebar
|
Esc | Esc |
Navigating space messages
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
|
Focus on previous or next message
|
↑or ↓ | ↑or ↓ |
|
Open the thread and focus last message
|
→ | → |
|
Open the thread and focus reply box
|
Enter or r | Enter or r |
|
Focus main reply box
|
Ctrl+ s | Command+ s |
|
Open Spaceor Direct messagemenu
|
Ctrl+ g | Command+ g |
|
Focus the last
messag
e
|
Ctrl+ j | Command+ j |
|
Open and focus the thread navigation panel
|
hthen t | hthen t |
|
Return focus to sidebar
|
Esc | Esc |
Navigating messages within a thread
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
|
Focus on previous or next message
|
↑or ↓ | ↑or ↓ |
|
Focus on first message in thread
|
Shift+ ↑ | Shift+ ↑ |
|
Focus on last message in thread
|
Shift+ ↓ | Shift+ ↓ |
|
Go back to the main conversation
|
← | ← |
|
Exit to thread navigation panel
|
Esc | Esc |
|
Focus thread reply box
|
Enter or r | Enter or r |
|
Focus main reply box
|
Ctrl+ s | Command+ s |
Reply box
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
|
Send reply
|
Enter | Enter |
|
Edit previously posted message
|
↑ | ↑ |
|
Insert new line in message
|
Shift+ Enter | Shift+ Enter |
|
Show emoji picker
|
: (colon) | : (colon) |
|
Return focus to messages
|
Esc | Esc |
|
Read the preceding {number} message with a screen reader
|
Alt+ {number} | Option+ {number} |
Navigating popups
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
|
Move focus between main window and last chat popup
|
Shift+ Esc | Shift+ Esc |
|
Go to next chat popup
|
Ctrl+ . (period) | Command + . (period) |
|
Go to previous chat popup
|
Ctrl+ , (comma) | Command + , (comma) |
Workspace side panel
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
|
Move focus among main window, side panel, and video call
|
Ctrl+ Alt+ . (period) | Command+ Option+ . (period) |
|
Reverse focus among main window, side panel, and video call
|
Ctrl+ Alt+ , (comma) | Command+ Option+ , (comma) |
Use keyboard shortcuts to navigate around Chat
Navigate around chat- To go to a conversation or space, use the Upand Down arrows. To open a conversation or space, press Enter.
- By default, the focus is on the message or conversation box. To read messages in a 1:1 conversation or space, press Escto exit the box, then to go through the messages, use the Up arrow.
Legacy Spaces always have 2 levels:
- Level one is the list of conversations.
- Level 2 is messages within a conversation.
Current Spaces can have 2 levels:
- Level one is the main conversation.
- Any message in the main conversation can start a thread at the second level.
Tips:
- To move through the level, use the Upand Down arrows.
- To change the level, use the Leftand Right arrows.
- This may start a thread if one doesn't already exist.
- Select an option:
- On Chrome OS and Microsoft Windows, press Ctrl+ Shift+ k or 'q' when not editing.
- On macOS, press Command+ Shift+ k or 'q' when not editing.
- To move through the suggestions:
- Enter the username.
- Use the Upand Down arrows, then press Enter.
- Enter your message.
- To send your message, press Enter.
- Select an option:
- On Chrome OS and Windows, press Ctrl+ o.
- On macOS, press Command+ o.
- To create a space, enter the name.
- Press Tab Enter.
- To find and join a space:
- To move through the list of spaces, use the Upand Down arrows.
- Press Tabto highlight or “Preview” Enter.
- Select an option:
- On Chrome OS and Windows, press Ctrl+ s.
- On macOS, press Command+ s.
- Focus moves to the main reply box.
- In a legacy Space, this is a new topic.
- Enter your message.
- Press Enter.
