13 Best Slack Keyboard Shortcuts to Speed Up Your Workflow

Slack is often used for customer support, project teams, and internal helpdesk because of its outstanding functionality. While the extensive basic features are already noteworthy, you can further expand your Slack productivity with the help of Slack keyboard shortcuts.

Slack shortcuts are a range of keyboard commands that can provide faster access to specific actions or menus. Shortcuts for Slack can cover a wide range of functionality, from composing messages to uploading files and adding emojis. Although there are hundreds of available Slack shortcuts, you don't need to worry about getting lost in the chaos. We are here to help!

In this article, we’ll explore the most useful Slack keyboard shortcuts to help you and your teams achieve maximum potential.

13 Best Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

1. Unsend message

Have you ever panicked after sending a message? Or did you accidentally hit enter while still typing? No need to worry; there's a Slack shortcut for that! By pressing "Ctrl + Z" or "Command + Z" on Mac, you can breathe easy again, un-sending the last message in your chat history. Crisis averted!

2. Set your status

Do you need to dash away from your desk quickly or get pulled into a meeting? With "Ctrl+Shift+Y" or "Command+Shift+Y", you can quickly access your status menu and keep your team updated about your whereabouts!

3. Search in conversation

Hopefully, this won't be new to most readers, but by pressing the standard "Ctrl + F" or "Command + F" shortcuts, you can search your current conversations for any information. Did you forget the name of the new boss? Can't remember how to use the platform again even though it was explained to you a dozen times before? Fear nothing; hit "Ctrl + F" and find your answers.

4. Need to broaden the search?

There will be times when searching for conversations is simply not enough. For these occasions, you can use "Ctrl + G" or "Command + G" Slack keyboard shortcuts to search every Slack channel within your workspace. It's time to dig out those onboarding decks you were sent a few years ago.

5. Start a new message

Are you itching to start a conversation? With "Ctrl + N" or "Command + N", you can jump straight into writing without having to scroll down all your previous DMs or channels. This can significantly speed up your messaging habits and share information more efficiently.

6. Find a downloaded file

Christine sent you that deck a few weeks ago for your next meeting. But where is it? The "Ctrl + Shift + J" or "Command + Shift + J" Slack keyboard shortcut can help you access all of your downloaded files from Slack to browse through all the spam you received throughout the year.

7. Catch up with all your threads

Can't keep up with all your unanswered messages? With "Ctrl + Shift + 3" or "Command + Shift + 3", you can access your activity view in Slack, browsing through your posts' mentions, threads, and reactions.

8. Navigate between workspaces

Do you have to work across multiple workspaces on Slack or have dedicated ones for your clients? The "Ctrl + Shift + Tab" or "Command + Shift + Tab" Slack shortcut lets you toggle between your Slack workspaces easily without having to click around manually.

9. Format your text

Okay, we are cheating. These are technically more than one Slack shortcut, but formatting your text can be handy if you frequently post announcements, newsletters, or product updates in your Slack channels. By pressing the variations below, you can add paragraphs, edit text as headlines, or even format your list as bullets! Give it a whirl!

“Ctrl + Alt + 0” = Edit as a paragraph“Ctrl + Alt + 1” = Format text as H1“Ctrl + Alt + 2” = Format text as H2“Ctrl + Shift + 8” = Bullet points

10. Add a hyperlink

Do you want to link to various resources without spamming someone's DM or Slack channel? Hit the "Ctrl / Command + Shift + U" Slack shortcut to add hyperlinks to your texts. Couldn't be any more efficient!

11. Start a huddle

Need to jump on a call or end one? By pressing "Ctrl + Shift + H", you can shift between joining or leaving conference calls with your teams. It's especially handy if you need to make back-to-back calls!

12. Play with your preferences

Need to adjust your Slack settings? There is no need to search for the cog icon. Press “Ctrl + ,”. Edit your notification settings, change your themes, or set your time zone with a click of a button.

13. Lost in Slack shortcuts?

Are you new to shortcuts for Slack? Do you need to revisit the basics? By pressing "Ctrl + /" or "Command + /" you can review all available Slack shortcuts straight from the platform! You can scroll through your dozens of options and note down the ones that could make your life easier.

Level up your Slack productivity 

Slack keyboard shortcuts can create a real difference in your work life with their fast actions boosting productivity. However, in most cases, Slack shortcuts are just not enough. That is where Thena can step in!

Thena's award-winning solution can help you take customer support and help desk operations to the next level. Designed to nestle into your Slack workspace, Thena is here to supercharge your collaboration and customer communication. Our conversational ticketing solution removes the guessing game from your request management processes, automatically detecting issues from Slack conversations and categorizing them in one unified hub.

Thena's AI-powered Slack workflows can automate tasks such as ticket assignments, request lifecycle tracking, and more. With the help of our in-depth Slack analytics, you and your team can make the best decisions to create a top-class customer success journey, delighting your clients.

From helpdesk solutions to project management and customer journeys, our all-in-one solution is here to help you achieve maximum Slack productivity so your team can focus on the most important things. Add Thena to your Slack workspace.

Navigation - Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

Messaging - Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

Text Formatting - Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

Actions - Slack Keyboard Shortcuts

Customization & Help - Slack Keyboard Shortcuts