Slack Keyboard Shortcuts That Actually Save Time

Here's something we noticed working with teams over the years: the people who seem fastest in Slack aren't typing faster. They just click less.

Sounds obvious when you say it out loud. But watch someone who knows their Slack shortcuts navigate through the messaging platform, and it almost looks like a different app. Channels appear instantly. Messages get formatted without touching the toolbar. Threads open and close like magic.

The good news? None of this is complicated. A few key combinations, some practice, and you're there.

We put together this guide because we kept answering the same questions from clients. What shortcuts actually matter? Which ones work on Mac versus Windows? How do you remember any of this? So here's everything in one workplace, organized by what you're trying to do, not alphabetically or by some arbitrary category.

So What Exactly Are Slack Shortcuts?

Pretty simple, really. You press a couple keys at the same time, and Slack does something. Jump to a channel. Format text. Search for that document someone shared last month. That kind of thing.

The point is keeping your hands where they already are – on the keyboard. Every time you reach for the mouse, find the right spot to click, then go back to type the name... that's a few seconds gone. Do it hundreds of times a day, and you've lost a surprising chunk of time.

Take the quick switch to a specific destination. If using Mac, it's ⌘+K. Windows and Linux folks use Ctrl+K. Hit that combo, and a search box pops up. Start typing any channel name, any person's name, any conversation and you're there. No scrolling through that endless sidebar.

Or here's another one we use constantly. Instead of scanning the sidebar for bold text (and inevitably missing something), just press Alt+Shift+Down Arrow. For Mac users, that's Option+Shift+Down Arrow.

By the way, Slack has a built-in cheat sheet if you ever forget something. Press ⌘+/ on Mac or Ctrl+/ elsewhere, and you'll see every shortcut right there. Handy when you're blanking on a specific one.

Our suggestion if you're just getting started: don't try to learn everything. Pick maybe three best Slack shortcuts that match stuff you do all the time. Use those for a week until you don't have to think about them anymore. Then add a couple more. That's honestly the only way it sticks.

Quick Note on Mac vs. Windows vs. Linux

The Slack shortcuts aren't identical across operating systems. Close, but not quite.

Mac leans heavily on the ⌘ (Command) key. Windows and Linux swap that for Ctrl most of the time. Some shortcuts also trade Alt for Option.

Here's what that looks like:

Windows and Linux shortcuts are basically the same. Every once in a while, a Linux setup with unusual keyboard mapping throws things off, but that's rare.

One shortcut that's identical everywhere: click or press F6. You will move focus between different parts of Slack: sidebar, then messages, then the input box, and around again.

The Slack Shortcuts Worth Knowing

Alright, here's the actual list. We've organized these by task because that's how people actually think about this stuff. Nobody wakes up wanting to "execute a navigation command", you want to find a channel or send a message or whatever.

The Basics

These are the ones you'll use every single day once you know them.

Getting Around

If you're in more than a few channels, and who isn't, these make a huge difference. Use arrows on your keyboard for navigation.

That F6 trick is weirdly underrated. Most people don't know about it, but once you start using it to hop between sidebar and messages without clicking, it feels like a cheat code.

Writing Messages

You're typing something out and need to format it or fix a mistake. These Slack keyboard shortcuts keep you in the zone.

The edit shortcut has saved us more times than we can count. You send something, immediately notice a typo, hit Up Arrow, fix it, press Enter. Done. No awkward follow-up message in a conversation saying "I meant to say..."

Want to get to a specific message without clicking on it? Press F6 until you're in the message area, then use arrow keys to move through the conversation.

Finding Stuff

That thing someone shared last week? The message with the important decision? These help you track it down.

Pro tip: when you're searching, include the channel name or person's name along with your keywords. Narrows things down way faster.

Switching Workspaces

Working across multiple Slack workspaces? Different clients, different teams, whatever the situation, these help you move between them without losing your train of thought.

Try to learn the available Slack shortcuts with numbers. ⌘+1 for your main workspace, ⌘+2 for the next one.

Files

Uploading, finding, managing files, all without digging through menus.

Conversations and Threads

The core of Slack, really. Starting chats, managing threads, handling DMs.

The DM switcher is faster than the regular quick switcher when you specifically need to message a person. It filters out channels and direct messages automatically.

Huddles and Calls

For those quick conversations that don't need a calendar invite.

Power User Slack Shortcuts

Once you've got the basics down, these give you finer control.

Heads up: a few of these only work in the desktop app. And depending on your keyboard setup, some might behave a little differently.

If you're building Slack workflows, combining these with automations can eliminate a lot of repetitive clicking.

Can You Customize These?

Slack gives you some flexibility here, though not as much as you might hope.

To see what's available:

1. Open Slack on desktop
2. Click your workspace name (top left corner)
3. Go to Preferences (or just hit Ctrl+, or ⌘+,)
4. Find Accessibility in the sidebar
5. Look under Keyboard

You can change things like whether Enter sends your message or just adds a new line. But you can't remap Slack shortcuts entirely within Slack. For that level of customization, you'd need system-level tools or third-party apps.

When Default Shortcuts Aren't Enough

Sometimes you need Slack to do things it wasn't really designed for. That's where custom integrations come in.

Gmail and Slack integration lets you connect your inbox directly to your workspace. Suddenly you can trigger email actions from Slack messages, stuff that's just not possible with built-in features.

Maybe you want a Slack message to automatically create a task in your project management tool. Or you need certain messages forwarded to email without copying and pasting every time.

Email Slack integration goes even further. Picture a setup where messages to certain channels automatically draft emails to specific people. Internal chat stays in Slack, external communication flows to email, and nobody has to think about the handoff.

Fivewalls builds these kinds of integrations. Automated routing, custom triggers, connections to communication tools Slack doesn't support natively, that's what we do.

Teams use custom integrations for all sorts of things:

• Creating tasks automatically when someone posts in a channel
• Syncing conversations with CRM records
• Custom alerts based on keywords or message patterns
• Slack shortcuts that kick off entire workflows

Wrapping Up

Look, Slack shortcuts aren't going to revolutionize your life overnight. But they add up. Teams that learn even a handful of them notice the difference pretty quickly.

Start with whatever matches your daily routine. Let those become automatic. Add more when you're ready.

And if you hit the ceiling of what Slack can do on its own, custom integrations can push things further. We help teams build exactly what they need, whether that's automating tedious tasks or creating shortcuts that don't exist yet.