Keyboard shortcuts

Everything in Zulip can be done with the mouse, but mastering a few keyboard shortcuts will change your experience of the app. Start with the basics below, and use the convenient keyboard shortcuts reference in the Zulip app to add more to your repertoire as needed.

• The basics
• Navigation
• Narrowing
• Composing messages
• Message actions
• Drafts
• Menus
• Stream settings

The basics

• Reply to message: R or Enter — Reply to the selected message (outlined in blue).

• New stream message: C — Start a new topic in the current stream.

• New direct message: X

• Cancel compose and save draft: Esc or Ctrl + [ — Close the compose box and save the unsent message as a draft.

• View drafts: D — Use the arrow keys and Enter to restore a draft. Press D again to close.

• Next message: ↓ or J

• Last message: End or Shift + G — Also marks all messages in the current view as read.

• Next unread topic: N

• Next unread followed topic: Shift + N

• Next unread direct message: P

• Search messages: /

• Toggle keyboard shortcuts view: ?

• Go to home view: Ctrl + [ (or Esc, if enabled) until you are in the home view.

Navigation

• Search messages: / or Ctrl + K

• Filter streams: Q

• Search people: W

• Last message: End or Shift + G — Also marks all messages in the current view as read.

• First message: Home

• Previous message: ↑ or K

• Next message: ↓ or J

• Scroll up: PgUp or Shift + K

• Scroll down: PgDn, Shift + J, or Spacebar

• Go back through viewing history: Alt + ←

• Go forward through viewing history: Alt + →

Narrowing

• Narrow to next unread topic: N

• Narrow to next unread direct message: P

• Narrow to topic or DM conversation: S

• Narrow to stream from topic view: S

• Narrow to all direct messages: Shift + P

• Zoom to message in conversation context: Z — This view does not mark messages as read.

• Cycle between stream narrows: Shift + A (previous) and Shift + D (next)

• Narrow to All messages: A — Shows all unmuted messages.

• Narrow to current compose box recipient: Ctrl + .

Composing messages

• New stream message: C — For starting a new topic in a stream.

• New direct message: X

• Reply to message: R or Enter — Reply to the selected message (outlined in blue). Same behavior as clicking on the message.

• Quote and reply to message: >

• Reply directly to sender: Shift + R

• Reply @-mentioning sender: @

In the compose box

• Send message: Enter, Tab then Enter, and/or Ctrl + Enter, depending on your settings. See enable enter to send.

• Insert new line: Enter, or Shift + Enter, depending on your settings. See enable enter to send.

• Insert italic text: *italic* or Ctrl + I

• Insert bold text: **bold** or Ctrl + B

• Insert link: [Zulip website](https://zulip.org) or Ctrl + Shift + L

• Cancel compose and save draft: Esc or Ctrl + [ — Close the compose box and save the unsent message as a draft.

Message actions

• Edit last message: ← — Open the last editable message in the current view (if any).

For a selected message (outlined in blue)

• Show message sender's user card: U

• View image: V

• Edit message or view message source: E

• Move message and (optionally) other messages in the same topic: M

• View message edit and move history: Shift + H. Message edit history must be enabled.

• Star message: Ctrl + S

• React with : +

• Toggle first emoji reaction: =

• Mark as unread from selected message: Shift + U

• Collapse/show message: -

• Toggle topic mute: Shift + M — Muted topics don't show up in any views (including All messages), and don't contribute to unread counts. Read more about muting or unmuting topics.

Recent conversations

• View recent conversations: T

• Search recent conversations: T

• Escape from recent conversations search: Esc or arrow keys

• Navigate recent conversations: Use arrow keys or vim keys (J, K, L, H).

Use Enter to engage with elements.

Drafts

• Toggle drafts view: D

Within the drafts view

• Edit selected draft: Enter

• Delete selected draft: Backspace

Keyboard navigation (e.g. arrow keys) works as expected.

Menus

• Toggle shortcuts help: ?

• Toggle gear menu: G

• Open personal menu: G + →

• Open help menu: G + ←

For a selected message (outlined in blue)

• Toggle emoji reactions menu: :

• Toggle message actions menu: I

Stream settings

• Scroll through streams: ↑ and ↓

  Pressing ↑ from the first stream in the list moves you to the Filter streams input.

• Switch between tabs: ← and → — Switch between the Subscribed and All streams tabs.

• Create new stream: N

For a selected stream

• View stream messages: Shift + V

• Toggle subscription: Shift + S

Keyboard shortcuts reference

A summary of the keyboard shortcuts above is available in the Zulip app.

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