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 add more to your repertoire as needed.

• The basics
• Navigation
• Narrowing
• Composing messages
• Message actions
• Drafts
• Menus
• Streams 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 private 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 private message: P

• Search messages: /

• Toggle keyboard shortcuts view: ?

• Go to default view: Ctrl + [ (or Esc, if enabled) until you are in the default 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 private message: P

• Narrow to stream: S

• Narrow to topic or PM conversation: Shift + S

• Narrow to all private messages: Shift + P

• 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

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

• Reply to message, mentioning author: @

• Reply only to author: Shift + R

• Quote and reply to message: >

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

• New private message: X

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

• Star message: Ctrl + S

• React with : +

• 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 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

For a selected message (outlined in blue)

• Toggle emoji reactions menu: :

• Toggle message actions menu: I

Streams settings page

• 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