Keyboard shortcuts

import {TabItem, Tabs} from "@astrojs/starlight/components";

import FlattenedSteps from "../../components/FlattenedSteps.astro"; import KeyboardTip from "../../components/KeyboardTip.astro"; import NavigationSteps from "../../components/NavigationSteps.astro"; import ZulipTip from "../../components/ZulipTip.astro";

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
Search
Scrolling
Navigation
Composing messages
Message actions
Drafts
Menus
Channel settings

The basics

Reply to message: <kbd>R</kbd> or <kbd>Enter</kbd> — Reply to the selected message (outlined in blue).
New channel message: <kbd>C</kbd> — Start a new topic in the current channel.
New direct message: <kbd>X</kbd>
Paste formatted text: <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>V</kbd>
Paste as plain text: <kbd data-mac-following-key="⌥">Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>V</kbd>. You can also paste formatted text with <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>V</kbd>, and press <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>Z</kbd> to remove formatting.
Cancel compose and save draft: <kbd>Esc</kbd> or <kbd data-mac-key="Ctrl">Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>[</kbd> — Close the compose box and save the unsent message as a draft.
View drafts: <kbd>D</kbd> — Use the arrow keys and <kbd>Enter</kbd> to restore a draft. Press <kbd>D</kbd> again to close.
Next message: <kbd class="arrow-key">↓</kbd> or <kbd>J</kbd>
Last message: <kbd>End</kbd> or <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>G</kbd> — Also marks all messages in the current view as read.
Next unread topic: <kbd>N</kbd>
Next unread followed topic: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>N</kbd>
Next unread DM conversation: <kbd>P</kbd>
Search messages: <kbd>/</kbd>
Set status: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Y</kbd>
Toggle keyboard shortcuts view: <kbd>?</kbd>
Go to your home view: <kbd data-mac-key="Ctrl">Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>[</kbd> (or <kbd>Esc</kbd>, if enabled) until you are in your home view.

Search

Search messages: <kbd>/</kbd> or <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>K</kbd>
Filter left sidebar: <kbd>Q</kbd>
Filter users: <kbd>W</kbd>

Scrolling

Last message: <kbd>End</kbd> or <kbd>Fn</kbd> + <kbd class="arrow-key">→</kbd> or <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>G</kbd> — Also marks all messages in the current view as read.
First message: <kbd>Home</kbd> or <kbd>Fn</kbd> + <kbd class="arrow-key">←</kbd>
Previous message: <kbd class="arrow-key">↑</kbd> or <kbd>K</kbd>
Next message: <kbd class="arrow-key">↓</kbd> or <kbd>J</kbd>
Scroll up: <kbd>PgUp</kbd> or <kbd>Fn</kbd> + <kbd class="arrow-key">↑</kbd> or <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>K</kbd>
Scroll down: <kbd>PgDn</kbd> or <kbd>Fn</kbd> + <kbd class="arrow-key">↓</kbd> or <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>J</kbd> or <kbd>Spacebar</kbd>

Go back through viewing history: <kbd data-mac-key="⌘">Alt</kbd> + <kbd class="arrow-key">←</kbd>
Go forward through viewing history: <kbd data-mac-key="⌘">Alt</kbd> + <kbd class="arrow-key">→</kbd>
Go to next unread topic: <kbd>N</kbd>
Go to next unread followed topic: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>N</kbd>
Go to next unread direct message: <kbd>P</kbd>
Go to topic or DM conversation: <kbd>S</kbd>
Go to channel feed from topic view: <kbd>S</kbd>
Go to direct message feed: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>P</kbd>
Go to list of topics for the current channel: <kbd>Y</kbd>
Zoom to message in conversation context: <kbd>Z</kbd> — This view does not mark messages as read.
Cycle between channel views: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>A</kbd> (previous) and <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>D</kbd> (next)
Go to inbox: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>I</kbd> — Shows conversations with unread messages.
Go to recent conversations: <kbd>T</kbd>
Go to combined feed: <kbd>A</kbd> — Shows all unmuted messages.
Go to mentions: <kbd data-mac-key="⌘">Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>@</kbd>
Go to starred messages: <kbd>*</kbd>
Go to the conversation you are composing to: <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>.</kbd>

Composing messages

New channel message: <kbd>C</kbd> — For starting a new topic in a channel.
New direct message: <kbd>X</kbd>
Reply to message: <kbd>R</kbd> or <kbd>Enter</kbd> — Reply to the selected message (outlined in blue). Same behavior as clicking on the message.
Quote message: <kbd>></kbd>
Forward message: <kbd><</kbd>
Reply directly to sender: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>R</kbd>
Reply @-mentioning sender: <kbd>@</kbd>

In the compose box

Send message: <kbd>Tab</kbd> then <kbd>Enter</kbd>, or either <kbd>Enter</kbd> or <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>Enter</kbd> based on your settings
Insert new line: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Enter</kbd>, or either <kbd>Enter</kbd> or <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>Enter</kbd> based on your settings
Insert italic text: *italic* or <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>I</kbd>
Insert bold text: **bold** or <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>B</kbd>
Insert link: [Zulip website](https://zulip.org) or <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>L</kbd>
Insert or create a saved snippet: <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>'</kbd>
Insert code formatting: `code` or ```code``` or <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>C</kbd>. See contextually appropriate code formatting.
Toggle preview mode: <kbd>Alt</kbd> + <kbd>P</kbd>
Cancel compose and save draft: <kbd>Esc</kbd> or <kbd data-mac-key="Ctrl">Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>[</kbd> — Close the compose box and save the unsent message as a draft.

Message actions

Edit your last message: <kbd class="arrow-key">←</kbd> — Scroll to the most recent message you are allowed to edit in the current view, and open it for editing. If there are no messages you can edit, nothing happens.

For a selected message (outlined in blue)

Toggle message actions menu: <kbd>I</kbd>
Edit message or view original message: <kbd>E</kbd>
Show message sender's user card: <kbd>U</kbd>
View read receipts: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>V</kbd> — Same shortcut also closes the read receipts menu (if open).
View image: <kbd>V</kbd>
Move message and (optionally) other messages in the same topic: <kbd>M</kbd>
View message edit and move history: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>H</kbd>. Viewing message edit history must be allowed.
Star message: <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>S</kbd>
Add emoji reaction: <kbd>:</kbd>
Toggle first emoji reaction: <kbd>=</kbd>
React with 👍: <kbd>+</kbd>
Mark as unread from selected message: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>U</kbd>
Collapse/show message: <kbd>-</kbd>
Toggle topic mute: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>M</kbd>. This works in both message views and views that list topics (e.g., inbox, recent conversations). Learn about muted topics.
Copy link to message: <kbd>L</kbd>

Recent conversations

View recent conversations: <kbd>T</kbd>
Search recent conversations: <kbd>T</kbd>
Escape from recent conversations search: <kbd>Esc</kbd> or arrow keys
Navigate recent conversations: Use arrow keys or vim keys (<kbd>J</kbd>, <kbd>K</kbd>, <kbd>L</kbd>, <kbd>H</kbd>).

Use <kbd>Enter</kbd> to engage with elements.

Drafts

Toggle drafts view: <kbd>D</kbd>

Within the drafts view

Edit selected draft: <kbd>Enter</kbd>
Delete selected draft: <kbd>Backspace</kbd>

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

Menus

Toggle shortcuts help: <kbd>?</kbd>
Toggle gear menu: <kbd>G</kbd>
Open personal menu: <kbd>G</kbd> + <kbd class="arrow-key">→</kbd>
Open help menu: <kbd>G</kbd> + <kbd class="arrow-key">←</kbd>
Toggle message actions menu for a selected message (outlined in blue): <kbd>I</kbd>

Channel settings

Scroll through channels: <kbd class="arrow-key">↑</kbd> and <kbd class="arrow-key">↓</kbd> <ZulipTip> Pressing <kbd class="arrow-key">↑</kbd> from the first channel in the list moves you to the Filter channels input. </ZulipTip>
Switch between tabs: <kbd class="arrow-key">←</kbd> and <kbd class="arrow-key">→</kbd> — Switch between the Subscribed and All channels tabs.
Create new channel: <kbd>N</kbd>

For a selected channel

View channel messages: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>V</kbd>
Toggle subscription: <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>S</kbd>