You can use keyboard shortcuts in Google Chat on Android, Chrome OS, macOS and Windows. To access shortcuts in Chat, type ? at any time, except when you're entering text in a field.
Use keyboard shortcuts in Chat
Important: To make the shortcuts '/', 'H then C', 'H then R', and 'Q' available, enable keyboard shortcuts in the '?' dialogue.
Available everywhere
| Action | ChromeOS and Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Open keyboard shortcut Help | ? | ? |
| Search in 'Chats and Spaces' | / | / |
| Focus on 'Direct message' conversation list |
H then C |
H then C |
| Focus on Spaces list | H then R | H then R |
| Browse Spaces | Ctrl + O | Command + O |
| Create a space | Ctrl + I | Command + I |
| New Chat | Q or Ctrl + Shift + K | Q or Command + Shift + K |
Navigating within the sidebar
| Action | ChromeOS and Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on previous or next space or direct message | ↑ or ↓ | ↑ or ↓ |
| Focus on previous or next unread space or direct message | Shift + ↑ or Shift + ↓ | Shift + ↑ or Shift + ↓ |
| Move focus between 'Shortcuts', 'Spaces' or 'Direct messages' | Ctrl + ↑ or Ctrl + ↓ | Command + ↑ or Command + ↓ |
| Select Shortcut, Space or Direct message | → or Enter | → or Enter |
| Focus on 'Direct message' conversation list | H then C | H then C |
| Focus on Spaces list | H then R | H then R |
Navigating Chat messages
| Action | ChromeOS and Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on previous or next message | ↑ or ↓ | ↑ or ↓ |
| Focus on main reply box | R or Ctrl + S |
R or Command + S |
| Open Space or Direct message menu | Ctrl + G | Command + G |
| Focus on the last message | Ctrl + J | Command + J |
| Return focus to sidebar | Esc | Esc |
Navigating space messages
| Action | ChromeOS and Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on previous or next message | ↑ or ↓ | ↑ or ↓ |
| Open the thread and focus on the last message | → | → |
| Open the thread and focus on the reply box | Enter or R | Enter or R |
| Focus on main reply box | Ctrl + S | Command + S |
| Open Space or Direct message menu | Ctrl + G | Command + G |
| Focus on the last message | Ctrl + J | Command + J |
| Open and focus on the thread navigation panel | H then T | H then T |
| Return focus to sidebar | Esc | Esc |
Navigating messages within a thread
| Action | ChromeOS and Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on previous or next message | ↑ or ↓ | ↑ or ↓ |
| Focus on the first message in the thread | Shift + ↑ | Shift + ↑ |
| Focus on the last message in the thread | Shift + ↓ | Shift + ↓ |
| Go back to the main conversation | ← | ← |
| Exit to thread navigation panel | Esc | Esc |
| Focus on thread reply box | Enter or R | Enter or R |
| Focus on main reply box | Ctrl + S | Command + S |
Reply box
| Action | ChromeOS and Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Send reply | Enter | Enter |
| Edit previously posted message | ↑ | ↑ |
| Insert new line in message | Shift + Enter | Shift + Enter |
| Show emoji picker | : (colon) | : (colon) |
| Return focus to messages | Esc | Esc |
| Read the preceding {number} message with a screen reader | Alt + {number} | Option + {number} |
Navigating pop-ups
| Action | ChromeOS and Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Move focus between main window and last Chat pop-up | Shift + Esc | Shift + Esc |
| Go to next Chat pop-up | Ctrl + . (full stop) | Command + . (full stop) |
| Go to previous Chat pop-up | Ctrl + , (comma) | Command + , (comma) |
Workspace side panel
| Action | ChromeOS and Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Move focus among main window, side panel and video call | Ctrl + Alt + . (full stop) | Command + Option + . (full stop) |
| Reverse focus among main window, side panel and video call | Ctrl + Alt + , (comma) | Command + Option + , (comma) |
Use keyboard shortcuts to navigate around Chat
Navigate around Chat- To go to a conversation or space, use the Up and Down arrows. To open a conversation or space, press Enter.
- By default, the focus is on the message or conversation box. To read messages in a 1:1 conversation or space, press Esc to exit the box. Then, to go through the messages, use the Up arrow.
Legacy Spaces always have two levels:
- Level one is the list of conversations.
- Level two is messages within a conversation.
Current Spaces can have two levels:
- Level one is the main conversation.
- Any message in the main conversation can start a thread at the second level.
Tips:
- To move through the level, use the Up and Down arrows.
- To change the level, use the Left and Right arrows.
- This may start a thread if one doesn't already exist.
- Select an option:
- On Chrome OS and Microsoft Windows, press Ctrl + Shift + K or Q when not editing.
- On macOS, press Command + Shift + K or Q when not editing.
- To move through the suggestions:
- Enter the username.
- Use the Up and Down arrows, then press Enter.
- Enter your message.
- To send your message, press Enter.
- Select an option:
- On Chrome OS and Windows, press Ctrl + O.
- On macOS, press Command + O.
- To create a space, enter the name.
- Press Tab
Enter.
- To find and join a space:
- To move through the list of spaces, use the Up and Down arrows.
- Press Tab to highlight or 'Preview'
Enter.- Select an option:
- On Chrome OS and Windows, press Ctrl + S.
- On macOS, press Command + S.
- Focus moves to the main reply box.
- In a legacy Space, this is a new topic.
- Enter your message.
- Press Enter.