You can use keyboard shortcuts in Google Chat on Android, Chrome OS, macOS, and Windows. To access shortcuts in Chat, type ? anytime, except when you enter 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 “?” dialog.
Available everywhere
| Action | ChromeOS & 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 & 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 & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on previous or next message | ↑ or ↓ | ↑ or ↓ |
| Focus main reply box | r or Ctrl + s |
r or Command + s |
| Open Space or Direct message menu | Ctrl + g | Command + g |
| Focus the last message | Ctrl + j | Command + j |
| Return focus to sidebar | Esc | Esc |
Navigating space messages
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on previous or next message | ↑ or ↓ | ↑ or ↓ |
| Open the thread and focus last message | → | → |
| Open the thread and focus reply box | Enter or r | Enter or r |
| Focus main reply box | Ctrl + s | Command + s |
| Open Space or Direct message menu | Ctrl + g | Command + g |
| Focus the last message | Ctrl + j | Command + j |
| Open and focus the thread navigation panel | h then t | h then t |
| Return focus to sidebar | Esc | Esc |
Navigating messages within a thread
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on previous or next message | ↑ or ↓ | ↑ or ↓ |
| Focus on first message in thread | Shift + ↑ | Shift + ↑ |
| Focus on last message in thread | Shift + ↓ | Shift + ↓ |
| Go back to the main conversation | ← | ← |
| Exit to thread navigation panel | Esc | Esc |
| Focus thread reply box | Enter or r | Enter or r |
| Focus main reply box | Ctrl + s | Command + s |
Reply box
| Action | ChromeOS & 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 popups
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Move focus between main window and last chat popup | Shift + Esc | Shift + Esc |
| Go to next chat popup | Ctrl + . (period) | Command + . (period) |
| Go to previous chat popup | Ctrl + , (comma) | Command + , (comma) |
Workspace side panel
| Action | ChromeOS & Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Move focus among main window, side panel, and video call | Ctrl + Alt + . (period) | Command + Option + . (period) |
| 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 2 levels:
- Level one is the list of conversations.
- Level 2 is messages within a conversation.
Current Spaces can have 2 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”
- 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.