zulip/templates/zerver/help/keyboard-shortcuts.md

# Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts allow a user to use Zulip easily and efficiently
for a better user experience.

Zulip keyboard shortcuts are divided into four categories:

* [Navigation](#navigation)
* [Composing messages](#composing-messages)
* [Narrowing](#narrowing)
* [Message actions](#message-actions)
* [Menus](#menus)
* [Drafts](#drafts)

!!! warn ""
    **Note:** We note how to enter keyboard shortcuts using keys not
    present on MacOS keyboard in parentheses below.

## Navigation

* **Initiate a search**: `/` — This shortcut moves the user's cursor to
  the message search bar at the top of the window to allow them to
  begin searching for messages belonging to a specific topic, stream,
  view, etc. in the organization.
* **Search people**: `q` — This shortcut moves the user's cursor to the
  user search bar in the right sidebar to to allow them to begin
  searching for a particular user in the organization.
* **Search streams**: `w` — This shortcut moves the user's cursor to
  the stream search bar in the left sidebar to to allow them to begin
  searching for a particular stream in the organization.
* **Previous message**: `k` or `↑` — This shortcut allows the user
  to scroll up to the previous message in their view.
* **Next message**: `j` or `↓` — This shortcut allows the user to
  scroll down to the next message in their view.
* **Scroll up**: `K` or `PgUp` (`Fn` + `↑` on Mac) — This shortcut
  allows the user to scroll up through the messages in their view.
* **Scroll down**: `J`, `Spacebar`, or `PgDn` (`Fn` + `↓` on Mac) —
  This shortcut allows the user to scroll down through the messages in
  their view.
* **Last message**: `End` (`Fn`+`⇾` on Mac) or `G` — This shortcut
  allows the user to scroll to the most recent message in their view.
* **First message**: `Home` (`Fn`+`⇽` on Mac) — This shortcut
  allows the user to scroll to the most recent message in their view.

## Composing messages

* **Reply to message**: `r` or `Enter` (`Return` on Mac) — This
  shortcut allows the user to begin replying to the selected message
  (outlined in blue).
* **Reply to author**: `R` — This shortcut allows the user to begin
  writing a private message to the author of the selected message
  (outlined in blue).
* **New stream message**: `c` — This shortcut allows the user to begin
  composing a new stream message.
* **New private message**: `C` — This shortcut allows the user to begin
  composing a new private message.
* **Reply to message mentioning the author**: `@` — This
  shortcut allows the user to begin replying to the selected message
  (outlined in blue), @—mentioning the author of the selected message.
* **Send message**: `Tab` then `Enter` (`Return` on Mac), `Ctrl` + `Enter`
  (`Return` on Mac) — This shortcut allows the user to send the message that
  they've written.
* **Insert new line**: `Shift` + `Enter` (`Return` on Mac) — This shortcut
  allows the user to insert a new line break in their message.
* **Cancel compose**: `Esc` or `Ctrl + [` — This shortcut allows the user to cancel
  and discard their unsent message.

## Narrowing

* **Narrow by stream**: `s` — This shortcut narrows the view to show
  all messages in the stream of the selected message (outlined in
  blue).
* **Narrow by topic**: `S` — This shortcut narrows the view to show all
  messages with the topic of the selected message (outlined in blue).
* **Narrow to all private messages**: `P` — This shortcut narrows the
  view to show all of the user's private messages.
* **Narrow to next unread topic**: `n` — This shortcut narrows the
  view to the next unread topic in the stream sidebar.
* **Cycle between stream narrows**: `A` and `D` — This shortcut allows the
  user to cycle through the narrows showing the messages of a stream
  according to Stream order in the left sidebar. `A` allows the user
  to navigate to the previous stream narrow, and `D` allows the user
  to navigate to the next stream narrow.
* **Return to home view**: `Esc` or `Ctrl` + `[` — This shortcut allows the user
  to return to the Home view, showing all messages in the organization.

## Message actions

* **Edit your last message**: `⇽` — This shortcut opens the last editable
  message that the user sent in the current view (if any) in the compose box.
* **Show images in thread**: `v` — This shortcut opens any images or videos
  (if any) embedded in a message or previous messages within the thread
  using the lightbox viewer.
* **Edit selected message**: `i` then `Enter` (`Return` on Mac) —
  This shortcut allows the user to edit the selected message (outlined
  in blue) if the user authored the selected message. If the selected
  message was written by another user, this shortcut will enable the
  user to view the source code of the message.
* **Star selected message**: `*` — This shortcut allows the user to star the
  selected message (outlined in blue).
* **React to selected message with <img alt=":thumbs_up:" class="emoji"
  src="/static/generated/emoji/images/emoji/unicode/1f44d.png"
  title=":thumbs_up:"/>**: `+` — This shortcut allows the user to react to the
  selected message (outlined in blue) with the <img alt=":thumbs_up:"
  class="emoji" src="/static/generated/emoji/images/emoji/unicode/1f44d.png"
  title=":thumbs_up:"/> (`:thumbs_up:`) emoji.
* **Toggle topic mute**: `M` — This shortcut allows the user to mute and unmuted
  the topic of the selected message (outlined in blue).

## Menus

* **Toggle the gear menu**: `g` — This shortcut opens the gear menu located in
  the upper-right corner of the window.
* **Open message menu**: `i` — This shortcut opens the message menu with the
  available message actions of the selected message (outlined in blue).
* **Open reactions menu**: `:` — This shortcut opens the emoji reactions menu,
  allowing you to add an emoji reaction to the selected message.
* **Show keyboard shortcuts**: `?` — This shortcut makes a modal
  window with a list of all of the keyboard shortcuts appear.

## Drafts

* **View drafts**: `d` — This shortcut opens the **Drafts** modal with a list of
  all of the user's drafts.
* **Select previous draft**: `↑` — This shortcut selects the previous draft in
  the **Drafts** modal.
* **Select next draft**: `↓` — This shortcut selects the next draft in
  the **Drafts** modal.
* **Scroll up**: `PgUp` (`Fn` + `↑` on Mac) — This shortcut allows the user to
  scroll up through the **Drafts** modal.
* **Scroll down**: `Spacebar` or `PgDn` (`Fn` + `↓` on Mac) — This shortcut
  allows the user to scroll down through the **Drafts** modal.
* **Select first draft**: `Home` (`Fn`+`⇽` on Mac) — This shortcut
  allows the user to scroll to the first draft in the **Drafts** modal.
* **Select last draft**: `End` (`Fn`+`⇾` on Mac) or `G` — This shortcut
  allows the user to scroll to the last draft in the **Drafts** modal.
* **Edit selected draft**: `Enter` (`Return` on Mac) — This shortcut allows the
  user to open the selected draft in the compose box for editing.
* **Delete selected draft**: `Backspace` (`Delete` on Mac) — This shortcut allows the
  user to delete the selected draft, removing it from the **Drafts** modal.