Complete Slack keyboard shortcuts for text formatting, navigation, and messaging — for both Windows and Mac.
Slack is a popular communication platform used by professionals worldwide. Learning keyboard shortcuts can dramatically speed up your workflow — studies show shortcut users save an average of 8 days per year compared to mouse-only users.
This page covers all 13 Slack shortcuts across 2 categories: Navigation, Messaging. Each shortcut includes a description to help you understand when and how to use it effectively.
These are the most-searched Slack shortcuts. All formatting shortcuts work on selected text, or toggle the format on/off when nothing is selected.
| Format | Windows | Mac | Markdown Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bold | Ctrl+B | Cmd+B | *bold* |
| Italic | Ctrl+I | Cmd+I | _italic_ |
| Strikethrough | Ctrl+Shift+X | Cmd+Shift+X | ~strikethrough~ |
| Inline Code | Ctrl+Shift+C | Cmd+Shift+C | `code` |
| Code Block | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C | Cmd+Alt+Shift+C | ```code``` |
Quick answer: Slack formatting shortcuts — Bold: Ctrl+B / Cmd+B | Italic: Ctrl+I / Cmd+I | Strikethrough: Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X | Inline Code: Ctrl+Shift+C / Cmd+Shift+C
| Shortcut (Windows) | Shortcut (Mac) | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+K | Cmd+K | Quick switch — jump to any channel, DM, or person |
| Ctrl+Shift+K | Cmd+Shift+K | Open Direct Messages list |
| Alt+↑ / ↓ | Option+↑ / ↓ | Navigate to previous / next channel |
| Alt+Shift+↑ / ↓ | Option+Shift+↑ / ↓ | Jump to unread channel or DM |
| Ctrl+Shift+T | Cmd+Shift+T | View all threads |
| Ctrl+/ | Cmd+/ | View all keyboard shortcuts |
| Shortcut (Windows) | Shortcut (Mac) | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+Enter | Cmd+Enter | Send message |
| ↑ (Up arrow) | ↑ (Up arrow) | Edit your last sent message |
| Ctrl+Z | Cmd+Z | Undo last action in message editor |
| Ctrl+U | Cmd+U | Upload a file |
| Ctrl+Shift+\ | Cmd+Shift+\ | Open emoji reaction picker |
Bold = Ctrl+B (Cmd+B) · Italic = Ctrl+I (Cmd+I) · Strikethrough = Ctrl+Shift+X (Cmd+Shift+X) · Inline Code = Ctrl+Shift+C (Cmd+Shift+C). Select your text first, then press the shortcut.
Select the text and press Ctrl+B on Windows or Cmd+B on Mac. Alternatively, surround text with asterisks: *bold text*
Select text and press Ctrl+I on Windows or Cmd+I on Mac. Or wrap text in underscores: _italic text_
Select text and press Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows or Cmd+Shift+X on Mac. Or wrap in tildes: ~strikethrough~
Press Ctrl+Shift+C (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+C (Mac). For a multi-line code block, use Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C or type three backticks ``` and press Enter.
Press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Cmd+Z on Mac to undo your last action in the message composer.
Press the Up arrow key in any channel or DM to instantly edit your most recently sent message.
On mobile, use the formatting toolbar that appears above the keyboard. Tap the Aa button to reveal bold, italic, strikethrough, and code options. Keyboard shortcuts only apply to desktop.
Start with the essentials: Learn Ctrl + K (Quick Switch) and Ctrl + Shift + K (Direct Messages) first — these are the most commonly used.
Practice daily: Pick 2–3 new shortcuts each day and consciously use them instead of the mouse. Within a week, they become muscle memory.
Print this cheat sheet: Keep a reference nearby until shortcuts become automatic. Focus on the Navigation category first.
Productivity tip: Navigation and formatting shortcuts give the biggest time savings. Start with the shortcuts you'd use in every session.