Complete WhatsApp keyboard shortcuts and commands reference — 62 shortcuts across 3 categories. Quick reference cheat sheet for Windows & Mac.
WhatsApp Web and the desktop apps share a small set of keyboard shortcuts for moving between chats and managing them; message formatting is done with markdown-style characters rather than keys. The table is the Windows keymap; on macOS use Cmd. The two chat-switching keys are the ones that make the desktop app usable without a mouse.
| Shortcut | Action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + Shift + U | Mark as unread | Mark as unread in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Shift + M | Mute | Mute in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Shift + A | Archive chat | Archive chat in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + P | Pin chat | Pin chat in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Alt + / | Search | Search in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Shift + F | Search chat | Search chat in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Alt + N | New chat | New chat in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + ] | Next chat | Next chat in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + [ | Previous chat | Previous chat in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Esc | Close chat | Close chat in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | New group | New group in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Alt + P | Profile and About | Profile and About in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Shift + . | Increase speed of the selected voice message | Increase speed of the selected voice message in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Alt + S | Settings | Settings in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Alt + E | Emoji panel | Emoji panel in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Alt + G | GIF panel | GIF panel in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Alt + S | Sticker panel | Sticker panel in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Alt + K | Extended search | Extended search in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Alt + L | Lock app | Lock app in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Alt + I | Open chat info | Open chat info in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Shift + B | Block chat | Block chat in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Alt + R | Reply | Reply in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Alt + R | Reply privately | Reply privately in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Alt + D | Forward | Forward in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Alt + 8 | Star message | Star message in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Alt + A | Open attachment dropdown | Open attachment dropdown in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R | Start PTT | Start push-to-talk voice recording in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Enter | Pause PTT | Pause push-to-talk voice recording in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + Up | Edit last message | Edit last message in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + + | Zoom in | Zoom in in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + - | Zoom out | Zoom out in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + 0 | Zoom reset | Zoom reset in WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Ctrl + 1-9 | Open chat | Open the chat at that position in the chat list (1 to 9). WhatsApp for Windows. |
| Shortcut | Action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + U | Mark as unread | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + Shift + U. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + M | Mute | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + Shift + M. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E | Archive chat | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + Shift + E. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + P | Pin chat | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + Shift + P. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F | Search chat | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + /. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + N | New chat | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + N. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Esc | Close chat | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Esc. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + N | New group | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + Shift + N. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + P | Profile and About | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + P. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + , | Settings | WhatsApp Web; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + ,. The Windows key is shown in the help table as Ctrl Alt followed by the comma key. |
| Ctrl + Alt + E | Emoji panel | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + E. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + G | GIF panel | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + G. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + S | Sticker panel | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + S. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Alt + K | Extended search | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + K. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Ctrl + Alt + L | Lock screen | WhatsApp Web in a browser; Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + L. Web shortcuts add Alt (Ctrl on Mac) so they do not collide with browser shortcuts. |
| Shortcut | Action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Cmd + N | New chat | New chat in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + Shift + N | New group chat | New group chat in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + Option + F | Search chats, calls and status | Search chats, calls and status in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + F | Search messages in chat | Search messages in chat in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + + | Make chat text larger | Make chat text larger in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + 0 | Make chat text default size | Make chat text default size in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + - | Make chat text smaller | Make chat text smaller in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + Ctrl + M | Mute or unmute during a call | Mute or unmute during a call in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + Ctrl + V | Toggle camera on or off during a video call | Toggle camera on or off during a video call in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + Shift + E | Archived chats | Archived chats in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + , | Settings | Settings in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + Shift + W | Hide chat | Hide chat in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + Shift + ] | Next chat | Next chat in WhatsApp for Mac. |
| Cmd + Shift + [ | Previous chat | Previous chat in WhatsApp for Mac. |
The most essential WhatsApp shortcuts are: Ctrl + Alt + N (New chat on Windows and Web), Ctrl + ] (Next chat, Windows), Cmd + N (New chat, Mac).
The WhatsApp shortcut for new chat is Ctrl + Alt + N on Windows and WhatsApp Web, and Cmd + N in WhatsApp for Mac.
No. WhatsApp publishes three separate tables: 33 shortcuts for WhatsApp for Windows, 15 for WhatsApp Web (which add Alt so they do not clash with the browser) and 14 for WhatsApp for Mac. The same action can have three different keys, so use the section for your app.
Print the WhatsApp cheat sheet and keep it next to your keyboard for the first week, then switch to active recall: open Shortcut Speedrun and practice WhatsApp shortcuts against the clock until they're automatic.
Yes — use My Stack to combine WhatsApp shortcuts with any other platform on this site into one printable reference, which is useful if your daily workflow spans several tools.
The three apps do not share a keymap. On Windows the next chat is Ctrl + ] and the previous one Ctrl + [, on Mac Cmd + Shift + ] and Cmd + Shift + [, so a stack of unread conversations can be cleared without clicking each one. A new chat is Ctrl + Alt + N on Windows and in the browser but Cmd + N on Mac; a new group is Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows and Cmd + Shift + N on Mac. Ctrl + 1-9 on Windows jumps straight to a chat by its position in the list.
On Windows Ctrl + Shift + A archives the open chat — it returns when a new message arrives — Ctrl + Shift + M mutes it with a prompt for how long, Ctrl + Shift + U marks it unread and Ctrl + Alt + Shift + P pins it. WhatsApp Web adds Alt to most of these so they do not collide with the browser: archive becomes Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E and mute Ctrl + Alt + Shift + M. Mac has fewer chat-management keys and reaches archived chats with Cmd + Shift + E.
Formatting uses characters, not shortcuts: *bold*, _italic_, ~strikethrough~ and three backticks for monospace. The Windows app has the richest message keys: Alt + R replies, Ctrl + Alt + R replies privately in a group, Ctrl + Alt + D forwards, Alt + 8 stars a message and Ctrl + Up edits your last message. Ctrl + Alt + E opens the emoji panel on Windows and in the browser; on Mac the app leans on the standard Cmd + F to search inside the open chat.
Open your assistant with this page preloaded as the source — great for follow-up questions like "which of these work in other apps?"