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Keyboard shortcuts in Messages on Mac

In the Messages app 👁 Image
on your Mac, you can quickly accomplish many tasks using keyboard shortcuts. See the shortcuts below, as well as in Messages menus in the menu bar. In app menus, keyboard shortcuts are represented by symbols.

Note: Keyboard shortcuts in apps may vary depending on the language and keyboard layout you’re using on your Mac. If the shortcuts below don’t work as you expect, look in the app menus in the menu bar to see the correct shortcuts. You can also use the Keyboard Viewer to see your current keyboard layout, known as an input source.

Open Messages for me

Messages

Action

Shortcut

Open Messages settings

Command-Comma (,)

Hide Messages

Command-H

Hide everything except Messages

Option-Command-H

Quit Messages

Command-Q

Start a new message

Command-N

Open the Messages window

Command-0

Close the Messages window

Command-W

Print the conversation

Command-P

Show all Messages conversations

Control-Command-1

Show conversations from known senders

Control-Command-2

Show conversations from unknown senders

Control-Command-3

Show conversations with unread messages

Control-Command-4

Show recently deleted messages or conversations

Control-Command-5

Search all conversations

Command-F

Go to a pinned conversation

Command-[number] (press 1 through 9 for the pinned conversation you want)

Go to the first unpinned conversation

Option-Command-1

Open the Emoji & Symbols window

Control-Command-Space

Minimize a window

Command-M

Enter full-screen view

Control-Command-F

Conversations

Action

Shortcut

Make the text bigger

Command-Plus Sign (+)

Make the text smaller

Command-Minus Sign (–)

Insert a line break or create a new paragraph in a message

Option-Return or Shift-Return

Send a message

Return

Edit a sent message

Command-E

Copy the selected text

Command-C

Paste copied text

Command-V

Open the Spelling and Grammar window

Shift-Command-Colon (:)

Check the message field for spelling and grammar issues

Command-Semicolon (;)

Reply to the last incoming (or selected) message in a conversation

Command-R

Add a Tapback to the last (or selected) message in a conversation

Command-T, then press 1 through 6 for the Tapback you want

Select the next conversation

Control-Tab

Select the previous conversation

Control-Shift-Tab

Open the conversation Info view

Option-Command-I

Hide or unhide alerts for a conversation

Option-Command-M

Mark a conversation as unread or read

Shift-Command-U

Open the Contact card for the conversation recipient

Option-Command-B

Send an email to a selected person in the conversation

Option-Command-E

Show video effects (while in a video call in Messages)

Shift-Command-E

Show the selected image in the Quick Look window

Space

Delete a single message

Delete (first, select the message)

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