Keyboard shortcuts in Messages on Mac
In the Messages app 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.
Messages
Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
Open Messages preferences | Command-Comma (,) |
Hide Messages | Command-H |
Hide everything except Messages | Option-Command-H |
Quit Messages | Command-Q |
Command-N | |
Open the Messages window | Command-0 |
Close the Messages window | Command-W |
Print the conversation | Command-P |
Command-F | |
Clear the transcript (delete a conversation without closing it) | Option-Command-K |
Open the Emoji & Symbols window | Control-Command-Space |
Minimise a window | Command-M |
Minimise all windows | Option-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 |
Return | |
Copy the selected text | Command-C |
Paste copied text | Command-V |
Open the Spelling and Grammar window | Shift-Command-Colon (:) |
Check the text field for spelling and grammar issues | Command-Semicolon (;) |
Reply to the last message in a conversation | Command-R |
Add a Tapback to the last message in a conversation | Command-T, then press 1 to 6 for the Tapback you want |
Select the next conversation | Control-Tab |
Select the previous conversation | Control-Shift-Tab |
Open the conversation Details view | Command-I |
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 (first, select the message) |