Complete Slack keyboard shortcuts for text formatting, navigation, and messaging — for both Windows and Mac.
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 | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + K | Quick Switch | Quickly search channels, DMs, files |
| Ctrl + Shift + K | Direct Messages | Open DM list |
| Alt + Up/Down | Navigate Channels | Move to previous/next channel |
| Alt + Shift + Up/Down | Unread Channels | Jump to unread channels |
| Ctrl + Shift + T | Threads | View all threads |
| Ctrl + / | Shortcuts List | View all keyboard shortcuts |
| Shortcut | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + B | Bold | Make text bold |
| Ctrl + I | Italic | Make text italic |
| Ctrl + Shift + X | Strikethrough | Strike through text |
| Ctrl + Shift + C | Code Block | Insert code block |
| Ctrl + U | Upload File | Upload file |
| Up | Edit Last Message | Edit your last message |
| Ctrl + Enter | Send Message | Send message being composed |
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.
Slack includes 7 Messaging shortcuts, including Ctrl + B (Bold) and Ctrl + I (Italic). See the full list in the Messaging section above.
Slack includes 6 Navigation shortcuts, including Ctrl + K (Quick Switch) and Ctrl + Shift + K (Direct Messages). See the full list in the Navigation section above.
Yes — use My Stack to combine Slack shortcuts with any other platform on this site into one printable reference, which is useful if your daily workflow spans several tools.
Open your assistant with this page preloaded as the source — great for follow-up questions like "which of these work in other apps?"