Convenient Shortcuts for the macOS Messages App
The macOS Messages app lets you manage messages and SMS in one place by linking with your iPhone. Here is a summary of shortcuts that make message and chat operations more comfortable and faster.
Posted at: 2025.1.27
Shortcuts in the App Window
First, let's check the shortcuts you can use in the Messages app window. Basically, the same shortcuts as other macOS apps are available, but there are also some subtly convenient shortcuts unique to the Messages app.
For example, "Show chats from known senders (Control + Command + 2)" is useful when your message list tends to get cluttered.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Start a new message | Command + N |
| Open the message window | Command + 0 |
| Close the message window | Command + W |
| Print a chat | Command + P |
| Show all chats in Messages | Control + Command + 1 |
| Show chats from known senders | Control + Command + 2 |
| Show chats from unknown senders | Control + Command + 3 |
| Show chats with unread messages | Control + Command + 4 |
| Show recently deleted messages or chats | Control + Command + 5 |
| Search all chats | Command + F |
| Go to a pinned chat | Command + number (1 to 9) |
| Go to the first unpinned chat | Option + Command + 1 |
| Open the "Emoji & Symbols" window | Control + Command + Spacebar |
| Minimize the window | Command + M |
| Enter full screen mode | Control + Command + F |
Chat Operation Shortcuts
Next, let's look at shortcuts for the chat screen.
There are shortcuts to improve efficiency in the chat screen, such as "Insert a line break in a message (Option + Return)", "Mark chat as read or unread (Shift + Command + U)", and "Reply to the last received message in the chat (Command + R)". Remembering these can subtly speed up your chat operations.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Make text larger | Command + Plus sign (+) |
| Make text smaller | Command + Minus sign (-) |
| Insert a line break or new paragraph in a message | Option + Return, or Shift + Return |
| Send a message | Return key |
| Edit a sent message | Command + E |
| Copy selected text | Command + C |
| Paste copied text | Command + V |
| Open the "Spelling and Grammar" window | Shift + Command + Colon (:) |
| Check for spelling and grammar issues in the message field | Command + Semicolon (;) |
| Reply to the last received (or selected) message in the chat | Command + R |
| Add a Tapback to the last (or selected) message in the chat | Command + T → any number from 1 to 6 |
| Select the next chat | Control + Tab |
| Select the previous chat | Control + Shift + Tab |
| Hide or show chat notifications | Option + Command + M |
| Mark chat as read or unread | Shift + Command + U |
| Send an email to a selected member in the chat | Option + Command + E |
| Show video effects (during video calls in Messages) | Shift + Command + E |
| Delete a single message (select the message first) | Delete |
Shortcuts in the App Window
First, let's check the shortcuts you can use in the Messages app window. Basically, the same shortcuts as other macOS apps are available, but there are also some subtly convenient shortcuts unique to the Messages app.
For example, "Show chats from known senders (Control + Command + 2)" is useful when your message list tends to get cluttered.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Start a new message | Command + N |
| Open the message window | Command + 0 |
| Close the message window | Command + W |
| Print a chat | Command + P |
| Show all chats in Messages | Control + Command + 1 |
| Show chats from known senders | Control + Command + 2 |
| Show chats from unknown senders | Control + Command + 3 |
| Show chats with unread messages | Control + Command + 4 |
| Show recently deleted messages or chats | Control + Command + 5 |
| Search all chats | Command + F |
| Go to a pinned chat | Command + number (1 to 9) |
| Go to the first unpinned chat | Option + Command + 1 |
| Open the "Emoji & Symbols" window | Control + Command + Spacebar |
| Minimize the window | Command + M |
| Enter full screen mode | Control + Command + F |
Chat Operation Shortcuts
Next, let's look at shortcuts for the chat screen.
There are shortcuts to improve efficiency in the chat screen, such as "Insert a line break in a message (Option + Return)", "Mark chat as read or unread (Shift + Command + U)", and "Reply to the last received message in the chat (Command + R)". Remembering these can subtly speed up your chat operations.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Make text larger | Command + Plus sign (+) |
| Make text smaller | Command + Minus sign (-) |
| Insert a line break or new paragraph in a message | Option + Return, or Shift + Return |
| Send a message | Return key |
| Edit a sent message | Command + E |
| Copy selected text | Command + C |
| Paste copied text | Command + V |
| Open the "Spelling and Grammar" window | Shift + Command + Colon (:) |
| Check for spelling and grammar issues in the message field | Command + Semicolon (;) |
| Reply to the last received (or selected) message in the chat | Command + R |
| Add a Tapback to the last (or selected) message in the chat | Command + T → any number from 1 to 6 |
| Select the next chat | Control + Tab |
| Select the previous chat | Control + Shift + Tab |
| Hide or show chat notifications | Option + Command + M |
| Mark chat as read or unread | Shift + Command + U |
| Send an email to a selected member in the chat | Option + Command + E |
| Show video effects (during video calls in Messages) | Shift + Command + E |
| Delete a single message (select the message first) | Delete |