Microsoft Teams Key­board Short­cuts to Use It Like a Pro

Microsoft Teams is a hub that combines communication and collaboration tools to enable teams to work together in a strategic, natural manner. It features a workplace chat, file storage, video meetings, integration with the complete suite of Microsoft software, and other software. Just like with any software, key bindings are paramount to employing a master workflow, and Microsoft Teams is filled with them.

Apart from working more efficiently when using keyboard shortcuts, users with mobility, or vision disabilities usually find them a lot easier to use compared to touchscreens.

Microsoft Team’s shortcuts are grouped into 4 (General, Navigation, and Messages, Meetings, and Calls) and they are platform-specific. The Windows key bindings are the same for Linux PCs.

Microsoft Teams on Windows

General

To do this In the Desktop app, press In the Web app, press
Show keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+Period (.) Ctrl+Period (.)
Go to Search Ctrl+E Ctrl+E
Show commands Ctrl+Slash (/) Ctrl+Slash (/)
Goto Ctrl+G Ctrl+Shift+G
Start a new chat Ctrl+N Alt+N
Open Settings Ctrl+Comma (,) Ctrl+Comma (,)
Open Help F1 Ctrl+F1
Close Esc Esc
Zoom in Ctrl+Equals sign (=) No shortcut
Zoom out Ctrl+Minus sign (-) No shortcut

Navigation

To do this In the Desktop app, press In the Web app, press
Open Activity Ctrl+1 Ctrl+Shift+1
Open Chat Ctrl+2 Ctrl+Shift+2
Open Teams Ctrl+3 Ctrl+Shift+3
Open Meetings Ctrl+4 Ctrl+Shift+4
Open Calls Ctrl+5 Ctrl+Shift+5
Open Files Ctrl+6 Ctrl+Shift+6
Go to previous list item Alt+Shift+Up arrow key Alt+Up arrow key
Go to next list item Alt+Shift+Down arrow key Alt+Down arrow key
Move selected team up Ctrl+Shift+Up arrow key No shortcut
Move selected team down Ctrl+Shift+Down arrow key No shortcut
Go to previous section Ctrl+Shift+F6 Ctrl+Shift+F6
Go to next section Ctrl+F6 Ctrl+F6

Messages

To do this In the Desktop app, press In the Web app, press
Go to compose box C C
Expand compose box Ctrl+Shift+X Ctrl+Shift+X
Send (expanded compose box) Ctrl+Enter Ctrl+Enter
Attach file Ctrl+O Ctrl+Shift+O
Start new line Shift+Enter Shift+Enter
Reply to thread R R
Mark as important Ctrl+Shift+I Ctrl+Shift+I

Meetings and Calls

To do this In the Desktop app, press In the Web app, press
Accept video call Ctrl+Shift+A Ctrl+Shift+A
Accept audio call Ctrl+Shift+S Ctrl+Shift+S
Decline call Ctrl+Shift+D Ctrl+Shift+D
Start audio call Ctrl+Shift+C Ctrl+Shift+C
Start video call Ctrl+Shift+U Ctrl+Shift+U
Toggle mute Ctrl+Shift+M Ctrl+Shift+M
Toggle video Ctrl+Shift+O No shortcut
Toggle fullscreen Ctrl+Shift+F Ctrl+Shift+F
Go to sharing toolbar Ctrl+Shift+Space Ctrl+Shift+Space

Microsoft Teams on Mac

General

To do this Mac Web
Show keyboard shortcuts Command+Period (.) Command+Period (.)
Go to Search Command+E Command+E
Show commands Command+Slash (/) Command+Slash (/)
Goto Command+G Command+Shift+G
Start new chat Command+N Option+N
Open Settings Command+Comma (,) Command+Shift+Comma (,)
Open Help F1 Command+F1
Close Esc Esc
Zoom in Command+Equals sign (=) No shortcut
Zoom out Command+Minus sign (-) No shortcut
Return to default zoom Command+0 No shortcut

Navigation

To do this In the Desktop app, press In the Web app, press
Open Activity Ctrl+1 Ctrl+Shift+1
Open Chat Ctrl+2 Ctrl+Shift+2
Open Teams Ctrl+3 Ctrl+Shift+3
Open Meetings Ctrl+4 Ctrl+Shift+4
Open Calls Ctrl+5 Ctrl+Shift+5
Open Files Ctrl+6 Ctrl+Shift+6
Go to previous list item Alt+Shift+Up arrow key Alt+Up arrow key
Go to next list item Alt+Shift+Down arrow key Alt+Down arrow key
Move selected team up Ctrl+Shift+Up arrow key No shortcut
Move selected team down Ctrl+Shift+Down arrow key No shortcut
Go to previous section Ctrl+Shift+F6 Ctrl+Shift+F6
Go to next section Ctrl+F6 Ctrl+F6
Messages
To do this Mac Web
Go to compose box C C
Expand compose box Ctrl+Shift+X Ctrl+Shift+X
Send (expanded compose box) Ctrl+Enter Ctrl+Enter
Attach file Ctrl+O Ctrl+Shift+O
Start new line Shift+Enter Shift+Enter
Reply to thread R R
Mark as important Ctrl+Shift+I

Ctrl+Shift+I

Meetings and Calls

To do this Mac Web
Accept video call Command+Shift+A Command+Shift+A
Accept audio call Command+Shift+S Command+Shift+S
Decline call Command+Shift+D Command+Shift+D
Start audio call Command+Shift+C Command+Shift+C
Start video call Command+Shift+U Command+Shift+U
Toggle mute Command+Shift+M Command+Shift+M
Toggle video Command+Shift+O No shortcut
Toggle fullscreen Command+Shift+F Command+Shift+F
Go to sharing toolbar Command+Shift+Space Command+Shift+Space

Now that you know all the shortcuts (including the one to display your platform-specific list), you can now be on your way to reaching a zen level in Microsoft Teams.

Divine Okoi is a cybersecurity postgrad with a passion for the open-source community. With 700+ articles covering different topics in IT, you can always trust him to inform you about the coolest tech.

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