Microsoft Teams Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows)
Search Shortcuts (Very Important)
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Global Search (top search bar) |
Ctrl + E |
| Search Messages (across Teams & Chats) |
Ctrl + Shift + F |
| Search in Current Channel |
Ctrl + F |
| Search Commands |
Ctrl + / |
How these differ (this matters):
Ctrl + E
- Global search bar
- Finds people, chats, teams, files, commands
Ctrl + Shift + F
- Message-only search
- Best for “Who said this?” / keyword hunting
Ctrl + F
- Searches within the current chat or channel only
App-Level Navigation (Left Rail)
| Destination |
Shortcut |
| Activity |
Ctrl + 1 |
| Chat |
Ctrl + 2 |
| Teams |
Ctrl + 3 |
| Calendar |
Ctrl + 4 |
| Calls |
Ctrl + 5 |
| Files |
Ctrl + 6 |
Teams & Channel Navigation
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Next Section (left pane) |
Ctrl + F6 |
| Previous Section |
Ctrl + Shift + F6 |
| Move Up (channels/chats) |
Up Arrow |
| Move Down (channels/chats) |
Down Arrow |
| Open Selected Chat/Channel |
Enter |
| Go to General channel |
G then E |
| Open Teams List |
Ctrl + 3 → Arrow keys |
History & Pane Navigation
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Go Back |
Alt + ← |
| Go Forward |
Alt + → |
| Focus Left Pane |
Ctrl + Shift + L |
| Focus Main Content |
Ctrl + Shift + M |
| Focus Command Box |
Ctrl + E |
Power User Search Tricks (Keyboard-First)
Use these inside the search bar (Ctrl + E):
| Query |
What it Does |
/goto Team Channel |
Jump directly to a channel |
/chat Name |
Open a chat instantly |
/call Name |
Start a call |
/files |
Search files only |
/saved |
Show saved messages |
/unread |
Jump to unread messages |
General Navigation
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Open Search Bar |
Ctrl + E |
| Go to Activity |
Ctrl + 1 |
| Go to Chat |
Ctrl + 2 |
| Go to Teams |
Ctrl + 3 |
| Go to Calendar |
Ctrl + 4 |
| Go to Calls |
Ctrl + 5 |
| Go to Files |
Ctrl + 6 |
| Show Commands (search focus) |
Ctrl + / |
| Show Keyboard Shortcuts |
Ctrl + . |
Chat & Messaging
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Start New Chat |
Ctrl + N |
| Attach a File |
Ctrl + O |
| Send Message |
Enter |
| New Line (no send) |
Shift + Enter |
| Bold Text |
Ctrl + B |
| Italic Text |
Ctrl + I |
| Underline Text |
Ctrl + U |
| Strikethrough |
Ctrl + Shift + X |
| Expand Compose Box |
Ctrl + Shift + X |
| Quote Message |
Ctrl + Shift + > |
| Emoji Picker |
Ctrl + . |
| GIF Picker |
Ctrl + G |
Meetings & Calls
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Mute / Unmute |
Ctrl + Shift + M |
| Camera On / Off |
Ctrl + Shift + O |
| Raise / Lower Hand |
Ctrl + Shift + K |
| Background Blur |
Ctrl + Shift + P |
| Accept Video Call |
Ctrl + Shift + A |
| Accept Audio Call |
Ctrl + Shift + S |
| Decline Call |
Ctrl + Shift + D |
| Toggle Meeting Chat |
Ctrl + Shift + H |
| Toggle Participants Pane |
Ctrl + Shift + U |
| Leave Meeting |
Ctrl + Shift + B |
Navigation & View
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Go Back |
Alt + ← |
| Go Forward |
Alt + → |
| Zoom In |
Ctrl + = |
| Zoom Out |
Ctrl + - |
| Reset Zoom |
Ctrl + 0 |
Quick Actions
| Action |
Shortcut |
| Open Settings |
Ctrl + , |
| Search for Commands |
Ctrl + / |
| Open Help |
F1 |
| Toggle Light/Dark Theme |
Ctrl + Shift + L |