Microsoft Teams is where office chat, meetings and files now live, and its keyboard shortcuts remove nearly all the clicking: jump between Chat, Teams and Calendar, mute yourself mid-meeting, raise your hand and hang up — all from the keyboard. This complete list of Microsoft Teams keyboard shortcut keys (desktop app for Windows; on Mac replace Ctrl with Command for most) explains navigation, messaging, meetings and calls in plain words.
Navigation Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + 1 | Go to Activity |
| Ctrl + 2 | Go to Chat |
| Ctrl + 3 | Go to Teams |
| Ctrl + 4 | Go to Calendar (Assignments in education versions) |
| Ctrl + 5 | Go to Calls |
| Ctrl + 6 | Go to Files |
| Ctrl + E | Go to the Search bar (search messages, people, files and commands) |
| Ctrl + / (slash) | Open the command list (type a command like /call or /away) |
| Ctrl + . (period) | Show the keyboard shortcuts dialog |
| Ctrl + , (comma) | Open Settings |
| Ctrl + F | Filter / find within the current list or conversation context |
| Ctrl + Shift + F | Open filters for the current list |
| Alt + Up / Down Arrow | Move to the previous / next item in a list (chats, channels) |
| F6 | Move between the main areas of the Teams window |
| Ctrl + Shift + . | Open the More options / overflow in supported views |
Messaging Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + N | Start a new chat (from Chat) / new conversation |
| C (in Chat list focus) | Compose a new message in the current chat quickly (new Teams) |
| Enter | Send the message |
| Shift + Enter | Start a new line without sending |
| Ctrl + Shift + X | Expand the compose box (rich formatting editor) |
| Ctrl + Enter (in expanded compose) | Send the message from the expanded editor |
| Ctrl + O | Attach a file to the message |
| Up Arrow (in compose, just after sending) | Edit your last sent message |
| Ctrl + B / I / U (expanded compose) | Bold / italic / underline |
| Ctrl + Shift + B | Start a bulleted list (expanded compose) |
| Esc | Close the expanded compose box / pop-up |
Meetings and Calls Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Shift + M | Toggle mute (microphone on/off) in a meeting or call |
| Ctrl + Shift + O | Toggle the camera (video on/off) |
| Ctrl + Shift + H | Hang up / end or decline the call |
| Ctrl + Shift + A | Accept a call with video |
| Ctrl + Shift + S | Accept a call with audio only |
| Ctrl + Shift + K | Raise or lower your hand in a meeting |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Start screen sharing (in a call or meeting) |
| Ctrl + Shift + Space | Open the sharing toolbar during screen sharing |
| Ctrl + Shift + D | Disable incoming video (reduces bandwidth use) |
| Ctrl + Shift + L | Show the list of raised hands / participants reactions (supported builds) |
| Ctrl + Shift + Y | Lower all raised hands (presenter/organizer, supported builds) |
Calendar and General Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + 4 | Go to Calendar |
| Alt + Shift + N (in Calendar) | Create a new meeting (supported builds) |
| Ctrl + Shift + 1 to 6 (web app) | Web-app variants of the module shortcuts (Ctrl + Shift + number in browser) |
| Esc | Close pop-ups, menus and dialogs |
| Ctrl + R (in a thread) | Reply to the selected channel message (focus compose as reply) |
Tips for Teams Users
The two meeting shortcuts to make automatic are Ctrl + Shift + M (mute) and Ctrl + Shift + O (camera): they work even when Teams is not the focused window region in most builds, so you can unmute without hunting for the toolbar. Press Ctrl + . inside Teams anytime to see the official shortcut list for your build — Microsoft updates it as features change. And the command bar is a keyboard tool in itself: Ctrl + E, then type "/" for commands like /call, /chat, /away, /dnd and /available to change status or start calls without menus.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I mute myself in a Teams meeting with the keyboard?
Press Ctrl + Shift + M. The same shortcut unmutes you, and it works during calls and meetings in the desktop app.
How do I raise my hand in Teams?
Press Ctrl + Shift + K during the meeting to raise your hand; press it again to lower it.
How do I see all Teams shortcuts inside the app?
Press Ctrl + . (period) and Teams opens a dialog listing the keyboard shortcuts for your version, grouped by area.
What is the shortcut to end a Teams call?
Press Ctrl + Shift + H to hang up or decline an incoming call.
By Umar Farooq, Tech Know.
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