WhatsApp has a keyboard shortcut for a lot of what you click every day. Here are 32 that work on Windows, grouped by what you’re trying to do.
We checked every one against WhatsApp Help Center: About keyboard shortcuts (Windows) on October 21, 2026.
Chats
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Alt + N | Start a new chat |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Create a new group |
| Ctrl + ] | Go to the next chat |
| Ctrl + [ | Go to the previous chat |
| Ctrl + 1 to Ctrl + 9 | Open chat 1 to 9 in your chat list |
| Esc | Close the chat |
| Alt + I | Open chat info |
Search
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Alt + / | Search all chats |
| Ctrl + Shift + F | Search in the current chat |
| Alt + K | Open extended search |
Manage Chats
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Shift + U | Mark the chat as unread |
| Ctrl + Shift + M | Mute the chat |
| Ctrl + Shift + A | Archive the chat |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + P | Pin the chat |
| Ctrl + Shift + B | Block the chat |
Messages
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Alt + R | Reply to a message |
| Ctrl + Alt + R | Reply privately |
| Ctrl + Alt + D | Forward a message |
| Alt + 8 | Star a message |
| Ctrl + Up Arrow | Edit your last message |
| Alt + A | Open the attachment menu |
| Ctrl + Alt + E | Open the emoji panel |
| Ctrl + Alt + G | Open the GIF panel |
| Ctrl + Alt + S | Open the sticker panel |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R | Start recording a voice message |
App
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Alt + P | Open your profile and About |
| Alt + S | Open settings |
| Alt + L | Lock the app |
| Ctrl + Plus | Zoom in |
| Ctrl + – | Zoom out |
| Ctrl + 0 | Reset the zoom |
| Win + Shift + V | Respond to an incoming call notification |
Good to know: These keys are for the current WhatsApp app for Windows. WhatsApp Web in a browser uses different keys for some actions.
Good to know: To see the list inside the app, open Settings > Keyboard shortcuts.
Get the Excel and PDF Version
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If you’d rather have it on your desk, the download below is a sortable Excel file plus a printable one-page PDF of all 32 shortcuts, for $0.99.
Want One Key to Do More?
Built-in shortcuts only work while WhatsApp is the active window, and you can’t add new ones. These tools let you pick your own hotkeys:
- Prompt Assistant: paste your address, opening hours or “Thanks, I’ll get back to you today” into WhatsApp with a hotkey you pick
- Virtual Assistant Tools: more of our picks for people who answer client messages all day
