The Complete Telegram Desktop Keyboard Shortcut Sheet

Desktop users who learn eight shortcuts stop touching the mouse. Here is the full sheet, grouped by what you are trying to do.

Telegram Desktop is a keyboard-first application once you know where the keys are. On macOS, read Cmd wherever Ctrl appears; on Linux everything below is identical to Windows.

Getting around

• Ctrl+0 — jump to Saved Messages
• Ctrl+1 … Ctrl+9 — switch to folder 1–9
• Ctrl+Tab / Ctrl+Shift+Tab — next / previous chat
• Alt+↑ / Alt+↓ — previous / next chat in the list
• Esc — close the current panel, cancel reply, exit search

Searching

• Ctrl+F — search inside the open chat
• Ctrl+K — global search (type a name, a username or a keyword)
• Ctrl+J — jump to the first unread message
• Ctrl+↑ / Ctrl+↓ — jump to the first / last message in the chat

Writing and formatting

• Ctrl+B — bold, Ctrl+I — italic, Ctrl+U — underline
• Ctrl+Shift+M — monospace, Ctrl+Shift+X — strikethrough
• Ctrl+Shift+K — insert a link
• Ctrl+Enter — send without sound
• ↑ in an empty composer — edit your last message
• Ctrl+Z — undo the last edit while the composer is focused

Messages and media

• Ctrl+O — open a file picker to attach
• Ctrl+P — open the profile of the current chat
• Ctrl+S — save the selected media to disk
• Ctrl+R — reply to the selected message
• Ctrl+Shift+R — forward the selected message
• Delete — delete the selected message (with confirmation, depending on settings)

Voice and calls

• Ctrl+Shift+Space — start or stop recording a voice message
• Ctrl+Shift+M in a call — mute the microphone
• Ctrl+Shift+V in a call — toggle the camera

Window

• Ctrl+W — close the current window (minimise to tray, depending on settings)
• Ctrl+M — minimise, Ctrl+Q — quit
• Ctrl+Shift+D — toggle dark mode
• Ctrl++ / Ctrl+- — zoom the interface in or out

How to learn them without grinding

Pick three and use them for a week: Ctrl+K to find any chat, Ctrl+F to search inside one, Esc to back out of anything. Those three replace most mouse travel. Add Ctrl+1–9 once you have folders, and Ctrl+Enter the first time you need to send something at an unreasonable hour without waking anyone up.

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