Did you know you can now use Discord entirely with your keyboard? That’s right—Discord has introduced a plethora of keyboard shortcuts that let you perform almost any action. Whether it’s opening any channel on a server, sending, editing, or deleting messages, or even starting or joining voice chats – you can do it all. Here’s how to navigate Discord using only keyboard shortcuts.
Note: We’ll list all the supported shortcuts and even guide you through setting up custom keybinds.
Table of Contents
First things first. Open Discord and press the Tab key on your keyboard. Did a little box pop up? That’s your keyboard’s cursor.
After that:
- Keep pressing Tab to move forward through elements like buttons and lists.
- Shift + Tab to move backward.
- You can use Arrow keys to move through lists
- Once you’ve highlighted something, press Enter to select it.
Tip: If tabbing feels slow, use F6 to jump between major sections like servers, channels, messages, and member lists.
This way, you can navigate and use the Discord app (entire UI) with just your keyboard. However, to make things simpler, Discord recently introduced dedicated keyboard shortcuts for many other actions. Let’s explore all of them.
Discord is all about hopping between servers and direct messages. Here’s how to move around with ease:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| CTRL/CMD + Opt + ↑/↓ | Scroll through your server list |
| Opt + ↑/↓ | Scroll through your channel or DM list |
| Opt + Shift + ↑/↓ | Scroll through unread channels or DMs |
| CTRL/CMD + Shift + Opt + ↑/↓ | Scroll through unread channels or DMs where you are mentioned |
| Shift + Page Up | Jump to the oldest unread message in Current channel |
| CTRL/CMD + Opt + → | Switch between last server and DM tab |
To navigate even faster between servers, channels, and DMs, use Discord’s QuickSwitcher feature by pressing CTRL/CMD + K. This will open a search bar in the pop-up for you to search with the name. You cannot search for messages with this. For that, once you are on the server, press CTRL/CMD + F.
Interacting with Messages
Discord is a messaging platform and most users spend most of their time either in DMs or on a channel in their favorite server. Normally most actions with messages can be performed with the right-click menu. But you can replicate all such actions like replying or adding a reaction using a keyboard shortcut. Press Tab, use your Arrow keys to highlight a message, then press (read the table below):
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| E or Up Arrow | Edit the last message you sent |
| + | Add a reaction |
| R | Reply to a message |
| P | Pin a message |
| Backspace | Delete a message |
| Alt/Option + Enter/Return | Mark a message as unread |
| ESC | Move to the text input or close a menu |
| CTRL/CMD + E | Open the Emoji Picker |
| CTRL/CMD + S | Open the Sticker picker |
| CTRL/CMD + G | Open the GIF picker |
| CTRL/CMD + Shift + U | Attach a File to your message |
These shortcuts let you handle conversations quickly. For example, if you spot a typo in your last message, just press Up Arrow and fix it instantly.
Managing Voice and Video Calls
Not just for messages, but even for voice and video calls, there are keyboard shortcuts for many actions.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| CTRL + ‘ | Start a call in the DM you’re viewing |
| CTRL/CMD + Enter/Return | Answer an incoming call |
| ESC | Decline a call |
| CTRL/CMD + Shift + M | Mute your mic |
| CTRL/CMD + Shift + D | Deafen (mute mic and call audio) |
| CTRL/CMD + Shift + Alt/Opt + V | Jump back to the active call |
No more fumbling to find the mute button when your dog starts barking—just press CTRL + Shift + M to mute yourself instantly.
Also Read:
- How to Check Where My Discord Account is Logged in
- How to Allow Users to Self-Assign Their Roles on Discord
- What Happens When You Disable or Delete Your Discord Account
- How to Translate Messages on Discord: Step-by-Step Guide
Drag and Drop with a Keyboard
You can navigate, message, or even manage voice and video calls using the shortcuts above. However, do you know you can also drag and drop servers and channels using just a keyboard? here’s how:
- Highlight the server or channel you want to move using Tab.
- Press CTRL + D to “pick it up.”
- Use the Arrow Keys to navigate to the desired location.
- Press Enter to drop it.
Want to create a folder? Drag one server over another and press Enter. You’ll have a shiny new folder in no time.
Customizing Your Keybinds
The built-in shortcuts are great, but what if they don’t fit your setup? Discord now allows you to customize some shortcuts, mostly related to voice and video calls. That’s where Custom Keybinds come in. Here’s how to set them up:
- Go to User Settings and click Keybinds.
- Click on Add a keybind here.
- Choose the action you want to customize like Toggle Mute or Switch to Voice Channel.
- Click on Record keybing and press your preferred keys to assign them.
This will not replace your original shortcuts but rather add a new shortcut and you cannot set any shortcuts that Discord has already assigned to some action.
So why not give it a try? Mastering keyboard navigation might just make Discord your favorite app all over again.
