Those of us who spend a lot of time in front of the computer appreciate having quick access to our profiles on social networks and messaging apps. That's why we love the web version of WhatsApp: we can chat from a browser tab and forget about our mobile. However, sometimes We would like to depend less on the mouse to jump between chats, add emojis or silence notifications. Therefore, in this entry we explain how to use the WhatsApp Web keyboard shortcuts so that you can also forget about the mouse.
On WhatsApp web there is a list of keyboard shortcuts that you can learn by heart to perform different actions without taking your fingers off the keys. Additionally, when you write in a chat you can add emojis or change the font style just by entering the correct code. We are going to review each of these WhatsApp web functions so that your contacts do not know if you are writing from your mobile or from your computer.
WhatsApp Web keyboard shortcuts to use it without touching the mouse
When we are in front of the computer, whether working or studying, it is very useful to know the keyboard shortcuts to enter certain commands. So We save the time we waste taking the mouse, looking for a certain button and clicking on it. This is especially true when we use the web version of WhatsApp to talk to clients, suppliers, friends and family, while browsing from the computer.
Knowing this, WhatsApp has included a list of very useful key combinations to use from the web version of the application. If you want to see this list of WhatsApp Web keyboard shortcuts, you just have to follow the following steps (see the full list here):
- Log in to WhatsApp web.
- Click on the three-dot menu next to the 'New Chat' icon.
- Select Settings and scroll down to Keyboard Shortcuts.
- A list will open with 14 key combinations to enter commands in WhatsApp web.
When these WhatsApp keyboard shortcuts are combined with traditional shortcuts (Ctrl+C to copy, Ctrl+V to paste, Shift+→ to shadow, etc.), greater speed is achieved in performing different actions. As you practice, you will gain more confidence to the point of using key combinations like a pro.. Now, let's take a closer look at these combinations to know how to make the most of them when using WhatsApp web.
WhatsApp Web keyboard shortcut to jump from one chat to another
Until now, for jump from one chat to another on WhatsApp web, you had to move your mouse over the chat you wanted to open and click. But there is a faster way to go from one chat to another using the keys. To go to the next Chat use:
- Ctrl Alt Tab (on Windows)
- Cmd Ctrl Tab (on Mac)
And to go to the previous chat, press the following key combination:
- Ctrl Alt Shift Tab (on Windows)
- Cmd Ctrl Shift Tab (on Mac)
Open a new chat and create a new group
To open a new chat on WhatsApp web, you no longer need to move the cursor to the New chat icon, on the left of the screen. You just have to press the combination Ctrl Alt N on Windows and Cmd Ctrl N on Mac. You will see that the option to search for a contact with whom to start a new conversation is activated.
In case you want create a new group, just press the Ctrl Alt Shift N keys (on Windows) and Cmd Ctrl Shift N keys (on Mac). With this, you will see that the option to add members to the group opens, and you will be able to immediately start typing the names of the members.
Delete and close a chat
We continue with the commands for chats, this time to delete or delete a chat and to close it. The first action deletes the chat completely, while the second closes the chat and shows the WhatsApp web home page. For delete a chat in Windows, press Ctrl Alt Backspace key; on Mac you must press Cmd Ctrl Backspace key. On the other hand, for close a chat you just have to press the Escape key on both operating systems.
Mute and archive a chat
Mute a chat in WhatsApp means that you cancel the notifications of a chat so that the messages and reactions that arrive in it do not ring. This is especially useful in WhatsApp groups with a lot of activity, those that don't stop ringing. You can mute a chat directly from the keyboard by pressing Ctrl Alt Shift M on Windows, and Cmd Ctrl Shift M on Mac.
On the other hand, when you archive a chat in WhatsApp you remove it from the main chat list and send it to a hidden folder. This function can be used to keep private conversations, group chats, or channels that you visit from time to time out of sight. To archive a WhatsApp chat on Windows, use the combination Ctrl Alt Shift E, and on Mac, Cmd Ctrl Shift E.
WhatsApp Web keyboard shortcuts to fix chat
When we set a chat on WhatsApp, we place it first in the chat list so we always have it in view. Normally we can set up to three chats, but there is a trick to fix more than three chats on WhatsApp. The key combination for this function is Ctrl Alt Shift P (Windows) and Cmd Ctrl Shift P (Mac).
Increase the speed of the selected voice message
Do you have a contact who usually sends very long voice messages? You are not the only one. It's good that we can increase the speed of the voice notes to listen to them faster. In WhatsApp web, you don't have to navigate to the voice message to click on the speed indicator. Rather, you can use the key combination (Shift .) to increase the speed of the selected voice message.
Lock screen
One of the most useful functions of WhatsApp web is to add a password to protect your active session. With the screen locked, it is impossible for others to enter your WhatsApp session and snoop into your conversations. To quickly lock the screen, use the shortcut Ctrl Alt L. If you have not yet set a password, this key combination will give you access to the section to create a security code for your WhatsApp session.
WhatsApp web keyboard shortcuts to write
Now let's look at a couple of keyboard shortcuts in WhatsApp web that They will make things easier for you when writing messages in your chats. With one you can easily add emojis, and the other is a simple trick to change the style of the font. Let's see.
Add emojis easily
Emojis are already a regular part of our writing style on social networks and messaging apps, especially when we write from our mobile phones. But you can also use them from WhatsApp web. While you type in the text bar, insert the punctuation mark: (colon) and then write down the word related to the emoji you want to enter. For example, :laughter, :surprise, :sadness, :no, :yes, :doubt, etc. You will see that a series of emojis are displayed that you can select with the right or left keys (← →) and use by pressing Enter or Tab.
Change the font style
In WhatsApp web, you can use different font styles while writing in your chats. These are not key combinations, but enclose the word or sentence between a specific punctuation mark. Thus, to write in bold we enclose the word between an asterisk (*word*); in italics, between underscores (_word_); To write text in monospace, we enclose it in three inverted commas (“`word«`).