Keyboard shortcuts in Skype for Business
Applies ToSkype for Business Online operated by 21Vianet Lync for Mac 2011 Skype for Business Skype for Business admin centre Skype for Business Basic Skype for Business for Android Skype for Business for Mac Skype for Business Online

Many users find that using an external keyboard with keyboard shortcuts for Skype for Business helps them work more efficiently. For users with mobility or vision disabilities, keyboard shortcuts can be easier than using the touchscreen, and are an essential alternative to using a mouse.

Notes: 

  • The shortcuts in this topic refer to the US keyboard layout. Keys for other layouts might not correspond exactly to the keys on a US keyboard.

  • A plus sign (+) in a shortcut means that you need to press multiple keys at the same time.

  • A comma sign (,) in a shortcut means that you need to press multiple keys in order.

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts in Skype for Business for Windows.

Notes: 

  • To quickly find a shortcut in this article, you can use the Search. Press Ctrl+F, and then type your search words.

In this topic

Frequently used shortcuts

The following table shows frequently used shortcuts in Skype for Business on Windows.

To do this

Press

Find a contact in the main window.

F6

Display more options, for example, to make a call, start a chat, and more when a contact is selected.

Enter

Open the context-sensitive menu when a contact is selected.

Shift+F10

Accept an incoming call or chat.

Windows logo key+Shift+O

Decline an incoming call or chat.

Windows logo key+Esc

Mute or unmute your microphone in a call.

Windows logo key+F4

Toggle the camera On or Off when the video connection is already established in a call.

Windows logo key+F5

Stop sharing your desktop.

Alt+T

Invite a contact to an existing conversation (in the Conversation window).

Alt+V

End a conversation (in the Conversation window).

Alt+Q

Top of Page

Navigate in Skype for Business

Use the following keyboard shortcuts no matter where the focus is.

To do this

Press

Accept an incoming invite notification.

Windows logo key+Shift+O

Decline an invite notification.

Windows logo key+Esc

Put the focus onto the Find Contact search box.

Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar

Open the main window and put the focus onto the search box.

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+3

Mute or unmute your microphone in a call.

Windows logo key+F4

Toggle the camera On or Off when the video connection is already established in a call.

Windows logo key+F5

Stop sharing your screen in a call.

Ctrl+Shift+S

Take back control when sharing your screen in a call.

Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar

Top of Page

Work in the Skype for Business main window

Use these keyboard shortcuts when the Skype for Business main window is on the foreground.

To do this

Press

Move to the Contacts list tab.

Ctrl+1

Move to the persistent chat tab.

Ctrl+2

Move to the Conversation list tab.

Ctrl+3

Move to the Phone tab.

Ctrl+4

Move to the Meetings tab.

Ctrl+5

As a delegate, transfer a call to someone else’s work number. (Not available with all Microsoft 365 subscriptions.)

Ctrl+1 or Ctrl+Shift+1

Open the System menu. Alt opens the menu bar.

Alt+Spacebar

Open the File menu.

Alt+F

Start a Meet Now meeting.

Alt+M

Open the Tools menu.

Alt+T

Open the Help menu.

Alt+H

Navigate quickly between main sections of the window.

F6

Top of Page

Work with the Contacts list

Use these keyboard shortcuts while in the Contacts list.

To do this

Press

Delete the selected custom group or contact.

Delete

Move the selected group up.

Alt+Up arrow key

Move the selected group down.

Alt+Down arrow key

On the shortcuts menu, open the selected contact or group contacts card.

Alt+Enter

Collapse or expand the selected group.

Spacebar

Remove the selected contact from the Contacts list (non-distribution-group members only).

Shift+Delete

Top of Page

Work in the Contact card view

Use these keyboard shortcuts while in a contact card. Press Alt+Enter to open a contact card.

To do this

Press

Close the contact card.

Esc

Move through the tabs at the bottom of the contact card.

Ctrl+Tab

Move through the tabs at the bottom of the contact card in the reverse order.

Ctrl+Shift+Tab

Top of Page

Use the Conversation window

Use these keyboard shortcuts while in the Conversation window.

To do this

Press

Open the Help home page while on the Help menu.

F1

Exit the full-screen view. Otherwise, the Conversation window closes only if there is no audio, video, or sharing occurring.

Esc

Accept any of the invite notifications. These include audio, video, call, and sharing requests.

Alt+C

Close the Conversation window.

Alt+F4

Ignore any invite notifications. These include audio, video, call, and sharing requests.

Alt+l

Rejoin audio in a meeting.

Alt+R

Open the Save As dialog box for a file that was sent in the Conversation window.

Alt+S

Invite a contact to an existing conversation.

Alt+V

Save the contents of IM history. Works for person-to-person conversations when you use Outlook.

Ctrl+S

Show or hide the instant message area.

Ctrl+W

Send a file, or in the context of a conference, add a meeting attachment.

Ctrl+F

Start OneNote to take notes about the conversation session.

Ctrl+N

Show or hide the participant list.

Ctrl+R

Navigate left to the previous screen element in the Conversation window when you're controlling another user’s shared screen in a meeting.

Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Left arrow key

Navigate right to the next screen element in the Conversation window when you're controlling another user’s shared screen in a meeting.

Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Right arrow key

Start or end video connection.

Ctrl+Shift+Enter

Hold or resume an ongoing audio conversation.

Ctrl+Shift+H

Mark a conversation as high importance in person-to-person conversations. Not available for meetings.

Ctrl+Shift+I

Show or hide the sharing stage.

Ctrl+Shift+Y

Switch to compact view.

Ctrl+Shift+P

Add or end audio.

Ctrl+Enter

Lync 2013 and Skype for Business 2015 only: When on a mode button, opens the corresponding callout.

Up arrow key

In Lync 2013 and Skype for Business 2015 only: When the focus is on a mode button, a default action is taken. For audio, the microphone is muted or unmuted. For video connections, the camera starts or stops.

Spacebar

Dismiss or hide an open callout or a bubble that has the keyboard focus.

Esc

When sharing your screen, set the keyboard focus onto the toolbar to control screen sharing. In Skype for Business 2016, press Esc to set the focus back onto the conversation window.

Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar

In Skype for Business 2016 only: Navigate quickly between the main sections of the window.

F6

Top of Page

Control calls (Conversation window)

Use these keyboard shortcuts in the call controls while in a peer-to-peer call. These shortcuts don't work in a conference call.

To do this

Press

End a call or chat.

Alt+Q

Open the contact picker during a peer-to-peer call. (Not available with all Microsoft 365 subscriptions.)

Ctrl+Shift+T

Put a call on hold.

Ctrl+Shift+H

Display the dial pad.

Ctrl+Shift+D

Top of Page

Control video (Conversation window)

Use these keyboard shortcuts when you’re working with video in the Conversation window.

To do this

Press

View the conversation window in full screen mode.

F5

Exit the full-screen video mode.

F5 (in Skype for Business 2016) or Esc

Display or hide the Video Gallery.

Ctrl+Shift+O

Lock your video for everyone in the meeting.

Ctrl+Shift+L

Top of Page

Chat (Conversation window)

Use these keyboard shortcuts when you chat (IM) with someone.

To do this

Press

Open Help.

F1

Save the chat conversation to a file.

F12

Save the chat conversation into conversation history.

Ctrl+S

Select all content in the conversation.

Ctrl+A

Cut the selected text.

Ctrl+X

Paste the copied text.

Shift+Insert or Ctrl+V

Copy the selected text.

Ctrl+C

Change the selected text to bolded.

Ctrl+B

Change the selected text to italic.

Ctrl+l

Change the selected text to underlined.

Ctrl+U

Redo the previous action.

Ctrl+Y

Undo the previous action.

Ctrl+Z

Change the color of the text you typed.

Ctrl+Shift+F

Open a file that’s been received via Skype.

Alt+P

Decline a file that’s been sent via Skype.

Alt+D

Place the focus in your chat input area.

Ctrl+Shift+M

Start a new line in an chat message you haven't sent yet.

Shift+Enter

Top of Page

Use the conversation or meeting stage

To do this

Press

View the Conversation window in the full screen mode.

F5

Exit the full screen mode.

Esc

Stop sharing.

Alt+T

Manage presentable content.

Ctrl+Shift+E

Show or hide the sharing stage.

Ctrl+Shift+Y

Force a pending L1 alert into view in the full screen mode.

Ctrl+Shift+A

Switch to the speaker view.

Ctrl+Shift+J

Switch to the gallery view.

Ctrl+Shift+l

Navigate left to the previous screen element in the Conversation window when you control another user’s shared screen in a meeting.

Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Right arrow key

Navigate right to the next screen element in the Conversation window when you control another user’s shared screen in a meeting.

Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Left arrow key

Top of Page

Use the conversation environment

To do this

Press

Delete selected items.

Delete

Move to the top of the list.

Home

Move to the bottom of the list.

End

Move up one page, which is about 24 lines.

Page Up

Move down one page, which is about 24 lines.

Page Down

Move to the previous contact to start a conversation.

Up arrow key

Move down to the next contact to start a conversation.

Down arrow key

Top of Page

Work with tabbed conversations

To do this

Press

Open the system menu of the tab window.

Alt+Spacebar

Set the focus on a tab item in a tabbed conversation view.

Ctrl+Shift+T

Switch to the next tab (continuously loop through all tabs).

Ctrl+Tab

Switch to a specific tab number and move the focus onto that conversation.

Ctrl+The tab number (1-9)

Dock or undock the selected conversation to or from the tab window.

Ctrl+O

Close a tab.

Esc

Top of Page

Persistent chat

The persistent chat window uses the same shortcuts as the conversation window and chat. This feature is not available for Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

See also

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Skype for Business

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Skype for Business

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.

Need more help?

Want more options?

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.