Updated May 2026 · 7 min read
Zoom Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete Cheat Sheet for Remote Workers
Whether you're in back-to-back video calls or hosting a large team meeting, Zoom keyboard shortcuts eliminate fumbling with the mouse when you most need to react quickly — muting yourself before you cough, sharing your screen without hunting for the button, or raising your hand without interrupting whoever is speaking.
For the full interactive reference, see the Zoom shortcuts cheat sheet.
The Most Important Zoom Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Mute / unmute microphone | Alt+A | ⌘+Shift+A |
| Push to talk (hold to unmute) | Hold Space | Hold Space |
| Start / stop camera | Alt+V | ⌘+Shift+V |
| Share screen | Alt+Shift+S | ⌘+Shift+S |
| Raise / lower hand | Alt+Y | Option+Y |
| Toggle participants panel | Alt+U | ⌘+U |
| Toggle chat panel | Alt+H | ⌘+Shift+H |
| Leave meeting | Alt+Q | ⌘+W |
Audio Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Mute / unmute | Alt+A | ⌘+Shift+A |
| Push to talk | Hold Space | Hold Space |
| Mute all participants (host) | Alt+M | ⌘+Ctrl+M |
| Toggle audio settings | Alt+Shift+A | Via Settings |
| Switch to phone audio | Alt+Shift+H | Via menu |
Video Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Start / stop video | Alt+V | ⌘+Shift+V |
| Switch camera | Alt+N | ⌘+Shift+N |
| Toggle spotlight | Alt+F2 | Via panel |
| Enter / exit full screen | Alt+F | ⌘+Shift+F |
| Switch to Gallery view | Alt+Shift+W | ⌘+Shift+W |
| Switch to Speaker view | Alt+Shift+W (toggle) | ⌘+Shift+W (toggle) |
Screen Sharing Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Open share screen dialog | Alt+Shift+S | ⌘+Shift+S |
| Pause / resume share | Alt+T | ⌘+Shift+T |
| Stop sharing | Alt+Shift+S (while sharing) | ⌘+Shift+S |
| Annotate shared screen | Alt+Shift+A | ⌘+Shift+A |
| Grab remote control | Via Participants panel | Via Participants panel |
Meeting Reactions & Chat
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Raise hand | Alt+Y | Option+Y |
| Open reactions panel | Alt+Y (then select) | Option+Y |
| Open chat | Alt+H | ⌘+Shift+H |
| Send a chat message | Enter | Enter |
| New line in chat | Shift+Enter | Shift+Enter |
Host-Only Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Mute all participants | Alt+M | ⌘+Ctrl+M |
| End meeting for all | Alt+Q | ⌘+W |
| Lock meeting | Via Security menu | Via Security menu |
| Open breakout rooms | Alt+B | ⌘+B |
| Start / stop recording | Alt+R | ⌘+Shift+R |
| Pause / resume recording | Alt+P | ⌘+Shift+P |
Microsoft Teams vs Zoom: Key Differences
Many workplaces use both Zoom and Teams. Here are the equivalent shortcuts for the most critical actions:
| Action | Zoom (Windows) | Teams (Windows) |
|---|---|---|
| Mute / unmute | Alt+A | Ctrl+Shift+M |
| Camera on/off | Alt+V | Ctrl+Shift+O |
| Share screen | Alt+Shift+S | Ctrl+Shift+E |
| Raise hand | Alt+Y | Ctrl+Shift+K |
| Leave meeting | Alt+Q | Ctrl+Shift+H |
For the full Teams reference, see the Microsoft Teams shortcuts cheat sheet.
Pro Tips for Zoom Meetings
- Space bar push-to-talk is the best Zoom shortcut — stay muted always, hold Space to speak. You'll never forget to unmute again, and background noise from your mic won't disrupt meetings.
- Alt+A before joining with video — get into the habit of muting before meetings start. You can also set "Mute my microphone when joining a meeting" in Zoom settings so it's automatic.
- Learn Alt+Shift+S before your next presentation — fumbling with the screen share dialog while 20 people watch you is avoidable. Practice the shortcut once before your presentation day.
- Alt+U to check who's muted — as a host, keep the participants panel open to see at a glance who is muted, who has their hand up, and who is making noise.
Download the Office Shortcuts PDF
The Office Pack PDF includes complete cheat sheets for Zoom, Teams, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Google Docs, and Google Sheets — formatted for printing or desktop reference.
Related Shortcut References
- Zoom Shortcuts — Full Interactive Reference
- Microsoft Teams Keyboard Shortcuts
- Slack Keyboard Shortcuts
- Google Docs Keyboard Shortcuts
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Zoom shortcut to mute and unmute my microphone?
Press Alt+A on Windows or Cmd+Shift+A on Mac to toggle your microphone on and off. Even faster: hold the Space bar to temporarily unmute yourself while you're muted — release to mute again instantly. This push-to-talk approach keeps you muted by default while letting you speak without fumbling for the button.
How do I share my screen in Zoom using a keyboard shortcut?
Press Alt+Shift+S on Windows or Cmd+Shift+S on Mac to open the screen share selection dialog. To pause or resume an active screen share, press Alt+T (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+T (Mac). To stop sharing entirely, press Alt+Shift+S again.
How do I turn my camera on or off in Zoom without clicking?
Press Alt+V on Windows or Cmd+Shift+V on Mac to toggle your camera on and off during a meeting. The change takes effect immediately and the camera icon in the toolbar updates to reflect the current state.
How do I raise my hand in a Zoom meeting with the keyboard?
Press Alt+Y on Windows or Option+Y on Mac to raise or lower your virtual hand. The host can see a hand icon next to your name in the participant list and can unmute you to let you speak. Press the same shortcut again to lower your hand.
What is the Zoom shortcut to see all participants?
Press Alt+U on Windows or Cmd+U on Mac to toggle the participants panel open or closed. From the participants panel, you can see who is muted, who has their hand raised, and who is currently speaking.