Shortcuts · Zoom
Zoom keyboard shortcuts for meetings on Windows, Mac and Linux
In a Zoom meeting on Windows and Linux, Alt+A mutes you, Alt+V turns video on or off, Alt+S shares your screen and Alt+R records. On a Mac, many use Cmd+Shift instead: Cmd+Shift+A mutes. You can change them in the Zoom desktop app's Settings, under Keyboard shortcuts.
These are the Zoom keyboard shortcuts for meetings in the Zoom Workplace desktop app, from Zoom's support article "Using hot keys and keyboard shortcuts", checked on October 2, 2026. Zoom keeps separate lists for Windows, macOS and Linux. Linux mostly matches Windows, but not everywhere, so this sheet gives Linux its own column and writes "Not listed" where Zoom's list for that system has no entry.
You can see and change every shortcut in the desktop app: click your profile picture, then Settings, then Keyboard shortcuts, and click a shortcut to press new keys. Zoom says some shortcuts can also work as global shortcuts, even when Zoom is not in focus.
At the end, you will see the same jobs in Barside's free video meetings, which use many of the same keys.
Zoom keyboard shortcuts for audio, video and sharing
As of October 2026:
| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mute / unmute your audio | Alt+A | Cmd+Shift+A | Alt+A |
| Mute / unmute everyone except the host (host only) | Alt+M | Cmd+Ctrl+M mutes, Cmd+Ctrl+U unmutes | Alt+M |
| Hold to unmute for a moment | Not listed | Space | Not listed |
| Start / stop video | Alt+V | Cmd+Shift+V | Alt+V |
| Switch camera | Alt+N | Cmd+Shift+N | Alt+N |
| Start / stop screen share | Alt+S | Cmd+Shift+S | Alt+S |
| Pause or resume screen share | Alt+T | Cmd+Shift+T | Alt+T |
| Show / hide windows and apps to share | Alt+Shift+S | Not listed | Not listed |
| Share with direct share | Not listed | Cmd+Ctrl+S | Not listed |
Recording
| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start / stop local recording | Alt+R | Cmd+Shift+R | Alt+R |
| Start / stop cloud recording | Alt+C | Cmd+Shift+C | Alt+C |
| Pause / resume recording | Alt+P | Cmd+Shift+P | Alt+P |
Views and the meeting window
| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speaker view | Alt+F1 | Cmd+Shift+W switches speaker, multi-speaker and gallery view | Not listed |
| Gallery view | Alt+F2 | Cmd+Shift+W | Not listed |
| Previous / next page of video in gallery view | Page Up / Page Down | Ctrl+P / Ctrl+N | Not listed |
| Enter or exit full screen | Alt+F | Cmd+Shift+F | Not listed |
| Minimal window | Not listed | Cmd+Shift+M | Not listed |
| Dual monitor mode on or off | Not listed | Cmd+Shift+D | Not listed |
| Show / hide floating meeting controls | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+H | Ctrl+Option+Cmd+H | Not listed |
| Always show meeting controls on or off | Alt | Ctrl+\ | Ctrl+\ |
| Move the focus to the meeting controls | Ctrl+Alt+Shift | Not listed | Not listed |
| Read the active speaker's name | Ctrl+2 | Cmd+2 | Not listed |
People, chat and hands
| Action | Windows | Mac | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| Show / hide the participants panel | Alt+U | Cmd+U | Alt+U |
| Show / hide the meeting chat | Alt+H | Cmd+Shift+H | Not listed |
| Open the invite window | Alt+I | Cmd+I | Alt+I |
| Copy the invite link | Alt+Shift+I | Cmd+Shift+I | Not listed |
| Raise / lower hand | Alt+Y | Option+Y | Alt+Y |
| Open the Reactions panel | Ctrl+Shift+Y | Shift+Cmd+Y | Not listed |
| Send a reaction (clap, thumbs up, heart, joy, open mouth, tada) | Alt+Shift+4 to 9 | Option+Cmd+4 to 9 | Not listed |
| Open the AI chat panel | Ctrl+Shift+O | Shift+Cmd+O | Not listed |
| Ask to end or leave the meeting | Alt+Q | Not listed | Not listed |
| Begin remote control | Alt+Shift+R | Ctrl+Shift+R | Alt+Shift+R |
| Give up remote control | Alt+Shift+G | Ctrl+Shift+G | Alt+Shift+G |
In the meeting chat
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Go to the chat box | Alt+Shift+E | Shift+Cmd+E |
| Go to the last message received | Ctrl+Shift+U | Shift+Cmd+U |
| Start a new chat with people in the meeting | Ctrl+N | Cmd+N |
| Larger / smaller chat text | Ctrl++ / Ctrl+- | Not listed |
On a Mac, Zoom's list also has Cmd+J to join a meeting, Cmd+Ctrl+V to start one and Cmd+D to schedule one.
The same jobs in Barside
Barside's video meetings are free, for up to six people, and guests can join from a browser. The meeting window uses Alt with the same letters as Zoom on Windows for the everyday jobs, so your hands do not need to learn much. Every Barside key below is on the Barside keyboard shortcuts sheet.
| Action | Zoom (Windows) | Barside (Windows and Linux) |
|---|---|---|
| Mute / unmute | Alt+A | Alt+A |
| Hold to talk while muted | Space (Mac list) | Hold Space |
| Video on or off | Alt+V | Alt+V |
| Share your screen | Alt+S | Alt+S |
| Chat | Alt+H | Alt+H |
| Participants | Alt+U | Alt+U (People) |
| Raise / lower hand | Alt+Y | Alt+Y |
| Full screen | Alt+F | Alt+F, and Esc to leave it |
| Record | Alt+R (local) | Alt+R, saved on your computer in your meeting note |
| Cloud recording | Alt+C | Not in Barside (Alt+C opens Captions) |
| Mute everyone (host) | Alt+M | No shortcut: Host tools |
| Invite | Alt+I | No shortcut: Invite |
| Speaker or gallery view | Alt+F1 / Alt+F2 | No shortcut: More menu |
| Start a meeting | Cmd+Ctrl+V (Mac list) | No default: type meet in the search bar, or give New meeting a hotkey |
In Barside for Mac, the meeting keys use Option with the same letters. In a Barside meeting, recording works for hosts, and for others when a host allows it; everyone sees who is recording. Captions are written on each person's own computer.
Tips
- Learn
Alt+AandAlt+Vfirst (orCmd+Shift+AandCmd+Shift+Von a Mac). They are the ones you need when a meeting surprises you. - Mind
Alt+C. In Zoom it starts cloud recording; in Barside it opens captions. - Remember the global ones. Zoom says some shortcuts can work even when Zoom is not in focus. If keys stop working in another app while Zoom runs, look in Zoom's Keyboard shortcuts settings.
More guides
To compare the two for small meetings, read the Zoom alternative guide. For notes and next steps after a call, see meeting follow-up and action items and call transcription. For chat keys, see the Slack keyboard shortcuts.
FAQ
Questions and answers
What is the shortcut to mute in Zoom?
Alt+A on Windows and Linux, and Cmd+Shift+A on a Mac, mutes or unmutes your audio. On the Mac list, holding Space unmutes you for as long as you hold it.
Can I change Zoom's keyboard shortcuts?
Yes. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app, click your profile picture, then Settings and Keyboard shortcuts. Zoom's help says you edit a shortcut by clicking it and pressing the keys you want.
Do Zoom shortcuts work when Zoom is not in focus?
Some can. Zoom's help says some shortcuts can be used as global shortcuts, which work even when Zoom is not in focus. It does not say which ones are global by default, so check Settings, Keyboard shortcuts in the app.
Are Zoom's shortcuts different on Linux?
Zoom keeps a separate Linux list. Most of it uses the same Alt keys as Windows, such as Alt+A, Alt+V and Alt+S, but a few differ: the shortcut to always show meeting controls is Ctrl+\ on Linux and plain Alt on Windows.
Does Barside use the same meeting shortcuts as Zoom?
For the everyday ones, yes: in a Barside meeting on Windows and Linux, Alt+A mutes, Alt+V turns the camera on or off, Alt+S shares your screen, Alt+H opens chat, Alt+U people, Alt+Y raises your hand and Alt+F goes full screen. See Barside keyboard shortcuts.
Sources
Where the facts come from
Checked on October 2, 2026. Products change: if something here is out of date, tell us at support@barside.space.
Product names are trademarks of their owners. Barside is not affiliated with them.