Apple Mail Keyboard Shortcuts

Mac Command is the primary modifier for composing, sending, and replying. Option adds address-field and viewer-window variants, and Control handles sidebar, filtering, and mailbox moves.

Composing and sending. Command-N starts a new email, Shift-Command-A attaches files, and Shift-Command-D sends it.

Replying and forwarding. Command-R replies, Shift-Command-R replies to all, Shift-Command-F forwards, and Shift-Command-E redirects the selected email.

Managing the inbox. Shift-Command-N gets new email, Shift-Command-U marks emails as read or unread, and Control-Command-A archives them.

Junk mail. Option-Command-J erases junk mail outright, and Shift-Command-J moves the selected emails to the Junk mailbox instead.

Windows and views. Command-0 shows the Mail viewer window, Control-Command-0 shows Mail Activity, and Option-Command-W closes every Mail window at once.

A printable PDF of Apple Mail shortcuts for Mac is available below. The compose, reply, and inbox-management shortcuts are the ones worth keeping nearby.

Apple macOS 26, Apple Safari, Apple Calendar, and Apple Pages sit near Apple Mail because they are part of the same built-in Apple workflow. The macOS shortcuts cover the system layer Mail runs on top of, Safari is where most linked content in an email gets opened, Calendar is where a meeting invite from an email usually ends up, and Pages is a common place to draft longer text before pasting it into a message. These apps are related by platform and workflow, not because every email task touches all of them.

How do I start a new email in Apple Mail on Mac?

Press Command-N. It opens a new compose window using your default account and signature, the same as choosing File > New Message.

What is the difference between erasing junk mail and moving email to Junk in Apple Mail?

Option-Command-J erases junk mail outright based on Mail's junk filter, while Shift-Command-J moves only the selected emails into the Junk mailbox. Use Shift-Command-J when you want to manually flag specific messages without acting on everything the filter caught.

Can I close every Mail window at once on Mac?

Yes, Option-Command-W closes all open Mail windows, including any separate viewer windows opened with Option-Command-N.

This section lists official sources and documentation for Apple Mail. Use these references to verify shortcut behavior instead of relying on memory, old screenshots, or another person's setup.