46 iCloud Mail Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows & Mac)
If you use iCloud Mail every day, you already know the slow part isn’t typing the email it’s everything around it. Opening the next message, selecting multiple emails, deleting junk, archiving important stuff, replying quickly… it all adds up. That’s exactly why iCloud Mail shortcuts are so useful. Once you learn a few keyboard shortcut keys, you can move through your inbox faster without constantly reaching for the mouse.
In this guide, I’m sharing the most useful iCloud Mail keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac, including navigation shortcuts, selecting emails, replying, marking as junk, and even formatting your email text (bold, italic, underline, etc.). Whether you use iCloud Mail on a desktop browser for work or just want a faster way to manage your inbox, this shortcut list will save you a lot of time.
iCloud Mail Shortcuts: Quick Cheat Sheet (Most Used)
If you don’t want to memorize every shortcut, start with this quick list first. These are the most common iCloud Mail keyboard shortcuts people use daily for moving between emails, selecting messages, and taking fast actions like archive, delete, and reply. Learning just these can already speed up your inbox work a lot.
| Action | Windows Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Go to next message | Down Arrow Key | Down Arrow Key |
| Go to previous message | Up Arrow Key | Up Arrow Key |
| Select all emails | Ctrl + A | Command + A |
| Archive selected emails | Ctrl + Down Arrow Key | Command + Down Arrow Key |
| Delete selected emails | Backspace | Delete |
| Mark read/unread | Ctrl + Shift + U | Command + Shift + U |
| Flag/unflag emails | Ctrl + Shift + L | Command + Shift + L |
| Mark as junk/not junk | Ctrl + Shift + J | Command + Shift + J |
| Reply to sender | Ctrl + Shift + R | Command + Shift + R |
| Send the message | Ctrl + Shift + D | Command + Shift + D |
If you also use the Mail app on Mac, check my Apple Mail Shortcuts guide.
iCloud Mail Navigation Shortcuts
Navigation shortcuts help you move around iCloud Mail without touching your mouse. You can jump to the next or previous email, switch to the folder list, and open folders quickly. This is super useful when you’re checking many emails back-to-back.
| Action | Windows Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Go to next message | Down Arrow Key | Down Arrow Key |
| Go to previous message | Up Arrow Key | Up Arrow Key |
| Go to the folder list (in a folder) | Left Arrow Key | Left Arrow Key |
| Open highlighted folder (in folder list) | Right Arrow Key | Right Arrow Key |
To speed up everyday Mac tasks, you can also read my Finder Shortcuts post.
iCloud Mail Email Selection Shortcuts
These shortcuts make it easy to select multiple emails in one go. Instead of clicking one by one, you can use Shift + Arrow keys to highlight messages faster. It’s the easiest way to bulk delete or archive emails in seconds.
| Action | Windows Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Select current and next message | Shift + Down Arrow Key | Shift + Down Arrow Key |
| Select current and previous message | Shift + Up Arrow Key | Shift + Up Arrow Key |
| Select all emails in current folder / search results | Ctrl + A | Command + A |
iCloud Mail Actions Shortcuts (Archive, Delete, Junk, Flag)
This section is all about taking action on your emails quickly. You can archive emails to clean your inbox, delete unwanted messages, flag important ones, or mark spam as junk. These shortcuts are perfect when you want a clean inbox without wasting time.
| Action | Windows Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Archive all selected messages | Ctrl + Down Arrow Key | Command + Down Arrow Key |
| Delete all selected messages | Backspace | Delete |
| Mark selected messages as read/unread | Ctrl + Shift + U | Command + Shift + U |
| Flag or unflag selected messages | Ctrl + Shift + L | Command + Shift + L |
| Mark selected messages as junk / not junk | Ctrl + Shift + J | Command + Shift + J |
iCloud Mail Reply & Sending Shortcuts
Reply shortcuts help you respond faster when you’re dealing with important messages. You can reply to the sender and send the email using your keyboard. If you write a lot of emails daily, these two shortcuts alone are a big time-saver.
| Action | Windows Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Reply to the sender | Ctrl + Shift + R | Command + Shift + R |
| Send the message | Ctrl + Shift + D | Command + Shift + D |
For scheduling faster, I’ve also shared my Apple Calendar Shortcuts list.
iCloud Mail Formatting Shortcuts (While Composing Email)
Formatting shortcuts are useful when you want your email to look clean and professional. You can quickly bold, italic, underline, or adjust text size while writing. These are especially helpful for work emails, client replies, or any email that needs proper formatting.
| Action | Windows Shortcut | Mac Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Undo editing | Ctrl + Z | Command + Z |
| Jump between header fields and body | Shift + Tab | Shift + Tab |
| Make text bold | Ctrl + B | Command + B |
| Italicize text | Ctrl + I | Command + I |
| Underline text | Ctrl + U | Command + U |
| Make text bigger | Ctrl + = | Command + = |
| Make text smaller | Ctrl + – | Command + – |
| Print the message you are composing | Ctrl + P | Command + P |
iCloud Mail Shortcuts: Windows vs Mac (Quick Difference)
iCloud Mail shortcuts are mostly the same on both platforms, but the main difference is the modifier key. On Windows, most shortcuts use Ctrl, while on Mac they use Command (⌘). A few keys like delete may also behave differently depending on your keyboard. If you edit videos, don’t miss my iMovie Shortcuts guide too.
FAQs About iCloud Mail Keyboard Shortcuts
Yes, iCloud Mail supports keyboard shortcuts for navigating emails, selecting messages, replying, and doing actions like archive, delete, flag, and mark as junk. These shortcuts help you manage your inbox much faster without using the mouse.
If iCloud Mail shortcuts are not working, try these quick fixes:
1. Click inside the email list first (so your keyboard focus is active)
2. Refresh the iCloud Mail tab
3. Disable browser extensions that may block shortcuts
4. Try another browser like Safari, Chrome, or Edge
To archive selected emails in iCloud Mail: Windows: Ctrl + Down Arrow Key, Mac: Command + Down Arrow Key. This is one of the best shortcuts for keeping your inbox clean without deleting emails.
iCloud Mail is simple to use, but learning a few iCloud Mail shortcuts can save you a lot of time every day. Start with the cheat sheet shortcuts first (like archive, delete, reply, and select all), and then slowly use the rest as you get comfortable. Once you build the habit, managing your inbox feels much faster and less annoying.
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