Canvas Keyboard Shortcuts

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This document lists keyboard shortcuts that are available in certain areas of Canvas. 

General Keyboard Shortcuts
Tab	Navigate forward to interactive elements. Navigation order should be logical and intuitive.
Shift+Tab	Navigate backward to interactive elements. Keyboard focus indicators must be present.
Enter	Activate a link or button. Also used to select an option in a menu or to autocomplete list.
Spacebar	Activate a button, check/uncheck a checkbox, expand a dropdown. Also scrolls the page if not focused on an input.
Up Arrow/Down Arrow	Navigate between options in dropdowns, radio buttons, menus, sliders, or tree menus.
Left Arrow/Right Arrow	Navigate between options in radio buttons, sliders, or expand/collapse tree menus or menu bars.
Esc	Close a dialog. For modals, focus should return to the triggering element.
Home / End	Move to the beginning or end of a slider.
Page Up / Page Down	Increase/decrease slider value by larger increments (if supported).
Type letters	Filter or jump to options in dropdowns and autocomplete fields.
Tab (within tab panel)	Enter or exit the tab group.
Up Arrow/Down Arrow or Left Arrow/Right Arrow (within tab panel)	Switch and activate previous or next tab.
Tab (in radio group)	Move out of the group.
Up Arrow/Down Arrow or Left Arrow/Right Arrow (in radio group)	Select and move between radio buttons.
Enter (menu bar)	Expand menu and select an option.
Left Arrow/Right Arrow (menu bar)	Expand or collapse submenu.
Up Arrow/Down Arrow (menu bar)	Move between menu items.
Up Arrow/Down Arrow (tree menu)	Move between menu options.
Left Arrow/Right Arrow (tree menu)	Expand or collapse submenus, move between levels.
Up Arrow/Down Arrow or Left Arrow/Right Arrow (sliders)	Increase or decrease value.
Tab / Shift + Tab (sliders)	Toggle between ends of a range slider.
Assignments Index Page
j	Focus on the next assignment or group
k	Focus on the previous assignment or group
e	Edit the current assignment or group
d	Delete the current assignment or group
a	Add an assignment to selected group
f	Show full preview of the selected assignment
Shift+?	View list of keyboard navigation shortcuts
Discussion Threads#
j	Next message
k	Previous message
e	Edit current message
d	Delete current message
r	Reply to current message
n	Reply to topic
Alt+F8 or Option+F8	View list of keyboard navigation shortcuts
Gradebook#
Right Arrow	Move one cell to the right
Left Arrow	Move one cell to the left
Up Arrow	Move one cell up
Down Arrow	Move one cell down
Enter or Return	Edit cell contents
s	Sort the grid on the current active column
m	Open the menu for active column’s assignment
Esc	Close the currently active assignment menu
g	Go to the current assignment’s detail page
c	Comment on the active submission
Shift+?	View list of keyboard navigation shortcuts
Modules Index Page#
Up Arrow	Select next module or module item
Down Arrow	Select previous module or module item
Space	Select item to begin dragging, or drop previously selected item
j	Next module or module item
k	Previous module or module item
e	Edit module or module item
d	Delete current module or module item
i	Increase indent
o	Decrease indent
n	New module
Shift+?	View list of keyboard navigation shortcuts
Media Player
Space	Play/Pause media
Up Arrow	Raise Volume by 5% increment
Down Arrow	Lower Volume by 5% increment
Left Arrow	Jump backwards by 5% increment
Right Arrow	Skip forwards by 5% increment
f	Activate/deactivate fullscreen
m	Mute/Unmute playback audio
Rich Content Editor* ^
Alt+F9 or Option+F9	Focus editor menubar
Alt+F10 or Option+F10	Focus editor toolbar
Esc	Close menu/dialog or return to editor area
Tab/Arrows	Navigate left/right through menu/toolbar
Alt+F8 or Option+F8	Open keyboard shortcut help dialog
Ctrl+F9	Focus element options toolbar
SpeedGrader#
j	Next student Submission page Note: Focus must be on the Submission page.
k	Previous student Submission page Note: Focus must be on the Submission page.
c	Leave comment
g	Change grade
r	Use rubric
home	Directs to the first student in the menu
end	Directs to the last student in the menu
Shift+?	View list of keyboard navigation shortcuts

* - View additional editor shortcuts 

# - Keyboard shortcuts for this area can be disabled from the Feature Settings section in User Settings.

^ - New Quizzes uses the Rich Content Editor to format and add content to certain quiz questions.

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Last update: 2025-04-25

This resource can also be accessed from the following Canvas Guides:

• What are the Canvas accessibility standards?