Appearance, language & shortcuts
Theme, colour, text size and motion live in one Appearance panel, so a change shows everywhere at once.
Appearance
Open the Appearance panel to change the theme, colour, text size or motion. Each choice applies on every page.
Language
AChat's interface comes in English, Spanish, French, German and Arabic. Choose it at the end of the Appearance panel; each language appears under its own name. Arabic reads right to left.
Keyboard shortcuts
Press ? anywhere outside a text field to open the list. You can change most keys there. Shortcuts show Ctrl, or ⌘ on Apple devices. The table shows each shortcut's original keys.
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+K | Find a chat or page |
| Enter | Send |
| Shift+Enter | New line |
| ↑ in an empty message box | Edit your last message |
| Ctrl+Shift+S | Mark the selected text as a spoiler |
| Esc | Close a menu or dialog, cancel a reply or an edit |
| Ctrl+Shift+F | Focus mode on or off |
| Ctrl+Shift+H | Hide the screen now |
| ↑ / ↓, Home / End | Move through the chat list |
| Alt+↑ / Alt+↓ | Previous or next chat |
| Shift+F10 | Chat actions |
Change a key
In the list, press Change beside a shortcut, then press the new keys. Esc cancels. Reset returns one shortcut to its original keys, and Reset all returns every shortcut, with an Undo.
- One key combination belongs to one shortcut. If the keys are taken, AChat names the shortcut that has them and links to it.
- Esc, the arrow keys, Home, End and Shift+F10 are standard keys. They can't be changed, because menus, dialogs and lists rely on them.
- Your browser keeps some combinations for itself, such as Ctrl+W, so AChat can't use them.
- When you're signed in, your keys follow your account to every device you sign in on. Signed out, they're saved in this browser only.
Focus mode
Turn Focus mode on from a chat's menu or with Ctrl+Shift+F. Press Esc to leave it.
Accessibility
- The shortcuts above cover the chat list, a chat and the message box.
- Changes such as a sent message or a restored draft are announced to screen readers.
- Text size and motion come from Appearance.
- Read aloud plays a message with an on-device voice.
Side panels
Every side panel on Chats (a room, chat info, shared media, Trash, a thread and others) opens at 60% of the chat area. Drag its edge, or focus the edge and use the arrow keys; double-click returns to 60%. Each panel keeps its width on this device and, when you're signed in, on your account.
Appearance as a file
Save as a file in the appearance panel keeps every appearance choice in a small file; Load from a file applies one.
Keys
Keys 1 to 6 react to the newest message with the quick reactions. Vim-style keys in a chat (in the shortcuts dialog) adds j and k to scroll, G for the newest message and g g for the oldest loaded. Every shortcut can be changed.
This device
Account › Preferences › This device: Keep the screen on in a chat, Vibrate on send and reactions (Android app), Show link previews, and Install AChat where your browser offers it.