Next Experience keyboard shortcuts

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Next Experience keyboard shortcuts

    Next Experience keyboard shortcuts enable ServiceNow users to quickly perform common actions within the user interface, enhancing navigation efficiency and productivity. The shortcuts vary depending on the browser and operating system (Windows and macOS supported; Linux unsupported) and are specific to the screen currently viewed.

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    Users can view available shortcuts through a modal that categorizes shortcuts into Page Action, Page Navigation, Global Navigation, and General groups. This modal includes a search field to quickly find relevant shortcuts.

    Key Features

    • Common Shortcuts: Quickly show shortcuts modal, compose emails, create new records, favorite pages, impersonate users, open landing pages or toolbars, refresh lists, and save records.
    • Menu Access: Keyboard shortcuts open specific menus such as All menu, Admin menu, Favorites, Help, History, Workspaces, Notifications, Now Assist (text and voice modes), and User profile menu.
    • Focus Management: Apply focus to elements like global search, main content, breadcrumbs, side navigation, workspace tabs, page tabs, record tabs, contextual sidebars, activity streams, form fields, and major page elements. Also includes navigation forward and backward through page elements and form headings.
    • Additional Shortcuts: Open agent inbox, sidebar discussions chat, list search and filter, OpenFrame window, cycle page layouts, expand/collapse panes, and reply to recent emails.

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging these keyboard shortcuts, ServiceNow customers can streamline workflows, reduce reliance on mouse navigation, and accelerate routine tasks within the Next Experience interface. The shortcuts support faster access to menus, content focus, and common actions critical for efficient platform use.

    To enable shortcuts, customers should configure accessibility preferences in their instance, and they may customize shortcuts to fit organizational needs. This customization ensures that keyboard interactions align with user roles and preferences, improving overall user experience.

    You can use keyboard shortcuts to quickly perform common actions in the user interface.

    The keyboard shortcuts that display in the modal are specific to the screen you’re viewing. Keyboard shortcuts depend on the browser and operating system that you’re using. The Linux operating system is not currently supported.

    To enable keyboard shortcuts for your instance, see Configure Next Experience accessibility preferences.

    To customize the Next Experience keyboard shortcuts for your instance, see Customize Next Experience keyboard shortcuts.

    Learn more about Next Experience keyboard shortcuts from the following tutorial:

    The keyboard shortcut modal contains a search field which searches available keyboard shortcuts specific to the screen you're viewing. The available shortcuts are grouped by category: Page Action, Page Navigation, Global Navigation, and General.
    Figure 1. Keyboard shortcut modal
    Keyboard shortcut modal.

    Common Next Experience keyboard shortcuts

    The most common key combinations for Microsoft Windows and macOS keyboards are listed in the following table.

    Table 1. Common Next Experience keyboard shortcuts
    Action Windows keyboard shortcut macOS keyboard shortcut
    Show the shortcuts for the page that you’re viewing in a modal Control+/ Command+/
    Compose an email Control+Alt+e Command+Option+e
    Create a new record Shift+Alt+n Shift+Option+n
    Favorite or unfavorite the current page Control+Shift+f Command+Shift+f
    Impersonate a user Control+Shift+i Command+Shift+i
    Open the instance landing page Control+Alt+z Command+Option+z
    Open the instance toolbar to change domains Control+Alt+t Command+Option+t
    Refresh the list Shift+Alt+r Shift+Option+r
    Save the record Control+s Command+s

    Next Experience keyboard shortcuts for showing menus

    The keyboard shortcuts for showing menus for Microsoft Windows and macOS are listed in the following table.

    Table 2. Next Experience keyboard shortcuts for showing menus
    Open this menu Windows keyboard shortcut macOS keyboard shortcut
    All menu Control+Alt+a Command+Option+a
    Admin menu Control+Shift+a Command+Shift+a
    Favorites menu Control+Alt+f Command+Option+f
    Help menu Control+Shift+/ Command+Shift+/
    History menu Control+Alt+h Command+Option+h
    Workspaces menu Control+Alt+w Command+Option+w
    Notifications menu Control+Shift+k Command+Shift+k
    Now Assist menu (text entry mode) Alt+Shift+a Option+Shift+a
    Now Assist menu (voice input mode)
    Note:
    Availability of voice input mode in the Now Assist menu is controlled by a user preference. For more information, see Configure Next Experience accessibility preferences.
    		 Alt+Shift+v Option+Shift+v
    User profile menu Control+Shift+u Command+Shift+u

    Next Experience keyboard shortcuts for applying focus

    The keyboard shortcuts for applying focus for Microsoft Windows and macOS are listed in the following table.

    Table 3. Next Experience keyboard shortcuts for applying focus
    Apply focus Windows keyboard shortcut macOS keyboard shortcut
    Global search Control+Alt+g Command+Option+g
    Main content of a page Control+Alt+p Command+Option+p
    Breadcrumb navigation Control+Shift+c Command+Shift+c
    Side navigation page Control+Alt+1 Command+Option+1
    Workspace tab Control+Alt+2 Command+Option+2
    Page tab Control+Alt+3 Command+Option+3
    Record tab Control+Alt+4 Command+Option+4
    Contextual sidebar Shift+Alt+x Shift+Option+x
    Activity Stream Compose text field Shift+Alt+c Shift+Option+c
    First action button Shift+Alt+t Shift+Option+t
    First field in the form Shift+Alt+f Shift+Option+f
    First tile in the Activity Stream Control+Alt+x Command+Option+x
    Move focus forward through major elements of the page Control+j Command+j
    Move focus backward through major elements of the page Control+Shift+j Command+Shift+j
    Move focus through the headings of the form Shift+Alt+h Shift+Option+h

    Additional Next Experience keyboard shortcuts

    Additional keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Windows and macOS are listed in the following table.

    Table 4. Additional Next Experience keyboard shortcuts
    Action Windows keyboard shortcut macOS keyboard shortcut
    Open the instance toolbar to change domains Control+Alt+t Command+Option+t
    Open the Agent inbox Shift+Alt+i Shift+Option+i
    Open the sidebar discussions chat Shift+Alt+d Shift+Option+d
    Open the list search Shift+Alt+s Shift+Option+s
    Open the list filter Shift+Alt+b Shift+Option+b
    Open the OpenFrame window Shift+Alt+z Shift+Option+z
    Cycle through the page layouts Shift+Alt+l Shift+Option+l
    Expand/collapse the resizable pane Shift+Alt+p Shift+Option+p
    Reply to the most recent email correspondence Shift+Alt+e Shift+Option+e