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I use WhatsApp Web on Chrome, and I enjoy the Ctrl-Alt-Tab hotkey that goes to the next chat. I use it a lot.

I just upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10. I noticed that now when I press Ctrl-Alt-Tab it opens a Windows UI for switching between windows. This overrides the WhatsApp functionality, and now I can't use that.

I'm confused. Isn't Windows 10 a very popular operating system? Does this mean that all Windows 10 users can't use this feature? Is there a way for me to work around this problem?

Ram Rachum
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  • I added Chrome to the question text. I use a US keyboard layout and my Windows is in US English. I don't think the brand of the keyboard matters. – Ram Rachum Mar 06 '23 at 07:41

2 Answers2

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I have found some new WhatsApp Web keyboard shortcuts, which include the missing "Next chat" shortcut. I have not been able to test all of them, but most seem to work.

  • Ctrl + Alt+ N: Start new chat
  • Ctrl + Alt+ Shift + ]: Next chat
  • Ctrl + Alt+ Shift + [: Previous chat
  • Ctrl + Alt+ E: Archive chat
  • Ctrl + Alt+ Shift + M: Mute chat
  • Ctrl + Alt+ Backspace: Delete chat
  • Ctrl + Alt+ Shift + N: Create new group
  • Ctrl + Alt+ P: Open profile status

Combinations of 4 keys are awkward, but some AHK magic could help (as long as the chosen shortcuts don't conflict with Windows)..

Source : Best WhatsApp Web tips and tricks you can use.

(Old answer which does not work:)

The idea in the following answer is to intercept the Ctrl+Alt+Tab key-combination and send it to the Chrome window, meaning that it will not pass through Windows.

The weakness in my answer is that I have no way to test it, as I don't use WhatsApp Web or any other application that uses this combination. So this answer is untested.

I'm using the free AutoHotkey.

The following script will intercept this key-combination when Chrome is the active window, and will send the keys to Chrome, thus bypassing Windows:

#IfWinActive, ahk_exe chrome.exe
^!Tab::SendPlay, ^!{Tab}

After installing AutoHotKey, put the above text in a .ahk file and double-click it to test. You may stop the script by right-click on the green H icon in the traybar and choosing Exit. To have it run on login, place it in the Startup group at
C:\Users\USER-NAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.

Useful AutoHotkey documentation:

harrymc
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If you don't want to use the WhatsApp Windows desktop client

that have Ctrl+Tab as a shortcut for Next chat

you can use PowerToys to remap Ctrl+alt+Tab to anything not used (the new shortcut it may not work, but the old one will not work)

and you can use Ctrl(right)+alt(right)+Tab if you need it

guest777
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  • Indeed I don't want to use the desktop client. I installed PowerToys now and I see the dialog for remapping a shortcut key, but I'm not sure what you want me to configure there. Can you be really specific? – Ram Rachum Mar 11 '23 at 11:27