# How to go to inbox in Linear on Mac: G then I, sidebar and fixes

> How to go to inbox in Linear on Mac: press G then I from any page, or click Inbox in the sidebar. Plus triage keys and fixes for missing alerts.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/go-to-your-inbox-in-linear
Updated: 2026-11-09

To go to inbox in Linear on Mac, press G, then I, from any page. Linear's Inbox docs call this the fastest route, and the Inbox entry in the left sidebar opens the same list with a click.

## Quick answer

- Press G, then I, one after another, from any page in Linear. The shortcut uses no ⌘, ⌥, ⌃ or ⇧ key.
- If the shortcut does nothing, click Inbox in the left sidebar. It opens the same list.
- Inside the Inbox, J and K move through items, U toggles read, ⌥ U marks all read and H snoozes.
- Linear's docs do not describe a Mac menu bar route to the Inbox, so this guide does not invent one.
- Missing alerts can come from macOS permissions, snoozed items, the 2,000 notification cap or a past incident.

Applies to: Linear desktop app or web app on macOS, Apple silicon and Intel. Time: 2 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- A Mac with Apple silicon or Intel
- The Linear desktop app, or Linear in a browser
- A Linear account with access to at least one team
- macOS notification permission for Linear, if you want desktop alerts

## How to Go to inbox in Linear on Mac in Linear on a Mac

1. **Open the Linear desktop app on your Mac.** Open Linear on your Mac. The desktop app runs on Apple silicon and on Intel Macs, and you can download it from linear.app/download. It installs updates in the background, so you rarely need to check by hand. Tip: The Inbox docs do not split steps by platform, so the same keys should work in the web app too.
2. **Click an empty spot in the Linear window.** Click an empty part of the Linear window. This moves focus out of any text box. If G types a letter, a field still has focus, so click outside it first. Tip: Typing G into a title or comment inserts a letter. It does not open the Inbox.
3. **Press G, then I.** Shortcut: G, then I. Press G, let go, then press I. Both keys go one after the other, with no ⌘, ⌥, ⌃ or ⇧ held down. Linear's Inbox docs call this the fastest way to reach the Inbox from any page. Tip: If you press both keys at the same moment, nothing may happen. Press G first, then I.
4. **Confirm you are in the Inbox.** Check the list that opens. You should see notifications rather than your issue list. If the issue list is still showing, the shortcut did not register, so try the steps above again.
5. **Use the sidebar if the shortcut fails.** (Left sidebar > Inbox) Look in the left sidebar for Inbox and click it. Linear's Inbox docs say Find your Inbox in the sidebar, which makes this the mouse route. It opens the same Inbox the shortcut opens. Tip: Use this route when your hand is already on the trackpad.
6. **Move up and down the list.** Shortcut: J / K. Press J to move down the notifications and K to move up. The arrow keys do the same job.
7. **Mark a notification read or unread.** Shortcut: U. Select a notification and press U. It switches between read and unread. Press U again to switch it back.
8. **Mark every notification as read.** Shortcut: ⌥ U. Press Option and U together to mark all notifications read at once. Read the list first, because this one changes everything in view.
9. **Snooze a notification.** Shortcut: H. Select a notification and press H to snooze it. Snoozed items stay hidden until they are due, then they come back into view. Tip: Snoozed items return on their own, so you do not need to remember them.
10. **Delete notifications.** Shortcut: Backspace. Press Backspace to delete the selected notification. To clear every read notification at once, press ⇧ Backspace. Tip: Mark an item read with U instead if you might need it later.
11. **Search the Inbox.** Shortcut: ⌘ F. Press ⌘ F to start a quick search. Type what you need. Press Esc to clear the search and return to the full list.
12. **Unsubscribe from an issue you no longer need.** Shortcut: ⇧ S. Open the issue from the Inbox, then press ⇧ S to unsubscribe. Use it when an issue keeps sending alerts you do not want.

## The fastest route: G then I from any page

Press G, let go, then press I. That opens your Inbox from any page in Linear. Linear's Inbox documentation calls this the fastest way to reach it. The shortcut has no modifier key, so ⌘, ⌥, ⌃ and ⇧ stay up the whole time. The two keys go one after the other, not together.

![Person typing on a MacBook at a desk while checking their inbox, for a guide on how to go to inbox in Linear on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/go-to-your-inbox-in-linear/how-to-go-to-inbox-in-linear-1-bd1669.jpg)

Other shortcut sheets agree on the keys. Pie Menu lists Go to inbox as G then I, with no modifier keys. One third-party table, from shortcut.fyi, lists G then N for the Inbox and labels G then I as a different command. That table's own FAQ uses G then I, which matches Linear's docs. Use G then I, and ignore the N version.

- **2,000** Open notifications the Inbox can hold at one time, per Linear's Inbox FAQ ([source](https://linear.app/docs/inbox))
- **Sep 3, 2026** Date Linear's changelog gives for the Priority inbox tab ([source](https://linear.app/changelog/2026-09-03-priority-inbox))
- **Mar 24, 2026** Date of Linear's missing inbox notifications incident, resolved by 11:45 AM ([source](https://linearstatus.com/incidents/01KMFZGRGZ594YKSFJ2R798ZFR))

## Use the sidebar when the shortcut does nothing

The sidebar is the mouse route. Linear's Inbox docs say Find your Inbox in the sidebar, so look for Inbox in the left column and click it. This works on a trackpad with no keys at all. It also helps when the shortcut fails for a reason you cannot see on screen.

![Close view of a laptop keyboard, the keys used to move through a Linear inbox on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/go-to-your-inbox-in-linear/how-to-go-to-inbox-in-linear-2-f6dd3e.jpg)

Linear's docs do not describe a Mac menu bar item for the Inbox. This guide could not confirm one, so none is listed here. If your version of the app shows an Inbox command under a menu, use it, then check that it opens the same list of notifications.

## Move through notifications with the keyboard

Once you are in the Inbox, you can keep your hands on the keyboard. J moves down the list and K moves up. The arrow keys do the same job, so use whichever feels better. U switches the selected notification between read and unread.

⌥ U marks every notification as read in one press. Pause before you use it, because it changes the whole list. H snoozes the selected notification. Snoozed items stay out of view until they are due, and then they return.

| Key | What it does in the Inbox |
| --- | --- |
| J or K | Move down or up the list |
| ↑ or ↓ | Same as J and K |
| U | Mark the selected item read or unread |
| ⌥ U | Mark all notifications read |
| H | Snooze the selected notification |
| Backspace | Delete the selected notification |
| ⇧ Backspace | Delete all read notifications |

_Inbox keys, as described in Linear's Inbox docs_

Backspace deletes the selected notification. ⇧ Backspace deletes every notification that is already read. Check the list before you press the second one, since it clears more than one item at a time.

## Search inside the Inbox and triage fast

Press ⌘ F to start a quick search inside the Inbox. Type what you are looking for, then press Esc to clear the search and return to the full list. Search is quick, so reach for it before you scroll.

A simple triage order keeps the list short. Read new items with J and U. Snooze anything that can wait with H. Delete what you no longer need. Then clear read items in one press with ⇧ Backspace. Repeat this once a day, and the list stays readable.

![Man at a laptop in an office reviewing notifications, a common way to triage a Linear inbox on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/go-to-your-inbox-in-linear/how-to-go-to-inbox-in-linear-3-748c3c.jpg)

## What the Priority tab changed in September 2026

Linear's changelog dates a Priority inbox tab to Sep 3, 2026. It separates notifications that need attention from the rest. Linear picks the Priority contents by default. You can change them by choosing notification sources or by creating a filter. The regular inbox remains available, so you can still see everything in one list.

Two other changes came before and after it. On Jul 2, 2026, Linear added a filter that narrows Inbox notifications by review status. On Jul 30, 2026, Linear stopped new project and initiative update notifications from showing as separate Inbox entries. A list that looks different may reflect one of these changes.

## Why an item is missing from the Inbox

A few causes explain most missing items. Snoozed notifications stay hidden until they are due. Email digests skip anything you have already read in the Inbox, so an email may never arrive for an item you opened. The Inbox also keeps up to 2,000 open notifications at one time. Older ones beyond that count are not kept.

Linear also had a real incident on Mar 24, 2026. Its status page says notifications were incorrectly deleted for affected users. It was identified at 9:11 AM and resolved at 11:45 AM. Linear said the notifications were recovered and the Inbox was working normally. If something vanished that day, check the status page before you dig into your own settings.

## Make macOS show Linear alerts

Desktop alerts come from macOS, so Linear needs permission in macOS settings. Linear's notification docs say that if the red Dock badge is missing, you should enable notifications for Linear in macOS settings and turn on the red badge icon option. Do that first, then check Linear's own switches.

Linear sets notifications per channel: Desktop, Mobile, Email and Slack. You find them under Settings > Account > Notifications. If Desktop is off there, the Mac app stays quiet even when macOS allows alerts. Turn Desktop on, then wait for the next real notification to confirm the setting.

Browser push does not work for new subscriptions, according to Linear's docs. For real-time desktop alerts, the docs recommend the desktop app. That is why this guide treats the Mac app as the main route.

## Keep the desktop app current

The desktop app downloads and installs updates in the background. On macOS, you can turn auto-update off with a defaults write command. The change needs an app restart before it takes effect. Linear's docs list no version numbers and no minimum macOS version, so this guide cannot tie any step to one release.

## Common mistakes that waste time

A frequent slip is typing G into a text field. It becomes a letter in your title or comment, and nothing opens. Click outside the field, then try again.

Second, people hold ⌘ while they press G. The documented shortcut has no modifier, so ⌘ G is not the route. Third, people press ⌥ U when they meant U. ⌥ U marks everything read, so check which key you pressed.

Fourth, people trust a third-party sheet over the vendor. Use Linear's docs as the source of truth. Treat third-party tables as hints, and check them against the app before you rely on them.

## What to do after you reach the Inbox

Reaching the Inbox is only the first step. The useful habit is opening a notification and acting on the issue behind it. For a quick way to move around the app, read [how to open the command menu in Linear on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/open-the-command-menu-in-linear). For a due date on an item you are triaging, read [how to set a due date in Linear on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/set-a-due-date-in-linear).

If one project floods your Inbox, narrow the view instead of fighting the list. [How to filter issues in Linear on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/filter-issues-in-linear) shows the filter steps. Then return to the Inbox with G then I and clear what is left.

## Sources and version notes

Every step on this page comes from Linear's own docs, with third-party sheets used only for comparison. The official keyboard shortcut page returned a not found error when this guide was checked, so the full shortcut list rests on the Inbox doc. Treat the table as the set of keys the docs describe, not a complete map of the app.

## Shortcuts

- Go to Inbox (from any page): G, then I
- Move down or up the list: J / K
- Mark selected item read or unread: U
- Mark all notifications read: ⌥ U
- Snooze selected notification: H
- Delete selected notification: Backspace
- Delete all read notifications: ⇧ Backspace
- Start quick search in the Inbox: ⌘ F
- Clear the search: Esc
- Unsubscribe after opening an issue: ⇧ S

## If it does not work

- **G then I does nothing** Click an empty part of the Linear window first. If G types a letter, a text field has focus, so click outside it. Then press G and I one after another, with no modifier. If it still fails, click Inbox in the left sidebar.
- **The Inbox looks empty** Check the Priority tab and the regular inbox, since Priority shows only the items Linear picks or the sources you set. Snoozed items stay hidden until they are due, so they may be waiting out of view.
- **A notification is missing after a busy day** Check the Linear status page for incidents on that date, such as the Mar 24, 2026 incident. Then check whether your list has reached the 2,000 open notification limit.
- **No macOS alert appears for Linear** Allow notifications for Linear in macOS settings and turn on the red badge icon option. Then check that Desktop is on under Settings > Account > Notifications in Linear.
- **An email digest arrives for something already read** Digests skip items you have already read in the Inbox. If you can, mark the item read in the Inbox before the digest goes out.
- **A third-party sheet says G then N** Use G then I. Linear's Inbox docs say G then I, and the sheet that lists G then N also labels G then I as a different command.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is the Inbox in Linear?”: Lazur draws a circle and a label around the Inbox entry in the sidebar. You still click it yourself. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Is there a Mac menu bar path to the Inbox in Linear?

Not one this guide could confirm. Linear's Inbox docs describe two routes: the shortcut G then I, and the Inbox entry in the sidebar. If your version shows an Inbox command under a menu, it should open the same list.

### Does G then I work in the Linear web app too?

The Inbox docs do not split steps by platform. They show Cmd or Ctrl and Option or Alt pairs, and they label no shortcut as Mac only. G then I should work in the browser too, so test it in your browser before you rely on it.

### Why do some shortcut sheets say G then N for the Inbox?

shortcut.fyi lists G then N for the Inbox in one table, and it labels G then I as a different command. Its own FAQ and Linear's Inbox docs both use G then I. Use G then I.

### How many notifications can the Inbox hold?

Linear's Inbox FAQ says you can have up to 2,000 open notifications in the Inbox at one time. Older notifications beyond that count are not retained. If your list is very long, mark old items read or delete them to keep it manageable.

### Why are my Linear alerts not showing on my Mac?

Check macOS notification permission for Linear first. Then turn on the red badge icon option if you want the badge. In Linear, Desktop must also be on under Settings > Account > Notifications. If none of that helps, check the status page for a recent incident.

### What is the Priority tab in the Linear Inbox?

Linear's changelog dates the Priority inbox tab to Sep 3, 2026. It separates notifications that need attention from the rest. Linear picks the contents by default, and you can change them by choosing notification sources or creating a filter. The regular inbox remains available.

### Can I get Linear alerts only in a browser tab?

Linear does not currently support new browser push subscriptions, according to its notifications docs. The docs recommend the desktop app for real-time desktop alerts.

### Will an email digest arrive for something I already read?

Usually not. Linear sends email digests only if you have not already read the matching Inbox notification. Reading the item in the Inbox first means the digest for that item is skipped.

### Did the March 2026 incident delete my Linear notifications?

Linear's status page logged a missing inbox notifications incident on Mar 24, 2026. It says notifications were incorrectly deleted for affected users. Linear said they were recovered and the Inbox was working normally. Check the status page if your history looks short for that day.

## Sources

1. [Inbox: Linear Docs](https://linear.app/docs/inbox), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
2. [Notifications: Linear Docs](https://linear.app/docs/notifications), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
3. [Download Linear: Linear Docs](https://linear.app/docs/get-the-app), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
4. [Priority inbox: Linear Changelog](https://linear.app/changelog/2026-09-03-priority-inbox), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
5. [Changelog: Linear](https://linear.app/changelog), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
6. [Missing inbox notifications: Linear Status](https://linearstatus.com/incidents/01KMFZGRGZ594YKSFJ2R798ZFR), Linear Status, checked 2026-11-09
7. [Linear shortcuts for Mac: Pie Menu](https://www.pie-menu.com/shortcuts/linear), Pie Menu (third party), checked 2026-11-09
8. [Linear Keyboard Shortcuts: shortcut.fyi](https://shortcut.fyi/linear-shortcuts), shortcut.fyi (third party), checked 2026-11-09