diff --git src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/buddypress/common/js-templates/messages/index.php src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/buddypress/common/js-templates/messages/index.php
index a5eade58f..4f43be097 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/buddypress/common/js-templates/messages/index.php
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/buddypress/common/js-templates/messages/index.php
@@ -122,20 +122,22 @@
 <script type="text/html" id="tmpl-bp-messages-thread">
 	<div class="thread-cb">
 		<input class="message-check" type="checkbox" name="message_ids[]" id="bp-message-thread-{{data.id}}" value="{{data.id}}">
-		<label for="bp-message-thread-{{data.id}}" class="bp-screen-reader-text"><?php esc_html_e( 'Select this message', 'buddypress' ); ?></label>
+		<label for="bp-message-thread-{{data.id}}" class="bp-screen-reader-text"><?php esc_html_e( 'Select message:', 'buddypress' ); ?> {{data.subject}}</label>
 	</div>
 	<div class="thread-from">
 		<a class="user-link" href="{{data.sender_link}}">
 			<img class="avatar" src="{{data.sender_avatar}}" alt="" />
 			<span class="user-name">{{data.sender_name}}</span>
+			<span class="bp-screen-reader-text"><?php esc_html_e( 'From:', 'buddypress' ); ?> {{data.sender_name}}</span>
 		</a>
 	</div>
 	<div class="thread-content" data-thread-id="{{data.id}}">
-		<div class="thread-subject">
+		<div class="thread-subject" tabindex="0">
 			<span class="thread-count">({{data.count}})</span>
-			<span class="subject"><# print( data.subject ); #></span>
+			<span class="subject">{{data.subject}}</span>
+			<span class="bp-screen-reader-text">{{data.subject}}. <?php esc_html_e( 'Press <kbd>Enter</kbd> to view the full conversation.', 'buddypress' ); ?></span>
 		</div>
-		<p class="excerpt"><# print( data.excerpt ); #></p>
+		<p class="excerpt">{{data.excerpt}}</p>
 	</div>
 	<div class="thread-date">
 		<time datetime="{{data.date.toISOString()}}">{{data.display_date}}</time>
diff --git src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress-rtl.css src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress-rtl.css
index d3c2356a9..7396362d5 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress-rtl.css
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress-rtl.css
@@ -2989,6 +2989,10 @@ body.register .buddypress-wrap .page ul {
 	line-height: 1.1;
 }
 
+#message-threads li .thread-subject:focus {
+	border: 1px dotted #333;
+}
+
 #message-threads li .thread-content {
 	-webkit-flex: 1 2 60%;
 	-moz-flex: 1 2 60%;
@@ -3009,6 +3013,10 @@ body.register .buddypress-wrap .page ul {
 	background-color: #fafafa;
 }
 
+#message-threads li.unread {
+	font-weight: 700;
+}
+
 #message-threads li.selected .thread-subject .subject {
 	color: #5087e5;
 }
diff --git src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress.css src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress.css
index 8762d5141..494cf7901 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress.css
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress.css
@@ -2989,6 +2989,10 @@ body.register .buddypress-wrap .page ul {
 	line-height: 1.1;
 }
 
+#message-threads li .thread-subject:focus {
+	border: 1px dotted #333;
+}
+
 #message-threads li .thread-content {
 	-webkit-flex: 1 2 60%;
 	-moz-flex: 1 2 60%;
@@ -3009,6 +3013,10 @@ body.register .buddypress-wrap .page ul {
 	background-color: #fafafa;
 }
 
+#message-threads li.unread {
+	font-weight: 700;
+}
+
 #message-threads li.selected .thread-subject .subject {
 	color: #5087e5;
 }
diff --git src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/includes/messages/functions.php src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/includes/messages/functions.php
index 852637084..5265e1de4 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/includes/messages/functions.php
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/includes/messages/functions.php
@@ -98,8 +98,10 @@ function bp_nouveau_messages_localize_scripts( $params = array() ) {
 		'nonces' => array(
 			'send' => wp_create_nonce( 'messages_send_message' ),
 		),
-		'loading' => __( 'Loading messages. Please wait.', 'buddypress' ),
+		'loading'      => __( 'Loading messages. Please wait.', 'buddypress' ),
 		'bulk_actions' => bp_nouveau_messages_get_bulk_actions(),
+		'howto'        => __( 'Click on the message title to preview it in the Active conversation box. Double click on the message title to open the full conversation.', 'buddypress' ),
+		'howtoBulk'    => __( 'Use the select box to define your bulk action and click on the &#10003; button to apply.', 'buddypress' ),
 	);
 
 	// Star private messages.
diff --git src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/js/buddypress-messages.js src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/js/buddypress-messages.js
index 9ec7218ef..55a41d27e 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/js/buddypress-messages.js
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/js/buddypress-messages.js
@@ -634,8 +634,10 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 		tagName   : 'div',
 
 		events: {
-			'click .thread-content'       : 'changePreview',
-			'dblclick .thread-content'    : 'loadSingleView'
+			'click .thread-content'    : 'changePreview',
+			'dblclick .thread-content' : 'loadSingleView',
+			'focus .thread-item'       : 'focusIn',
+			'keydown .thread-subject'  : 'keyDown'
 		},
 
 		initialize: function() {
@@ -666,6 +668,9 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 
 		threadsFetched: function() {
 			bp.Nouveau.Messages.removeFeedback();
+
+			// Inform the user about how to use the UI.
+			bp.Nouveau.Messages.displayFeedback( BP_Nouveau.messages.howto, 'info' );
 		},
 
 		threadsFetchError: function( collection, response ) {
@@ -688,6 +693,30 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 			this.views.add( '#message-threads', new bp.Views.userThread( { model: thread } ) );
 		},
 
+		getActiveThread: function() {
+			var activeThread = this.collection.findWhere( { active: true } );
+
+			if ( ! activeThread.get( 'id' ) ) {
+				return false;
+			}
+
+			return activeThread;
+		},
+
+		setActiveThread: function( active ) {
+			if ( ! active ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			_.each( this.collection.models, function( thread ) {
+				if ( thread.id === active ) {
+					thread.set( 'active', true );
+				} else {
+					 thread.unset( 'active' );
+				}
+			}, this );
+		},
+
 		changePreview: function( event ) {
 			var target = $( event.currentTarget );
 
@@ -696,20 +725,13 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 			}
 
 			event.preventDefault();
+			bp.Nouveau.Messages.removeFeedback();
 
 			if ( target.parent( 'li' ).hasClass( 'selected' ) ) {
 				return;
 			}
 
-			var selected = target.data( 'thread-id' );
-
-			_.each( this.collection.models, function( thread ) {
-				if ( thread.id === selected ) {
-					thread.set( 'active', true );
-				} else {
-					thread.unset( 'active' );
-				}
-			}, this );
+			this.setActiveThread( target.data( 'thread-id' ) );
 		},
 
 		loadSingleView: function( event ) {
@@ -724,6 +746,40 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 			var id = target.data( 'thread-id' );
 
 			bp.Nouveau.Messages.router.navigate( 'view/' + id, { trigger: true } );
+		},
+
+		focusIn: function( event ) {
+			if ( ! $( event.currentTarget ).hasClass( 'thread-item' ) || $( event.currentTarget ).hasClass( 'selected' ) ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			var threadId = $( event.currentTarget ).find( '.thread-content' ).first().data( 'thread-id' );
+
+			if ( threadId ) {
+				bp.Nouveau.Messages.removeFeedback();
+				this.setActiveThread( threadId );
+			}
+		},
+
+		keyDown: function( event ) {
+			if ( ! $( event.currentTarget ).hasClass( 'thread-subject' ) && ! $( event.currentTarget ).closest( '.thread-item' ).hasClass( 'selected' ) ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			// Catch enter and space events
+			if ( 'keydown' === event.type && 13 !== event.keyCode && 32 !== event.keyCode ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			event.preventDefault();
+
+			var thread = this.getActiveThread();
+
+			if ( ! _.isNumber( thread.get( 'id' ) ) ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			bp.Nouveau.Messages.router.navigate( 'view/' + thread.get( 'id' ), { trigger: true } );
 		}
 	} );
 
@@ -732,6 +788,10 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 		template  : bp.template( 'bp-messages-thread' ),
 		className : 'thread-item',
 
+		attributes: {
+			'tabIndex': 0
+		},
+
 		events: {
 			'click .message-check' : 'singleSelect'
 		},
@@ -789,8 +849,13 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 
 			if ( hasChecked ) {
 				$( '#user-messages-bulk-actions' ).closest( '.bulk-actions-wrap' ).removeClass( 'bp-hide' );
+
+				// Inform the user about how to use the bulk actions.
+				bp.Nouveau.Messages.displayFeedback( BP_Nouveau.messages.howtoBulk, 'info' );
 			} else {
 				$( '#user-messages-bulk-actions' ).closest( '.bulk-actions-wrap' ).addClass( 'bp-hide' );
+
+				bp.Nouveau.Messages.removeFeedback();
 			}
 		},
 
@@ -920,8 +985,13 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 
 			if ( isChecked ) {
 				$( this.el ).find( '.bulk-actions-wrap' ).removeClass( 'bp-hide' ).addClass( 'bp-show' );
+
+				// Inform the user about how to use the bulk actions.
+				bp.Nouveau.Messages.displayFeedback( BP_Nouveau.messages.howtoBulk, 'info' );
 			} else {
 				$( this.el ).find( '.bulk-actions-wrap' ).addClass( 'bp-hide' );
+
+				bp.Nouveau.Messages.removeFeedback();
 			}
 
 			_.each( this.collection.models, function( model ) {
diff --git src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/sass/_nouveau_messages.scss src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/sass/_nouveau_messages.scss
index 89747071c..fed65ec9f 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/sass/_nouveau_messages.scss
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/sass/_nouveau_messages.scss
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@
 			}
 		}
 
+		.thread-subject:focus {
+			border: 1px dotted $black;
+		}
+
 		.thread-content {
 
 			@include box-item-size(1, 2, 60%);
@@ -133,6 +137,11 @@
 			}
 		}
 
+		// the unread parent li
+		&.unread {
+			font-weight: 700;
+		}
+
 		.thread-content {
 			cursor: pointer;