diff --git src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress-rtl.css src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress-rtl.css
index 8ca16031f..9dbfd6c1f 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress-rtl.css
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress-rtl.css
@@ -3004,6 +3004,10 @@ body.register .buddypress-wrap .page ul {
 	background-color: #fafafa;
 }
 
+#message-threads li.unread {
+	font-weight: bold;
+}
+
 #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 937c37a67..5c8c814bc 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress.css
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/css/buddypress.css
@@ -3004,6 +3004,10 @@ body.register .buddypress-wrap .page ul {
 	background-color: #fafafa;
 }
 
+#message-threads li.unread {
+	font-weight: bold;
+}
+
 #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 eb9ad5d0d..e8b40f840 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/includes/messages/functions.php
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/includes/messages/functions.php
@@ -99,7 +99,12 @@ function bp_nouveau_messages_localize_scripts( $params = array() ) {
 			'send' => wp_create_nonce( 'messages_send_message' ),
 		),
 		'loading' => '<div class="bp-feedback info"><span class="bp-icon"></span><p>' . __( 'Loading messages. Please wait.', 'buddypress' ) . '</p></div>',
+		'howto' => '<div class="bp-feedback info"><span class="bp-icon"></span><p>' .
+			__( 'Click on the message title to preview a message. Double click on the message title to open the full conversation.', 'buddypress' ) .
+			__( 'Use ctrl+d or ctrl+u to toggle the message preview down or up in the list. Use ctrl+enter to open a selected conversation.', 'buddypress' ) .
+			'</p></div>',
 		'bulk_actions' => bp_nouveau_messages_get_bulk_actions(),
+		'howtoBulk' => '<div class="bp-feedback info"><span class="bp-icon"></span><p>' . __( 'Use the select box to define your bulk action and click on the &#10003; button to apply.', 'buddypress' ) . '</p></div>',
 	);
 
 	// Star private messages.
diff --git src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/js/buddypress-messages.js src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/js/buddypress-messages.js
index e706a69f7..e5dbaf2af 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/js/buddypress-messages.js
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/js/buddypress-messages.js
@@ -365,6 +365,25 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 			} );
 
 			return bp.ajax.send( options );
+		},
+
+		/**
+		 * Get the "at" index for a model satisfying the requested attribute.
+		 *
+		 * @param  {object} attribute An object containing the attribute key and value.
+		 * @return {integer}          The "at" position into the collection.
+		 */
+		getAt: function( attribute ) {
+			var key = _.first( _.keys( attribute ) ),
+			    at = -1;
+
+			_.each( this.models, function( model, index ) {
+				if ( attribute[ key ] === model.get( key ) ) {
+					at = index;
+				}
+			} );
+
+			return at;
 		}
 	} );
 
@@ -655,6 +674,8 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 
 			this.collection.on( 'reset', this.cleanContent, this );
 			this.collection.on( 'add', this.addThread, this );
+
+			$( document ).on( 'keydown', _.bind( this.keyAction, this ) );
 		},
 
 		requestThreads: function() {
@@ -671,6 +692,8 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 
 		threadsFetched: function() {
 			bp.Nouveau.Messages.removeFeedback();
+
+			bp.Nouveau.Messages.displayFeedback( BP_Nouveau.messages.howto, 'info' );
 		},
 
 		threadsFetchError: function( collection, response ) {
@@ -693,6 +716,20 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 			this.views.add( '#message-threads', new bp.Views.userThread( { model: thread } ) );
 		},
 
+		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 );
 
@@ -701,20 +738,13 @@ 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 ) {
@@ -729,6 +759,45 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 			var id = target.data( 'thread-id' );
 
 			bp.Nouveau.Messages.router.navigate( 'view/' + id, { trigger: true } );
+		},
+
+		keyAction: function( event ) {
+			if ( ! event.ctrlKey ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			// Catch enter/arrow events
+			if ( 13 !== event.keyCode && 68 !== event.keyCode && 85 !== event.keyCode ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			var model;
+			bp.Nouveau.Messages.removeFeedback();
+
+			if ( 13 === event.keyCode ) {
+				model = _.find( this.collection.models, function( model ) {
+					return true === model.get( 'active' );
+				} );
+
+				if ( ! model.get( 'id' ) ) {
+					return;
+				}
+
+				bp.Nouveau.Messages.router.navigate( 'view/' + model.get( 'id' ), { trigger: true } );
+			} else {
+				var active = this.collection.getAt( { active: true } ), unactivate = active;
+
+				if ( 85 === event.keyCode ) {
+					active -= 1;
+				} else {
+					active +=1;
+				}
+
+				if ( active >= 0 && active < this.collection.length && unactivate !== active ) {
+					model = this.collection.at( active );
+					this.setActiveThread( model.get( 'id' ) );
+				}
+			}
 		}
 	} );
 
@@ -794,8 +863,12 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 
 			if ( hasChecked ) {
 				$( '#user-messages-bulk-actions' ).closest( '.bulk-actions-wrap' ).removeClass( 'bp-hide' );
+
+				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();
 			}
 		},
 
@@ -925,8 +998,12 @@ window.bp = window.bp || {};
 
 			if ( isChecked ) {
 				$( this.el ).find( '.bulk-actions-wrap' ).removeClass( 'bp-hide' ).addClass( 'bp-show' );
+
+				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..5b8330c20 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/sass/_nouveau_messages.scss
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-nouveau/sass/_nouveau_messages.scss
@@ -133,6 +133,11 @@
 			}
 		}
 
+		// the unread parent li
+		&.unread {
+			font-weight: bold;
+		}
+
 		.thread-content {
 			cursor: pointer;