diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/AssistantSelectionToolbar.browser.test.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/chat/AssistantSelectionToolbar.browser.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..0fffcafa4015b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/AssistantSelectionToolbar.browser.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+import { EnvironmentId, ThreadId } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+import { useState, type ComponentProps } from "react";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vite-plus/test";
+import { page, userEvent } from "vite-plus/test/browser";
+
+import { render } from "../../../test/render";
+import { AssistantSelectionToolbar } from "./AssistantSelectionToolbar";
+import type { ChatComposerHandle } from "./ChatComposer";
+import { useChatShortcuts } from "./useChatShortcuts";
+
+type OnCite = ComponentProps<typeof AssistantSelectionToolbar>["onCite"];
+
+const threadRef = {
+  environmentId: EnvironmentId.make("environment"),
+  threadId: ThreadId.make("thread"),
+};
+
+// The chat's window capture listener runs before the toolbar's document listener, so
+// type-to-focus sees every key first. The stand-in composer records what it receives.
+function ChatShortcuts(props: { composerKeys: string[] }) {
+  useChatShortcuts({
+    enabled: true,
+    keybindings: [],
+    scriptKeybindings: [],
+    getShortcutContext: () => ({
+      terminalFocus: false,
+      terminalOpen: false,
+      previewFocus: false,
+      previewOpen: false,
+      isWeb: true,
+      isDesktop: false,
+      modelPickerOpen: false,
+    }),
+    threadFindActive: false,
+    composerRef: {
+      current: {
+        insertTextAtEnd: (key: string) => {
+          props.composerKeys.push(key);
+          return true;
+        },
+      } as Partial<ChatComposerHandle> as ChatComposerHandle,
+    },
+    branchToolbarRef: { current: null },
+    closeThreadFind: () => {},
+    commands: {},
+    fallback: () => undefined,
+  });
+  return null;
+}
+
+function Transcript(props: { onCite: OnCite; composerKeys?: string[] }) {
+  const [viewport, setViewport] = useState<HTMLElement | null>(null);
+  return (
+    <>
+      {props.composerKeys ? <ChatShortcuts composerKeys={props.composerKeys} /> : null}
+      <input aria-label="Find in thread" />
+      <div ref={setViewport}>
+        <div data-assistant-citation-source="message-1">
+          <p>Render the citation chip</p>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+      <AssistantSelectionToolbar viewport={viewport} threadRef={threadRef} onCite={props.onCite} />
+    </>
+  );
+}
+
+// router: false because the transcript never navigates.
+const options = { router: false } as const;
+const citeButton = page.getByRole("button", { name: "Cite selection in composer" });
+
+async function selectAssistantText(container: HTMLElement) {
+  const text = container.querySelector("p")!.firstChild!;
+  window.getSelection()!.setBaseAndExtent(text, 7, text, 15);
+  await expect.element(citeButton).toBeVisible();
+}
+
+describe("AssistantSelectionToolbar", () => {
+  it.each(["r", "R"])("cites the selection when %s is pressed", async (key) => {
+    const onCite = vi.fn<OnCite>(() => true);
+    await using screen = await render(<Transcript onCite={onCite} />, options);
+    await selectAssistantText(screen.container);
+
+    await userEvent.keyboard(key);
+
+    expect(onCite).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(onCite.mock.lastCall![0]).toMatchObject({ messageId: "message-1", text: "the cita" });
+    expect(window.getSelection()!.isCollapsed).toBe(true);
+    await expect.element(citeButton).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("cites with R instead of typing it into the composer", async () => {
+    const onCite = vi.fn<OnCite>(() => true);
+    const composerKeys: string[] = [];
+    await using screen = await render(
+      <Transcript onCite={onCite} composerKeys={composerKeys} />,
+      options,
+    );
+    await selectAssistantText(screen.container);
+
+    await userEvent.keyboard("r");
+
+    expect(onCite).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(composerKeys).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("types R into the composer when nothing is selected", async () => {
+    const onCite = vi.fn<OnCite>(() => true);
+    const composerKeys: string[] = [];
+    await using _screen = await render(
+      <Transcript onCite={onCite} composerKeys={composerKeys} />,
+      options,
+    );
+
+    await userEvent.keyboard("r");
+
+    expect(composerKeys).toEqual(["r"]);
+    expect(onCite).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("lets a focused text field keep R", async () => {
+    const onCite = vi.fn<OnCite>(() => true);
+    await using screen = await render(<Transcript onCite={onCite} />, options);
+    await selectAssistantText(screen.container);
+    const find = screen.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Find in thread" });
+    await userEvent.click(find);
+
+    await userEvent.keyboard("r");
+
+    await expect.element(find).toHaveValue("r");
+    expect(onCite).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  // Dispatched rather than typed so a real Ctrl+R cannot reload the test page.
+  it.each([
+    ["Cmd+R", { metaKey: true }],
+    ["Ctrl+R", { ctrlKey: true }],
+    ["Alt+R", { altKey: true }],
+  ])("leaves %s to the browser", async (_name, modifier) => {
+    const onCite = vi.fn<OnCite>(() => true);
+    await using screen = await render(<Transcript onCite={onCite} />, options);
+    await selectAssistantText(screen.container);
+
+    const event = new KeyboardEvent("keydown", {
+      key: "r",
+      bubbles: true,
+      cancelable: true,
+      ...modifier,
+    });
+    document.body.dispatchEvent(event);
+
+    expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(false);
+    expect(onCite).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("still focuses the Cite action on Tab", async () => {
+    const onCite = vi.fn<OnCite>(() => true);
+    await using screen = await render(<Transcript onCite={onCite} />, options);
+    await selectAssistantText(screen.container);
+
+    await userEvent.keyboard("{Tab}");
+
+    await expect.element(citeButton).toHaveFocus();
+    expect(onCite).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/AssistantSelectionToolbar.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/chat/AssistantSelectionToolbar.tsx
index 9280b9cbc065c..ed0ae27fd7b77 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/chat/AssistantSelectionToolbar.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/AssistantSelectionToolbar.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import {
   type SelectionActionPoint,
 } from "~/lib/selectionActions";
 import { Button } from "../ui/button";
+import { Kbd } from "../ui/kbd";
+import { isCiteSelectionShortcut } from "./composerFocusRedirect";
 
 export function AssistantSelectionToolbar({
   viewport,
@@ -143,30 +145,33 @@ export function AssistantSelectionToolbar({
       onDismiss: clear,
     });
     actionsRef.current = actions;
-    const focusActions = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+    const handleShortcut = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
       const toolbar = toolbarRef.current;
       if (
-        event.key !== "Tab" ||
-        event.shiftKey ||
+        !toolbar ||
+        toolbar.disabled ||
         event.altKey ||
         event.ctrlKey ||
         event.metaKey ||
         event.isComposing ||
-        event.defaultPrevented ||
-        !toolbar ||
-        toolbar.contains(event.target as Node)
+        event.defaultPrevented
       ) {
         return;
       }
-      if (toolbar.disabled) return;
-      event.preventDefault();
-      event.stopPropagation();
-      toolbar.focus({ preventScroll: true });
+      if (event.key === "Tab" && !event.shiftKey && !toolbar.contains(event.target as Node)) {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        event.stopPropagation();
+        toolbar.focus({ preventScroll: true });
+      } else if (isCiteSelectionShortcut(event)) {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        event.stopPropagation();
+        toolbar.click();
+      }
     };
-    document.addEventListener("keydown", focusActions, true);
+    document.addEventListener("keydown", handleShortcut, true);
     document.addEventListener("selectionchange", actions.selectionChanged);
     return () => {
-      document.removeEventListener("keydown", focusActions, true);
+      document.removeEventListener("keydown", handleShortcut, true);
       document.removeEventListener("selectionchange", actions.selectionChanged);
       actions.dispose();
       actionsRef.current = null;
@@ -193,6 +198,8 @@ export function AssistantSelectionToolbar({
       variant="glass"
       disabled={tooLong}
       aria-label={tooLong ? "Selection is too long to cite" : "Cite selection in composer"}
+      aria-keyshortcuts={tooLong ? undefined : "R"}
+      data-cite-selection-action=""
       className="fixed z-50 max-w-[calc(100vw-1rem)]"
       style={{ left: selection.position.x, top: selection.position.y }}
       onPointerDown={(event) => event.preventDefault()}
@@ -207,6 +214,7 @@ export function AssistantSelectionToolbar({
     >
       <QuoteIcon aria-hidden="true" className="size-3.5" />
       {tooLong ? "Shorten selection" : "Cite"}
+      {tooLong ? null : <Kbd>R</Kbd>}
     </Button>,
     document.body,
   );
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/composerFocusRedirect.ts b/apps/web/src/components/chat/composerFocusRedirect.ts
index f7730b367925e..706c21b13f7d6 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/chat/composerFocusRedirect.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/composerFocusRedirect.ts
@@ -69,12 +69,20 @@ export function shouldRedirectInputToComposer(event: Event): boolean {
   return true;
 }
 
+export function isCiteSelectionShortcut(event: KeyboardEvent): boolean {
+  return (
+    event.key.toLowerCase() === "r" &&
+    document.querySelector("button[data-cite-selection-action]:enabled") !== null
+  );
+}
+
 export function shouldTypeToFocusComposer(event: KeyboardEvent): boolean {
   if (event.isComposing) return false;
   if (event.metaKey || event.ctrlKey || event.altKey) return false;
   if (event.key.length !== 1) return false;
   if (!shouldRedirectInputToComposer(event)) return false;
   if (isSurfaceLauncherKey(event)) return false;
+  if (isCiteSelectionShortcut(event)) return false;
 
   return true;
 }
diff --git a/docs/user/composer.md b/docs/user/composer.md
index 714572dfd5005..178636c9d7111 100644
--- a/docs/user/composer.md
+++ b/docs/user/composer.md
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ Leaving reasoning level or service tier unset uses the provider's own configurat
 ## Quote an assistant response
 
 On web and desktop, select text within one assistant response and choose
-**Cite in composer**. You can add a comment about the quote and write instructions
+**Cite**, or press `R`. You can add a comment about the quote and write instructions
 around it.
 
 Select the quote in a draft or sent message to return to its source. If the source