diff --git a/include/common/font.h b/include/common/font.h
index a7a5ba55..22be2ae8 100644
--- a/include/common/font.h
+++ b/include/common/font.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include <cairo.h>
 #include <pango/pango-font.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
 
 struct lab_data_buffer;
 
@@ -43,10 +44,11 @@ void font_get_buffer_size(int max_width, const char *text, struct font *font,
  * @font: font description
  * @color: foreground color in rgba format
  * @bg_pattern: background pattern
+ * @use_markup: flag to render pango markup
  */
 void font_buffer_create(struct lab_data_buffer **buffer, int max_width,
 	int height, const char *text, struct font *font, const float *color,
-	cairo_pattern_t *bg_pattern, double scale);
+	cairo_pattern_t *bg_pattern, double scale, bool use_markup);
 
 /**
  * font_finish - free some font related resources
diff --git a/include/menu/menu.h b/include/menu/menu.h
index 46bbca12..3d546efa 100644
--- a/include/menu/menu.h
+++ b/include/menu/menu.h
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@ struct menuitem {
 	char *text;
 	char *icon_name;
 	const char *arrow;
+	uint32_t accelerator;
 	struct menu *parent;
 	struct menu *submenu;
 	bool selectable;
+	bool use_markup;
 	enum menuitem_type type;
 	int native_width;
 	struct wlr_scene_tree *tree;
@@ -66,6 +68,19 @@ struct menu {
 /* For keyboard support */
 void menu_item_select_next(void);
 void menu_item_select_previous(void);
+
+/**
+ * menu_item_select_by_accelerator - selects the next menu item with
+ * a matching accelerator, starting after the current selection
+ *
+ * @accelerator a shortcut to quickly select/open an item, defined in menu.xml
+ * with an underscore in the item label before the target letter.
+ *
+ * Return: a boolean value that represents whether the newly selected item
+ * needs to be executed.
+ */
+bool menu_item_select_by_accelerator(uint32_t accelerator);
+
 void menu_submenu_enter(void);
 void menu_submenu_leave(void);
 bool menu_call_selected_actions(void);
@@ -100,7 +115,7 @@ void menu_open_root(struct menu *menu, int x, int y);
 void menu_process_cursor_motion(struct wlr_scene_node *node);
 
 /**
- *  menu_close_root- close root menu
+ *  menu_close_root - close root menu
  *
  * This function will close server.menu_current and set it to NULL.
  * Asserts that server.input_mode is set to LAB_INPUT_STATE_MENU.
diff --git a/include/scaled-buffer/scaled-font-buffer.h b/include/scaled-buffer/scaled-font-buffer.h
index a5e95087..a76fe03f 100644
--- a/include/scaled-buffer/scaled-font-buffer.h
+++ b/include/scaled-buffer/scaled-font-buffer.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ struct scaled_font_buffer {
 
 	/* Private */
 	char *text;
+	bool use_markup;
 	int max_width;
 	float color[4];
 	float bg_color[4];
@@ -71,6 +72,6 @@ scaled_font_buffer_create_for_titlebar(struct wlr_scene_tree *parent,
  */
 void scaled_font_buffer_update(struct scaled_font_buffer *self, const char *text,
 	int max_width, struct font *font, const float *color,
-	const float *bg_color);
+	const float *bg_color, bool use_markup);
 
 #endif /* LABWC_SCALED_FONT_BUFFER_H */
diff --git a/src/common/font.c b/src/common/font.c
index b307729c..5162d284 100644
--- a/src/common/font.c
+++ b/src/common/font.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ font_get_buffer_size(int max_width, const char *text, struct font *font,
 void
 font_buffer_create(struct lab_data_buffer **buffer, int max_width,
 	int height, const char *text, struct font *font, const float *color,
-	cairo_pattern_t *bg_pattern, double scale)
+	cairo_pattern_t *bg_pattern, double scale, bool use_markup)
 {
 	if (string_null_or_empty(text)) {
 		return;
@@ -123,7 +123,13 @@ font_buffer_create(struct lab_data_buffer **buffer, int max_width,
 	PangoLayout *layout = pango_cairo_create_layout(cairo);
 	pango_context_set_round_glyph_positions(pango_layout_get_context(layout), false);
 	pango_layout_set_width(layout, width * PANGO_SCALE);
-	pango_layout_set_text(layout, text, -1);
+
+	if (use_markup) {
+		pango_layout_set_markup(layout, text, -1);
+	} else {
+		pango_layout_set_text(layout, text, -1);
+	}
+
 	pango_layout_set_ellipsize(layout, PANGO_ELLIPSIZE_END);
 
 	if (!opaque_bg) {
diff --git a/src/cycle/osd-classic.c b/src/cycle/osd-classic.c
index 7e5abfb6..685b58b8 100644
--- a/src/cycle/osd-classic.c
+++ b/src/cycle/osd-classic.c
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ create_fields_scene(struct view *view,
 				struct scaled_font_buffer *font_buffer =
 					scaled_font_buffer_create(parent);
 				scaled_font_buffer_update(font_buffer,
-					buf.data, field_width,
-					&rc.font_osd, text_color, bg_color);
+					buf.data, field_width, &rc.font_osd,
+					text_color, bg_color, false);
 				node = &font_buffer->scene_buffer->node;
 				height = font_height(&rc.font_osd);
 			}
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ cycle_osd_classic_init(struct cycle_osd_output *osd_output)
 		wlr_scene_node_set_position(&font_buffer->scene_buffer->node,
 			x, y + (switcher_theme->item_height - font_height(&font)) / 2);
 		scaled_font_buffer_update(font_buffer, workspace_name, 0,
-			&font, text_color, bg_color);
+			&font, text_color, bg_color, false);
 		y += switcher_theme->item_height;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/cycle/osd-thumbnail.c b/src/cycle/osd-thumbnail.c
index defedf09..7cd7ff9f 100644
--- a/src/cycle/osd-thumbnail.c
+++ b/src/cycle/osd-thumbnail.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ create_label(struct wlr_scene_tree *parent, struct view *view,
 		scaled_font_buffer_create(parent);
 	scaled_font_buffer_update(buffer, buf.data,
 		switcher_theme->item_width - 2 * switcher_theme->item_padding,
-		&rc.font_osd, text_color, bg_color);
+		&rc.font_osd, text_color, bg_color, false);
 	buf_reset(&buf);
 	wlr_scene_node_set_position(&buffer->scene_buffer->node,
 		(switcher_theme->item_width - buffer->width) / 2, y);
diff --git a/src/input/key-state.c b/src/input/key-state.c
index 6d089891..ea8897a6 100644
--- a/src/input/key-state.c
+++ b/src/input/key-state.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ update_key_indicator_callback(void *data)
 		buf_add_fmt(&buf, "%s (%d), ", keyname, pressed.values[i]);
 	}
 	scaled_font_buffer_update(indicator_state.sfb_pressed, buf.data,
-		-1, &rc.font_osd, black, white);
+		-1, &rc.font_osd, black, white, false);
 
 	buf_clear(&buf);
 	buf_add(&buf, "bound=");
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ update_key_indicator_callback(void *data)
 		buf_add_fmt(&buf, "%s (%d), ", keyname, bound.values[i]);
 	}
 	scaled_font_buffer_update(indicator_state.sfb_bound, buf.data,
-		-1, &rc.font_osd, black, white);
+		-1, &rc.font_osd, black, white, false);
 
 	buf_clear(&buf);
 	buf_add(&buf, "pressed_sent=");
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ update_key_indicator_callback(void *data)
 		buf_add_fmt(&buf, "%s (%d), ", keyname, pressed_sent.values[i]);
 	}
 	scaled_font_buffer_update(indicator_state.sfb_pressed_sent, buf.data, -1,
-		&rc.font_osd, black, white);
+		&rc.font_osd, black, white, false);
 
 	buf_clear(&buf);
 	buf_add(&buf, "modifiers=");
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ update_key_indicator_callback(void *data)
 	}
 	buf_add_fmt(&buf, "(%d)", all_modifiers);
 	scaled_font_buffer_update(indicator_state.sfb_modifiers, buf.data, -1,
-		&rc.font_osd, black, white);
+		&rc.font_osd, black, white, false);
 
 	buf_reset(&buf);
 }
diff --git a/src/input/keyboard.c b/src/input/keyboard.c
index 98be5d11..36884144 100644
--- a/src/input/keyboard.c
+++ b/src/input/keyboard.c
@@ -444,15 +444,24 @@ handle_menu_keys(struct keysyms *syms)
 			break;
 		case XKB_KEY_Return:
 		case XKB_KEY_KP_Enter:
-			menu_call_selected_actions();
+			if (!menu_call_selected_actions()) {
+				menu_submenu_enter();
+			};
 			break;
 		case XKB_KEY_Escape:
 			menu_close_root();
 			cursor_update_focus();
 			break;
-		default:
-			continue;
-		}
+		default: {
+			uint32_t accelerator = xkb_keysym_to_utf32(syms->syms[i]);
+			if (accelerator == 0) {
+				continue;
+			}
+			if (menu_item_select_by_accelerator(accelerator)) {
+				menu_call_selected_actions();
+			}
+			break;
+		}}
 		break;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/menu/menu.c b/src/menu/menu.c
index 251f9a30..310cd736 100644
--- a/src/menu/menu.c
+++ b/src/menu/menu.c
@@ -2,12 +2,15 @@
 #define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200809L
 #include "menu/menu.h"
 #include <assert.h>
+#include <ctype.h>
 #include <libxml/parser.h>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <strings.h>
+#include <uchar.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <wctype.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_scene.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_xdg_shell.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
@@ -130,7 +133,7 @@ validate(void)
 }
 
 static struct menuitem *
-item_create(struct menu *menu, const char *text, const char *icon_name, bool show_arrow)
+item_create(struct menu *menu, char *text, const char *icon_name, bool show_arrow)
 {
 	assert(menu);
 	assert(text);
@@ -140,9 +143,52 @@ item_create(struct menu *menu, const char *text, const char *icon_name, bool sho
 	menuitem->parent = menu;
 	menuitem->selectable = true;
 	menuitem->type = LAB_MENU_ITEM;
-	menuitem->text = xstrdup(text);
 	menuitem->arrow = show_arrow ? "›" : NULL;
 
+	uint32_t accelerator = 0;
+	char *new_text = NULL;
+	char *it = text;
+	while (*it != '\0') {
+		if (*it == '_') {
+			char32_t codepoint = 0;
+			mbstate_t state = {0};
+			size_t bytes = mbrtoc32(&codepoint, it + 1,
+				MB_CUR_MAX, &state);
+			if (bytes > 0 && bytes <= 4) {
+				accelerator = (uint32_t)towlower((wint_t)codepoint);
+			}
+
+			if (*(it + 1) != '\0') {
+				int underscore_index = it - text;
+				new_text = strdup_printf("%.*s<u>%.*s</u>%s",
+					underscore_index, text, (int)bytes,
+					it + 1, it + 1 + bytes);
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+		it++;
+	}
+
+	/* Fallback to the first character of the label */
+	if (accelerator == 0 && text[0] != '\0') {
+		char32_t codepoint = 0;
+		mbstate_t state = {0};
+
+		size_t bytes = mbrtoc32(&codepoint, text, MB_CUR_MAX, &state);
+		if (bytes > 0 && bytes <= 4) {
+			accelerator = (uint32_t)towlower((wint_t)codepoint);
+		}
+	}
+
+	menuitem->accelerator = accelerator;
+	if (new_text) {
+		menuitem->text = new_text;
+		menuitem->use_markup = true;
+	} else {
+		menuitem->text = xstrdup(text);
+		menuitem->use_markup = false;
+	}
+
 #if HAVE_LIBSFDO
 	if (rc.menu_show_icons && !string_null_or_empty(icon_name)) {
 		menuitem->icon_name = xstrdup(icon_name);
@@ -213,7 +259,7 @@ item_create_scene_for_state(struct menuitem *item, float *text_color,
 	struct scaled_font_buffer *label_buffer = scaled_font_buffer_create(tree);
 	assert(label_buffer);
 	scaled_font_buffer_update(label_buffer, item->text, label_max_width,
-		&rc.font_menuitem, text_color, bg_color);
+		&rc.font_menuitem, text_color, bg_color, item->use_markup);
 	/* Vertically center and left-align label */
 	int x = theme->menu_items_padding_x + icon_width;
 	int y = (theme->menu_item_height - label_buffer->height) / 2;
@@ -227,7 +273,7 @@ item_create_scene_for_state(struct menuitem *item, float *text_color,
 	struct scaled_font_buffer *arrow_buffer = scaled_font_buffer_create(tree);
 	assert(arrow_buffer);
 	scaled_font_buffer_update(arrow_buffer, item->arrow, -1,
-		&rc.font_menuitem, text_color, bg_color);
+		&rc.font_menuitem, text_color, bg_color, false);
 	/* Vertically center and right-align arrow */
 	x += label_max_width + theme->menu_items_padding_x;
 	y = (theme->menu_item_height - label_buffer->height) / 2;
@@ -366,7 +412,7 @@ title_create_scene(struct menuitem *menuitem, int *item_y)
 		scaled_font_buffer_create(menuitem->normal_tree);
 	assert(title_font_buffer);
 	scaled_font_buffer_update(title_font_buffer, menuitem->text,
-		text_width, &rc.font_menuheader, text_color, bg_color);
+		text_width, &rc.font_menuheader, text_color, bg_color, false);
 
 	int title_x = 0;
 	switch (theme->menu_title_text_justify) {
@@ -1460,6 +1506,57 @@ menu_item_select_previous(void)
 	menu_item_select(/* forward */ false);
 }
 
+bool
+menu_item_select_by_accelerator(uint32_t accelerator)
+{
+	struct menu *menu = get_selection_leaf();
+	if (!menu || wl_list_empty(&menu->menuitems)) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	bool needs_exec = false;
+	bool matched = false;
+
+	struct menuitem *selection = menu->selection.item;
+	struct wl_list *start = selection ? &selection->link : &menu->menuitems;
+	struct wl_list *current = start;
+	struct menuitem *item = NULL;
+	struct menuitem *next_selection = NULL;
+	do {
+		current = current->next;
+		if (current == &menu->menuitems) {
+			/* Allow wrap around */
+			continue;
+		}
+		item = wl_container_of(current, item, link);
+		if (item->accelerator == accelerator) {
+			if (!matched) {
+				/* Found first match */
+				next_selection = item;
+				needs_exec = true;
+				matched = true;
+			} else {
+				/*
+				 * Found another match,
+				 * cycle selection instead of executing
+				 */
+				needs_exec = false;
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+	} while (current != start);
+
+	if (next_selection) {
+		menu_process_item_selection(next_selection);
+		if (needs_exec && next_selection->submenu) {
+			/* Since we can't execute a submenu, enter it. */
+			needs_exec = false;
+			menu_submenu_enter();
+		}
+	}
+	return needs_exec;
+}
+
 bool
 menu_call_selected_actions(void)
 {
diff --git a/src/scaled-buffer/scaled-font-buffer.c b/src/scaled-buffer/scaled-font-buffer.c
index bb93fc67..229d97d9 100644
--- a/src/scaled-buffer/scaled-font-buffer.c
+++ b/src/scaled-buffer/scaled-font-buffer.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ _create_buffer(struct scaled_buffer *scaled_buffer, double scale)
 
 	/* Buffer gets free'd automatically along the backing wlr_buffer */
 	font_buffer_create(&buffer, self->max_width, self->height, self->text,
-		&self->font, self->color, bg_pattern, scale);
+		&self->font, self->color, bg_pattern, scale, self->use_markup);
 
 	if (!buffer) {
 		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "font_buffer_create() failed");
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ _equal(struct scaled_buffer *scaled_buffer_a,
 	struct scaled_font_buffer *b = scaled_buffer_b->data;
 
 	return str_equal(a->text, b->text)
+		&& a->use_markup == b->use_markup
 		&& a->max_width == b->max_width
 		&& str_equal(a->font.name, b->font.name)
 		&& a->font.size == b->font.size
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ scaled_font_buffer_create_for_titlebar(struct wlr_scene_tree *parent,
 void
 scaled_font_buffer_update(struct scaled_font_buffer *self, const char *text,
 		int max_width, struct font *font, const float *color,
-		const float *bg_color)
+		const float *bg_color, bool use_markup)
 {
 	assert(self);
 	assert(text);
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ scaled_font_buffer_update(struct scaled_font_buffer *self, const char *text,
 
 	/* Update internal state */
 	self->text = xstrdup(text);
+	self->use_markup = use_markup;
 	self->max_width = max_width;
 	if (font->name) {
 		self->font.name = xstrdup(font->name);
diff --git a/src/ssd/resize-indicator.c b/src/ssd/resize-indicator.c
index fa1166a3..45df44e1 100644
--- a/src/ssd/resize-indicator.c
+++ b/src/ssd/resize-indicator.c
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ resize_indicator_update(struct view *view)
 	wlr_scene_node_set_position(&indicator->tree->node, x, y);
 
 	scaled_font_buffer_update(indicator->text, text, width, &rc.font_osd,
-		rc.theme->osd_label_text_color, rc.theme->osd_bg_color);
+		rc.theme->osd_label_text_color, rc.theme->osd_bg_color, false);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/ssd/ssd-titlebar.c b/src/ssd/ssd-titlebar.c
index d1a08810..816221db 100644
--- a/src/ssd/ssd-titlebar.c
+++ b/src/ssd/ssd-titlebar.c
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ ssd_update_title(struct ssd *ssd)
 		const float bg_color[4] = {0, 0, 0, 0}; /* ignored */
 		scaled_font_buffer_update(subtree->title, view->title,
 			title_bg_width, font,
-			text_color, bg_color);
+			text_color, bg_color, false);
 
 		/* And finally update the cache */
 		dstate->width = subtree->title->width;