Transport of macromolecules into and out of the nucleus is regulated by the nuclear pore complex (NPC). A new study shows that mechanical force applied on the nucleus affects the transport rates across the NPC’s diffusion barrier, modulating the nuclear localization of certain cargos, including some transcriptional regulators. These results suggest that mechanosensing by the NPC could be a general mechanism for triggering signaling pathways in response to mechanical force exerted on the cell.