Keys for selecting tools

Artboard tool Shift + O 

Selection tool V

Direct Selection tool A

Magic Wand tool Y 

Lasso tool Q 

Pen tool P

Blob Brush tool Shift + B 

Add Anchor Point tool + (plus) 

Delete Anchor Point tool - (minus) 

Convert Anchor Point tool Shift + C 

Type tool T

Line Segment tool \ (backslash) 

Rectangle tool M 

Ellipse tool L

Paintbrush tool B 

Pencil tool N

Rotate tool R

Reflect tool O

Scale tool S

Warp tool Shift + R 

Width tool Shift+W

Free Transform tool E 

Shape Builder Tool Shift+M

Perspective Grid Tool Shift+P 

Perspective Selection Tool Shift+V 

Symbol Sprayer tool Shift + S 

Column Graph tool J

Mesh tool U 

Gradient tool G

Eyedropper tool I

Blend tool W 

Live Paint Bucket tool K 

Live Paint Selection tool Shift + L 

Slice tool Shift + K

Eraser tool Shift + E 

Scissors tool C

Hand tool H 

Zoom tool Z

Switch to Smooth tool while using Blob Brush tool Press Alt 


Keys for viewing artwork

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not
displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Toggle between screen modes: Normal Screen Mode, Full Screen Mode with Menu Bar, Full Screen Mode F

Fit imageable area in window Double-click Hand tool

Magnify 100% Double-click Zoom tool

Switch to Hand tool (when not in text-edit mode) Spacebar 

Switch to Zoom tool in magnify mode Ctrl + Spacebar 

Switch to Zoom tool in reduce mode Ctrl + Alt + Spacebar 

Move Zoom marquee while dragging with the Zoom tool Spacebar 

Hide unselected artwork Control + Alt + Shift + 3

Convert between horizontal and vertical guide Alt-drag guide

Release guide Ctrl + Shift-double-click guide

Show/Hide artboards Ctrl + Shift + H

Show/Hide artboard rulers Ctrl + Alt + R

View all artboards in window Ctrl + Alt + 0 (zero)

Paste in place on the active artboard Ctrl+Shift+V 

Exit Artboard tool mode Esc

Create artboard inside another artboard Shift-drag 

Select multiple artboards in the Artboards panel Ctrl + click

Navigate to next document Ctrl + F6

Navigate to previous document Ctrl + Shift + F6

Navigate to next document group Ctrl + Alt + F6

Navigate to previous document group Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F6

Exit Full Screen mode Esc 

Save multiple artboards to Illustrator CS3 or earlier format Alt + v


Keys for drawing

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.

Constrain a shape’s proportions or orientation to:

• Equal height and width for rectangles, rounded rectangles, ellipses, and grids Shift-drag 
• Increments of 45° for line and arc segments Shift-drag 
• Original orientation for polygons, stars, and flares Shift-drag 

Move a shape while drawing it spacebar-drag

Draw from the center of a shape (except for polygons, stars, and flares) Alt-drag

Increase or decrease polygon sides, star points, arc angle, spiral winds, or flare rays Start dragging, then press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Keep the inner radius of a star constant Start dragging, then hold down Ctrl

Keep the sides of a star straight Alt-drag

Switch between an open and closed arc Start dragging, then hold down C

Flip an arc, keeping the reference point constant Start dragging, then hold down F

Add or subtract winds from a spiral while increasing the length of the spiral Start dragging, then Alt-drag

Change the decay rate of a spiral Start dragging then Ctrl-drag

Add or remove horizontal lines from a rectangular grid or concentric lines from a polar grid Start dragging, then press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Add or remove vertical lines from a rectangular grid or radial lines from a polar grid Start dragging, then press the Right Arrow or Left Arrow

Decrease the skew value for horizontal dividers in a rectangular grid or radial dividers in a polar grid by 10% Start dragging, then press F

Increase the skew value for horizontal dividers in a rectangular grid or radial dividers in a polar grid by 10% Start dragging, then press V

Decrease the skew value for vertical dividers in a rectangular grid or concentric dividers in a polar grid by 10% Start dragging, then press X

Increase the skew value for vertical dividers in a rectangular grid or concentric dividers in a polar grid by 10% Start dragging, then press C

Create and expand a Live Trace object in one step Alt-click Live Trace in the Control panel, or hold down Alt and select a tracing preset

Increase size of Blob Brush ] (right square bracket) 

Decrease size of Blob Brush [ (left square bracket)

Constrain Blob Brush path horizontally or vertically Shift

Switch through drawing modes Shift+D

Join two or more paths Select the paths, then press Ctrl+J

Create corner or smooth join Select the paths, then press Shift+Ctrl+Alt+j


Keys for drawing in perspective

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Perspective Grid Tool Shift+P

Perspective Selection Tool Shift+V

Perspective Grid Ctrl+Shift+I


Moving objects perpendicularly Press the number 5 key, then click and drag the object

Switching perspective planes Use the Perspective Selection tool and then press 1 for left grid, 2 for horizontal grid, 3 for right grid, or 4 for no active grid

Copying objects in perspective Ctrl+Alt+drag 

Repeat transforming objects in perspective Ctrl+D

Switching between drawing modes Shift+D


Keys for selecting

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Switch to last-used selection tool (Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, or Group Selection tool) Ctrl 

Switch between Direct Selection tool and Group Selection tool

Add to a selection with Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, Group Selection tool, Live Paint Selection tool, or Magic Wand tool

Subtract a selection with Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, Group Selection tool, or LIve Paint Selection tool

Subtract from selection with Magic Wand tool Alt-click

Add to selection with Lasso tool Shift-drag

Subtract from selection with Lasso tool Alt-drag 

Change pointer to cross hair for Lasso tool Caps Lock

Select artwork in active artboard Ctrl + Alt + A

Create crop marks around selected object Alt + c + o

Select behind an object Press Ctrl+click twice

Select behind in isolation mode Ctrl+click twice


Keys for moving selections

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Move selection in user-defined increments

Move selection in 10x user-
defined increments

Lock all deselected artwork Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 2 Command + Option + Shift

Constrain movement to 45° angle (except when using Reflect tool)



Right Arrow, Left Arrow,

Up Arrow, or Down Arrow

Shift + Right Arrow, Left

Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down

Arrow

Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up

Arrow, or Down Arrow

Shift + Right Arrow, Left

Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down

Arrow

+ 2

Hold down Shift Hold down Shift

Set keyboard increments in General Preferences

Keys for editing shapes

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Switch Pen tool to Convert Anchor Point tool Alt Option

Switch between Add Anchor Point tool and Delete

Anchor Point tool

Switch Scissors tool to Add Anchor Point tool Alt Option

Switch Pencil tool to Smooth tool Alt Option

Move current anchor point while drawing with Pen

tool

Cut a straight line with Knife tool Alt-drag Option-drag

Cut at 45° or 90° with Knife tool Shift + Alt-drag Shift + Option-
drag

Use shape mode buttons in Pathfinder panel to create

compound paths

Erase unwanted closed regions created using Shape

Builder tool

Select the Shape Builder tool Shift+M Shift+M

Display rectangular marquee to easily merge multiple

paths (when using Shape Builder tool)

Alt Option

Spacebar-drag Spacebar-drag

Alt + Shape

mode

Alt+click the

closed region

Option + Shape

mode

Option+click

the closed

region

Shift+click+drag Shift+click+drag


Keys for painting objects

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Toggle between fill and

stroke

Set fill and stroke to default D D

Swap fill and stroke Shift + X Shift + X

Select gradient fill mode > >

Select color fill mode < <

Select no stroke/fill mode / (forward slash) / (forward slash)

Sample color from an image

or intermediate color from

gradient

Sample style and append

appearance of currently

selected item

Add new fill Ctrl + / (forward slash) Command + / (forward slash)

Add new stroke Ctrl + Alt + / (forward

Reset gradient to black and Ctrl-click gradient button Command-click gradient



X X

Shift + Eyedropper tool Shift + Eyedropper tool

Alt + Shift-click +

Eyedropper tool

Option + Shift-click +

Eyedropper tool

slash)

Command + Option + /

(forward slash)



white in Tools panel or Gradient

Open Mosaic options for

selected raster object

Decrease Bristle brush size [ [

Increase Bristle brush size ] ]

Set Bristle brush paint opacity

value

button in Tools panel or

Gradient panel

panel

Alt + o + j

Number keys 1 - 0.

Number key 1 increases

the value to 10%

Number key 0 increases

the value to 100%

Number keys 1 - 0.

Number key 1 increases the

value to 10%

Number key 0 increases the

value to 100%

Keys for working with Live Paint groups

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.



Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample fill and/or

stroke

Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample color from an

image or intermediate color from a gradient

Select opposite Live Paint Bucket tool options (if

Paint Fills and Paint Strokes are currently selected,

switch to Paint Fills only)

Fill across unstroked edges into adjacent faces Double-click +

To the top

Fill all faces that have same fill and stroke all edges

that have same stroke

Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample fill and/or

stroke

Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample color from an

image or intermediate color from a gradient

Add to/subtract from a selection Shift-click + Live

Select all connected faces /edges with same

fill/stroke

Select all faces/edges with same fill/stroke Triple-click +

Alt-click + Live

Paint Bucket

tool

Alt + Shift-click

+ Live Paint

Bucket tool

Shift + Live

Paint Bucket

tool

Live Paint

Bucket tool

Triple-click +

Live Paint

Bucket tool

Alt-click + Live

Paint Selection

tool

Alt + Shift-click

+ Live Paint

Selection tool

Paint Selection

tool

Double-click +

Live Paint

Selection tool

Live Paint

Selection tool

Option-click +

Live Paint Bucket

tool

Option + Shift-
click + Live Paint

Bucket tool

Shift + Live Paint

Bucket tool

Double-click +

Live Paint Bucket

tool

Triple-click + Live

Paint Bucket tool

Option-click +

Live Paint

Selection tool

Option + Shift-
click + Live Paint

Selection tool

Shift-click + Live

Paint Selection

tool

Double-click +

Live Paint

Selection tool

Triple-click + Live

Paint Selection

tool


Keys for transforming objects

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.



Set origin point and open dialog box when using Rotate tool, Scale

tool, Reflect tool, or Shear tool

Duplicate and transform selection when using Selection tool, Scale

tool, Reflect tool, or Shear tool

Transform pattern (independent of object) when using Selection tool,

Scale tool, Reflect tool, or Shear tool


Alt-click Option-
click

Alt-drag Option-
drag

Tilde (~)-

drag

Tilde

(~)-

drag

Keys for creating variable width points

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.



Select multiple width points Shift+click Shift+click

Create non-uniform widths Alt+drag Option+drag

Create a copy of the width point Alt+drag the width

Change the position of multiple width

points

Delete selected width point Delete Delete

Deselect a width point Esc Esc



Options+drag the width

point

point

Shift+drag Shift+drag

Keys for working with type

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Move one character right or left Right Arrow or Left

Move up or down one line Up Arrow or Down

Move one word right or left Ctrl + Right Arrow or

Move up or down one paragraph Ctrl + Up Arrow or

Select one word right or left Shift + Ctrl + Right

Select one paragraph before or

after


Arrow

Arrow

Left Arrow

Down Arrow

Arrow or Left Arrow

Shift + Ctrl + Up Arrow

or Down Arrow

Right Arrow or Left Arrow

Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Command + Right Arrow

or Left Arrow

Command + Up Arrow or

Down Arrow

Shift + Command + Right

Arrow or Left Arrow

Shift + Command + Up

Arrow or Down Arrow


Extend existing selection Shift-click Shift-click

Align paragraph left, right, or

center

Justify paragraph Ctrl + Shift + J Command + Shift + J

Insert soft return Shift + Enter Shift + Return

Highlight kerning Ctrl + Alt + K Command + Option + K

Reset horizontalscale to 100% Ctrl + Shift + X Command + Shift + X

Increase or decrease type size Ctrl + Shift + > or < Command + Shift + > or <

Increase or decrease leading Alt + Up or Down Arrow

Ctrl + Shift + L, R, or C Command + Shift + L, R, or

C

(horizontal text) or

Right or Left Arrow

(vertical text)

Option + Up or Down

Arrow (horizontal text) or

Right or Left Arrow (vertical

text)

Reset tracking/kerning to 0 Ctrl + Alt + Q Command + Option + Q

Increase or decrease kerning and

tracking

Increase or decrease kerning and

tracking by five times

Alt + Right or Left

Arrow (horizontal text)

or Up or Down Arrow

(vertical text)

Ctrl + Alt + Right or Left

Arrow (horizontal text)

or Up or Down Arrow

(vertical text)

Increase or decrease baseline shift Alt + Shift + Up or Down

Arrow (horizontal text)

or Right or Left Arrow

(vertical text)

Shift Shift

Option + Right or Left

Arrow (horizontal text) or

Up or Down Arrow (vertical

text)

Command + Option +

Right or Left Arrow

(horizontal text) or Up or

Down Arrow (vertical text)

Option + Shift + Up or

Down Arrow (horizontal

text) or Right or Left Arrow

(vertical text)

Switch between Type and Vertical

Type, Area Type and Vertical Area

Type, and Path Type and Vertical

Path Type tools

Switch between Area Type and

Path Type, Vertical Area Type and

Vertical Path Type tools

To change the increment value for type shortcuts, choose Edit > Preferences >Type (Windows)

or Illustrator > Preferences >Type (Mac OS). Enter the values you want in the Size/Leading, Baseline

Shift, and Tracking text boxes, and click OK.


Keys for using panels

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Set options (except for Actions, Brushes, Swatches, and

Symbols panels)

Delete without confirmation (except for Layers panel) Alt-click

Alt Option



Alt-click New

button

Delete

button

Option-click

New button

Option-click

Delete button

Apply value and keep text box active Shift + Enter Shift + Return




Select range of actions, brushes, layers, links, styles, or

swatches

Select noncontiguous actions, brushes, layers (same

level only), links, styles, or swatches

Show/Hide all panels Tab Tab

Show/Hide all panels except the Tools panel and Control

panel

Shift-click Shift-click

Ctrl-click Command-click

Shift + Tab Shift + Tab

Keys for the Actions panel

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.



Expand/Collapse entire

hierarchy for action set

Set options for action set Double-click folder icon Double-click folder icon

Play a single command Ctrl-click Play Current

Begin recording actions

without confirmation



Alt-click expansion

triangle

Option-click expansion

triangle

Selection button

Alt-click New Action

button

Command-click Play Current

Selection button

Option-click New Action

button

Keys for the Brushes panel

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Open Brush Options dialog

box

Duplicate brush Drag brush to New Brush



Double-click brush Double-click brush

button

Drag brush to New Brush

button

Keys for the Character and Paragraph panels

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not

displayed in menu commands or tool tips.

Result Windows Mac OS

Increase/decrease the selected value by a

small increment

Increase/decreases the selected value by

a large increment

Highlight the font name field in the

Character panel



Up Arrow or Down

Arrow

Shift + Up Arrow or

Down Arrow

Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F Command + Option +

Up Arrow or Down

Arrow

Shift + Up Arrow or

Down Arrow

Shift + F

Keys for the Color panel

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Select the complement for the

current color fill/stroke

Change the nonactive fill/stroke Alt-click color bar Option-click color bar

Select the complement for the

nonactive fill/stroke

Select the inverse for the current

fill/stroke

Select the inverse for the

nonactive fill/stroke

Change the color mode Shift-click color bar Shift-click color bar

Move color sliders in tandem Shift-drag color slider Shift-drag color slider

Switch between percentage and 0-

255 values for RGB

Ctrl-click color bar Command-click color bar

Ctrl + Alt-click color bar Command + Option-click

Ctrl + Shift-click color bar Command + Shift-click

Ctrl + Shift + Alt-click

color bar

color bar

color bar

Command + Shift +

Option-click color bar

Double-click to right of a

numerical field

Double-click to right of a

numerical field

Keys for the Gradient panel

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Duplicate color stops Alt-drag Option-drag

Swap color stops Alt-drag color stop onto

Apply swatch color to active (or

selected) color stop

Reset the gradient fill to default

black and white linear gradient

Show/Hide gradient arrow Ctrl + Alt + G Command + Option + G

Modify angle and end-point

together

Constrain Gradient tool or

Gradient annotator while

dragging

View Gradient annotator in

selected gradient filled object


another stop

Alt-click swatch in the

Swatches panel

Ctrl-click Gradient Fill

box in the Gradient

panel

Option-drag color stop onto

another color stop

Option-click swatch in the

Swatches panel

Command-click Gradient Fill

box in the Gradient panel

Alt-drag end point of

gradient annotator

Shift-drag Shift-drag

Option-drag end point of

gradient annotator

G G

Keys for the Layers panel

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not

displayed in menu commands or tool tips.



Select all objects on the layer Alt-click layer name Option-click layer name

Show/hide all layers but the

selected one

Select Outline/Preview view for

the selected layer

Selects Outline/Preview view for

all other layers

Lock/unlock all other layers Alt-click lock icon Option-click lock icon

Expand allsublayers to display

entire hierarchy

Set options as you create new

layer

Set options as you create new

sublayer

Place new sublayer at bottom of

layer list

Place layer at top of layer list Ctrl-click New Layer

Place layer below selected layer Ctrl + Alt-click New

Copy the selection to a layer,

sublayer, or group

Alt-click eye icon Option-click eye icon

Ctrl-click eye icon Command-click eye icon

Ctrl + Alt-click eye icon Command + Option-click eye

icon

Alt-click expansion

triangle

Alt-click New Layer

button

Alt-click New Sublayer

button

Ctrl + Alt-click New

Sublayer button

button

Layer button

Alt-drag selection Option-drag selection

Option-click expansion triangle

Option-click New Layer button

Option-click New Sublayer

button

Command + Option-click New

Sublayer button

Command-click New Layer

button

Command + Option-click New

Layer button


Keys for the Swatches panel

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not

displayed in menu commands or tool tips.



Create new spot color Ctrl-click New Swatch

Create new global

process color

Replace swatch with

another



button

Ctrl + Shift-click New Swatch

button

Alt-drag a swatch over

another

Command-click New Swatch

button

Command + Shift-click New

Swatch button

Option-drag a swatch over

another

Keys for the Transform panel

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not

displayed in menu commands or tool tips.



Apply a value and keep focus in edit field Shift +

Apply a value and copy object Alt +

Apply a value and scale option proportionately for width Ctrl + Command +



Enter

Enter

Shift + Return

Option + Return

or height Enter Return

Keys for the Transparency panel

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.



Change mask to grayscale

image for editing

Disable opacity mask Shift-click on mask thumbnail Shift-click on mask thumbnail

Re-enable opacity mask Shift-click on disabled mask Shift-click on disabled mask thumbnail


Increase/decrease opacity in 1% increments Click opacity field + Up Arrow or Down Arrow


Increase/decrease opacity in 10% increments Shift-click opacity field + Up Arrow or Down Arrow


Function keys

This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not
displayed in menu commands or tool tips.


Invoke Help F1

Cut F2

Copy F3

Paste F4

Show/hide Brushes panel F5

Show/hide Color panel F6

Show/hide Layers panel F7

Create new symbol F8

Show/hide Info panel Ctrl + F8

Show/hide Gradient panel Ctrl + F9

Show/hide Stroke panel Ctrl + F10

Show/hide Attributes panel Ctrl + F11

Revert F12

Show/hide Graphic Styles panel Shift + F5

Show/hide Appearance panel Shift + F6

Show/hide Align panel Shift + F7

Show/hide Transform panel Shift + F8

Show/hide Pathfinder panel Shift + Ctrl + F9

Show/hide Transparency panel Shift + Ctrl + F10

Show/hide Symbols panel Shift + Ctrl + F11

Show/hide perspective grid Ctrl+Shift+I

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