Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts

Q: What is the fastest way to find Illustrator shortcuts on this page?

Use the search box or press /, then type an action such as selection tool.

Q: Can I print this Illustrator shortcut cheat sheet?

Yes. Use the Print / PDF button or your browser print command to save a compact cheat sheet.

Q: Which operating systems are included for Illustrator?

This reference includes shortcuts for Windows · macOS. Availability depends on the action and app version.

Cheat sheet guide

Illustrator shortcuts worth learning first

This page collects 161 searchable Illustrator keyboard shortcuts across 6 categories. Start with the shortcuts for Tools, Edit, Object, View, then print the cheat sheet once the important ones are worth keeping nearby.

Selection toolV
UndoCtrlZ
GroupCtrlG
Zoom InCtrl=
Increase font sizeCtrlShift>
NewCtrlN

Tools

40 shortcuts

Selection tool

V

Direct Selection tool

A

Pen tool

P

Add Anchor Point

+

Delete Anchor Point

-

Type tool

T

Line Segment tool

\

Rectangle tool

M

Ellipse tool

L

Paintbrush tool

B

Pencil tool

N

Rotate tool

R

Scale tool

S

Reflect tool

O

Shear tool

W

Width tool

ShiftW

Shift+W

Eyedropper tool

I

Blend tool

W

Gradient tool

G

Hand tool

H

Zoom tool

Z

Select Artboard tool

ShiftO

Shift+O

Select Magic Wand tool

Y

Select Lasso tool

Q

Select Blob Brush tool

ShiftB

Shift+B

Select Anchor Point tool

ShiftC

Shift+C

Select Touch Type tool

ShiftT

Shift+T

Select Shaper tool

ShiftN

Shift+N

Select Warp tool

ShiftR

Shift+R

Select Free Transform tool

E

Select Perspective Grid tool

ShiftP

Shift+P

Select Perspective Selection tool

ShiftV

Shift+V

Select Symbol Sprayer tool

ShiftS

Shift+S

Select Column Graph tool

J

Select Mesh tool

U

Select Live Paint Bucket tool

K

Select Live Paint Selection tool

ShiftL

Shift+L

Select Slice tool

ShiftK

Shift+K

Select Eraser tool

ShiftE

Shift+E

Select Scissors tool

C

Edit

15 shortcuts

Undo

CtrlZ

Ctrl+Z · Cmd+Z

Redo

CtrlShiftZ

Ctrl+Shift+Z · Cmd+Shift+Z

Cut

CtrlX

Ctrl+X · Cmd+X

Copy

CtrlC

Ctrl+C · Cmd+C

Paste

CtrlV

Ctrl+V · Cmd+V

Paste in Front

CtrlF

Ctrl+F · Cmd+F

Paste in Back

CtrlB

Ctrl+B · Cmd+B

Paste in Place

CtrlShiftV

Ctrl+Shift+V · Cmd+Shift+V

Select All

CtrlA

Ctrl+A · Cmd+A

Deselect All

CtrlShiftA

Ctrl+Shift+A · Cmd+Shift+A

Find / Replace

CtrlF

Ctrl+F · Cmd+F

Check spelling

CtrlI

Ctrl+I · Cmd+I

Open Color Settings

CtrlShiftK

Ctrl+Shift+K · Cmd+Shift+K

Open Keyboard Shortcuts settings

CtrlAltShiftK

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+K · Cmd+Opt+Shift+K

Open Preferences

CtrlK

Ctrl+K · Cmd+K

Object

35 shortcuts

Group

CtrlG

Ctrl+G · Cmd+G

Ungroup

CtrlShiftG

Ctrl+Shift+G · Cmd+Shift+G

Bring to Front

CtrlShift]

Ctrl+Shift+] · Cmd+Shift+]

Bring Forward

Ctrl]

Ctrl+] · Cmd+]

Send Backward

Ctrl[

Ctrl+[ · Cmd+[

Send to Back

CtrlShift[

Ctrl+Shift+[ · Cmd+Shift+[

Lock

Ctrl2

Ctrl+2 · Cmd+2

Unlock All

CtrlAlt2

Ctrl+Alt+2 · Cmd+Opt+2

Hide

Ctrl3

Ctrl+3 · Cmd+3

Show All

CtrlAlt3

Ctrl+Alt+3 · Cmd+Opt+3

Transform Again

CtrlD

Ctrl+D · Cmd+D

Expand

No default shortcut

Make Clipping Mask

Ctrl7

Ctrl+7 · Cmd+7

Release Clipping Mask

CtrlAlt7

Ctrl+Alt+7 · Cmd+Opt+7

Toggle Lasso precision cursor

CapsLock

CapsLock

Select artwork on active artboard

CtrlAltA

Ctrl+Alt+A · Cmd+Opt+A

Reselect previous selection

Ctrl6

Ctrl+6 · Cmd+6

Lock all unselected artwork

CtrlAltShift2

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+2 · Cmd+Opt+Shift+2

Make compound path

Ctrl8

Ctrl+8 · Cmd+8

Release compound path

CtrlAltShift8

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+8 · Cmd+Opt+Shift+8

Blend objects

CtrlAltB

Ctrl+Alt+B · Cmd+Opt+B

Make warp envelope distortion

CtrlAltShiftW

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+W · Cmd+Opt+Shift+W

Make mesh envelope distortion

CtrlAltM

Ctrl+Alt+M · Cmd+Opt+M

Make envelope from top object

CtrlAltC

Ctrl+Alt+C · Cmd+Opt+C

Repeat last Pathfinder effect

Ctrl4

Ctrl+4 · Cmd+4

Open Transform Each

CtrlAltShiftD

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+D · Cmd+Opt+Shift+D

Toggle fill and stroke target

X

Reset fill and stroke to defaults

D

Swap fill and stroke colors

ShiftX

Shift+X

Create Live Paint with Paint Bucket active

CtrlAltX

Ctrl+Alt+X · Cmd+Opt+X

Add layer

CtrlL

Ctrl+L · Cmd+L

Add layer using New Layer dialog

CtrlAltL

Ctrl+Alt+L · Cmd+Opt+L

Apply Transform value and copy object

AltEnter

Alt+Enter · Opt+Enter

Apply proportional width or height value

CtrlEnter

Ctrl+Enter · Cmd+Enter

Apply last effect to selected object

CtrlShiftE

Ctrl+Shift+E · Cmd+Shift+E

Apply last effect with settings dialog

CtrlAltShiftE

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E · Cmd+Opt+Shift+E

View

26 shortcuts

Zoom In

Ctrl=

Ctrl+= · Cmd+=

Zoom Out

Ctrl-

Ctrl+- · Cmd+-

Fit to window

Ctrl0

Ctrl+0 · Cmd+0

Actual size (100%)

Ctrl1

Ctrl+1 · Cmd+1

Show / Hide Rulers

CtrlR

Ctrl+R · Cmd+R

Show / Hide Grid

Ctrl'

Ctrl+' · Cmd+'

Snap to Grid

CtrlShift'

Ctrl+Shift+' · Cmd+Shift+'

Show / Hide Guides

Ctrl;

Ctrl+; · Cmd+;

Lock Guides

CtrlAlt;

Ctrl+Alt+; · Cmd+Opt+;

Outline / Preview mode

CtrlY

Ctrl+Y · Cmd+Y

Cycle screen modes

F

Temporarily select Zoom In

CtrlSpace

Ctrl+Space · Cmd+Space

Temporarily select Zoom Out

CtrlAltSpace

Ctrl+Alt+Space · Cmd+Opt+Space

Hide bounding box

CtrlShiftB

Ctrl+Shift+B · Cmd+Shift+B

Hide unselected artwork

CtrlAltShift3

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+3 · Cmd+Opt+Shift+3

Toggle artboards

CtrlShiftH

Ctrl+Shift+H · Cmd+Shift+H

Show transparency grid

CtrlShiftD

Ctrl+Shift+D · Cmd+Shift+D

Fit all artboards in window

CtrlAlt0

Ctrl+Alt+0 · Cmd+Opt+0

Toggle GPU and CPU Preview

CtrlE

Ctrl+E · Cmd+E

Show Overprint Preview

CtrlAltShiftY

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Y · Cmd+Opt+Shift+Y

Show Pixel Preview

CtrlAltY

Ctrl+Alt+Y · Cmd+Opt+Y

Make guides

Ctrl5

Ctrl+5 · Cmd+5

Toggle Smart Guides

CtrlU

Ctrl+U · Cmd+U

Cycle measurement units

CtrlAltShiftU

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+U · Cmd+Opt+Shift+U

Toggle all panels

Tab

Tab

Toggle panels except Tools and Control

ShiftTab

Shift+Tab

Type

28 shortcuts

Increase font size

CtrlShift>

Ctrl+Shift+> · Cmd+Shift+>

Decrease font size

CtrlShift<

Ctrl+Shift+< · Cmd+Shift+<

Increase tracking

AltRight

Alt+Right · Opt+Right

Decrease tracking

AltLeft

Alt+Left · Opt+Left

Align left

CtrlShiftL

Ctrl+Shift+L · Cmd+Shift+L

Align center

CtrlShiftC

Ctrl+Shift+C · Cmd+Shift+C

Align right

CtrlShiftR

Ctrl+Shift+R · Cmd+Shift+R

Justify

CtrlShiftJ

Ctrl+Shift+J · Cmd+Shift+J

Move caret one word right

Ctrl→

Ctrl+→ · Cmd+→

Select one word right

CtrlShift→

Ctrl+Shift+→ · Cmd+Shift+→

Select to previous paragraph

CtrlShift↑

Ctrl+Shift+↑ · Cmd+Shift+↑

Justify all paragraph lines

CtrlShiftF

Ctrl+Shift+F · Cmd+Shift+F

Reset horizontal text scale to 100%

CtrlShiftX

Ctrl+Shift+X · Cmd+Shift+X

Increase font size by larger steps

CtrlAltShift.

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+. · Cmd+Opt+Shift+.

Decrease leading in horizontal text

Alt↑

Alt+↑ · Opt+↑

Reset tracking and kerning to zero

CtrlAltQ

Ctrl+Alt+Q · Cmd+Opt+Q

Increase kerning or tracking fivefold

CtrlAlt→

Ctrl+Alt+→ · Cmd+Opt+→

Raise baseline in horizontal text

—

Opt+Shift+↑

Create text outlines

CtrlShiftO

Ctrl+Shift+O · Cmd+Shift+O

Open Character panel

CtrlT

Ctrl+T · Cmd+T

Open Paragraph panel

CtrlAltT

Ctrl+Alt+T · Cmd+Opt+T

Open Tabs panel

CtrlShiftT

Ctrl+Shift+T · Cmd+Shift+T

Open OpenType panel

CtrlAltShiftT

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T · Cmd+Opt+Shift+T

Toggle automatic hyphenation

CtrlAltShiftH

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+H · Cmd+Opt+Shift+H

Insert thin space

CtrlAltShiftM

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+M · Cmd+Opt+Shift+M

Show hidden characters

CtrlAltI

Ctrl+Alt+I · Cmd+Opt+I

Focus font name in Character panel

CtrlAltShiftF

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F · Cmd+Opt+Shift+F

Toggle line composer

CtrlAltShiftC

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C

File

16 shortcuts

New

CtrlN

Ctrl+N · Cmd+N

Open

CtrlO

Ctrl+O · Cmd+O

Save

CtrlS

Ctrl+S · Cmd+S

Save As

CtrlShiftS

Ctrl+Shift+S · Cmd+Shift+S

Export As

CtrlAltShiftS

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S · Cmd+Opt+Shift+S

Place

CtrlShiftP

Ctrl+Shift+P · Cmd+Shift+P

CtrlP

Ctrl+P · Cmd+P

CtrlW

Ctrl+W · Cmd+W

Create document without dialog

CtrlAltN

Ctrl+Alt+N · Cmd+Opt+N

Open File Information

CtrlAltShiftI

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I · Cmd+Opt+Shift+I

Open Document Setup

CtrlAltP

Ctrl+Alt+P · Cmd+Opt+P

Browse in Adobe Bridge

CtrlAltO

Ctrl+Alt+O · Cmd+Opt+O

Save a copy of the document

CtrlAltS

Ctrl+Alt+S · Cmd+Opt+S

Open Export for Screens

CtrlAltE

Ctrl+Alt+E · Cmd+Opt+E

Package document

CtrlAltShiftP

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+P · Cmd+Opt+Shift+P

Quit Illustrator

CtrlQ

Ctrl+Q · Cmd+Q

Documentation check for this addition

89 additional actions were checked against the official documentation on 2026-11-02. Existing actions were retained. These are documentary checks, not tests in installed applications. A dash means this batch does not provide a verified binding for that system. Context such as PDF viewer, text field or address bar is part of the action.

Illustrator