Getting started
Keyboard shortcuts
Open Help → Keyboard shortcuts in the editor for a quick reference. This page includes the less common actions as well. ⌘/Ctrl means Command on a Mac and Control on Windows or Linux. A single-letter tool shortcut does not switch tools while you are typing in a text frame or form field.
Tools
| Key | Tool |
|---|---|
| V | Select |
| K | Scale |
| T | Text |
| R | Rectangle |
| O | Ellipse |
| L | Line |
| P | Pen |
| H | Pan |
| Shift+T | Curved text |
| Hold Space | Temporarily pan, then return to the previous tool |
Tool groups in the toolbar may offer more path and Pen choices. See The Pen tool for drawing and editing paths.
View
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ⌘/Ctrl + + | Zoom in |
| ⌘/Ctrl + − | Zoom out |
| ⌘/Ctrl + 0 | Fit the design in view |
| ⌘/Ctrl + 1 | Show at 100% |
| W | Preview display |
| Shift+W | Outline display |
| ⌘/Ctrl + . | Enter or exit slide presentation |
The presentation guide covers page navigation, touch controls, and fullscreen. Escape exits the presentation.
Edit and arrange
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ⌘/Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| ⌘/Ctrl + Shift+Z | Redo |
| ⌘/Ctrl + C / X / V | Copy / cut / paste |
| ⌘/Ctrl + Shift+V | Paste in place |
| ⌘/Ctrl + D | Duplicate |
| ⌘/Ctrl + A | Select all |
| Delete or Backspace | Delete selection |
| ⌘/Ctrl + G | Group |
| ⌘/Ctrl + Shift+G | Ungroup |
| ⌘/Ctrl + [ or ] | Send backward or bring forward |
| ⌘/Ctrl + Shift+[ or Shift+] | Send to back or bring to front |
| ⌘/Ctrl + Alt+M | Make a clipping mask |
| ⌘/Ctrl + Alt+Shift+M | Release a clipping mask |
| ⌘/Ctrl + Alt+C | Copy appearance |
| ⌘/Ctrl + Alt+V | Paste appearance |
See Effects and appearance for what the appearance commands copy.
Text, search, and saving
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ⌘/Ctrl + B / I / U | Bold / italic / underline while editing text |
| ⌘/Ctrl + F | Open Find/Change |
| ⌘/Ctrl + S | Save the design |
| Number keys 1–9 | Set selected object opacity to 10–90% |
| 0 | Set selected object opacity to 100% |
| Arrow keys | Nudge the selection |
| Shift+arrow | Nudge by a larger step |
Escape leaves the current edit or tool step by step. If a key seems inactive, click the canvas or press Escape to return focus to it. For a phone or tablet, see the mobile editor guide.