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Keyboard Shortcuts
Adobe Illustrator CS5
If a command on a menu includes a keyboard reference, known as a keyboard short-
cut, to the right of the command name, you can perform the action by pressing and
holding the first key, and then pressing the second key to perform the command
quickly. In some cases, a keyboard shortcut uses three keys. Simply press and hold
the first two keys, and then press the third key. Keyboard shortcuts provide an alter-
native to using the mouse and make it easy to perform repetitive commands.
If youre searching for new keyboard shortcuts in Illustrator CS5, just look for the
letter: N. The N appears in the Keyboard Shortcuts table so you can quickly and eas-
ily identify new or changed shortcuts.
Command Windows Macintosh
Selecting Tools
Artboard tool Shift + O Shift + O
Selection tool V V
Direct Selection tool A A
Magic Wand tool Y Y
Lasso tool Q Q
Pen tool P P
Blob Brush tool Shift + B Shift + B
Add Anchor Point tool + (plus) + (plus)
Delete Anchor Point tool - (minus) - (minus)
Convert Anchor Point tool Shift + C Shift + C
Type tool T T
Line Segment tool \ (backslash)
Rectangle tool M M
Ellipse tool L L
Keyboard Shortcuts
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Command Windows Macintosh
Paintbrush tool B B
Pencil tool N N
Rotate tool R R
Reflect tool O O
Scale tool S S
Warp tool Shift + R Shift + R
Width tool N Shift + W Shift + W
Free Transform tool E E
Shape Builder tool N Shift + M Shift + M
Perspective Grid tool N Shift + P Shift + P
Perspective Selection tool N Shift + V Shift + V
Symbol Sprayer tool Shift + S Shift + S
Column Graph tool J J
Mesh tool U U
Gradient tool G G
Eyedropper tool I I
Blend tool W W
Live Paint Bucket tool K K
Live Paint Selection tool Shift + L Shift + L
Slice tool Shift + K Shift + K
Eraser tool Shift + E Shift + E
Scissors tool C C
Hand tool H H
Zoom tool Z Z
Switch to Smooth tool while using Press Alt Press Option
Blob Brush tool
Viewing Artwork
Toggle between screen modes: Normal F F
Screen Mode, Full Screen Mode with
Menu Bar, Full Screen Mode
Fit imageable area in window Double-click Hand tool Double-click Hand tool
Magnify 100% Double-click Zoom tool Double-click Zoom tool
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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Command Windows Macintosh
Switch to Hand tool (when not in Spacebar Spacebar
text-edit mode)
Switch to Zoom tool in magnify mode Ctrl + Spacebar Spacebar + A
Switch to Zoom tool in reduce mode Ctrl + Alt + Spacebar Spacebar + A+ Option
Move Zoom marquee while dragging Spacebar Spacebar
with the Zoom tool
Hide unselected artwork Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 3 A+ Option + Shift + 3
Convert between horizontal and Alt-drag guide Option-drag guide
vertical guide
Release guide Ctrl + Shift-double-click guide A+ Shift-double-
click guide
Show/Hide artboards Ctrl + Shift + H Option + Shift + H
Show/Hide artboard rulers Ctrl + Alt + R A+ Option + R
View all artboards in window Ctrl + Alt + 0 (zero) A+ Option + 0
(zero)
Paste in place on active artboard N Ctrl + Shift + V A+ Shift + V
Exit Artboard tool mode Esc Esc
Select artboard in Artboards panel N Ctrl + click A+ click
Create artboard inside another artboard Shift-drag Shift-drag
Navigate to next document Ctrl + F6 A+
Navigate to previous document Ctrl + Shift + F6 A+ Shift +
Navigate to next document group Ctrl + Alt + F6 A+ Option +
Navigate to previous document group Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F6 A+ Option + Shift +
Exit Full Screen mode Esc Esc
Save multiple artboards to Illustrator Alt + v Option + v
CS3 or earlier format
Drawing
Constrain a shapes proportions or Esc Esc
orientation to: equal height and width for
rectangles, rounded rectangles, ellipses,
and grids; Increments of 45 for line and
arc segments; Original orientation for
polygons, stars, and flares
Move a shape while drawing it spacebar-drag spacebar-drag
Draw from the center of a shape Alt-drag Option-drag
(except for polygons, stars, and flares)
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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Command Windows Macintosh
Increase or decrease polygon sides, Start dragging, then press Start dragging, then press
star points, arc angle, spiral winds, the Up Arrow or Down Arrow the Up Arrow or Down
or flare rays Arrow
Keep the inner radius of a star constant Start dragging, then hold Start dragging, then hold
down Ctrl down A
Keep the sides of a star straight Alt-drag Option-drag
Switch between an open and closed arc Start dragging, then hold Start dragging, then hold
down C down C
Flip an arc, keeping the reference point Start dragging, then hold Start dragging, then hold
constant down F down SF
Add or subtract winds from a spiral Alt-drag Option-drag
while increasing the length of the spiral
Change the decay rate of a spiral Ctrl-drag A-drag
Add or remove horizontal lines from a Start dragging, then press Start dragging, then press
rectangular grid or concentric lines the Up Arrow or Down the Up Arrow or Down
from a polar grid Arrow Arrow
Add or remove vertical lines from a Start dragging, then press Start dragging, then press
rectangular grid or radial lines from a the Right Arrow or Left the Right Arrow or Left
polar grid Arrow Arrow
Decrease the skew value for horizontal Start dragging, then press F Start dragging, then press F
dividers in a rectangular grid or radial
dividers in a polar grid by 10%
Increase the skew value for horizontal Start dragging, then press V Start dragging, then press V
dividers in a rectangular grid or radial
dividers in a polar grid by 10%
Decrease the skew value for vertical Start dragging, then press X Start dragging, then press X
dividers in a rectangular grid or con-
centric dividers in a polar grid by 10%
Increase the skew value for vertical Start dragging, then press C Start dragging, then press C
dividers in a rectangular grid or con-
centric dividers in a polar grid by 10%
Create and expand a Live Trace object Alt-click Live Trace in the Option-click Live Trace in
in one step Control panel, or hold down the Control panel, or hold
Alt and select a tracing down Option and select a
preset. tracing preset.
Increase size of Blob Brush ] (right square bracket) ] (right square bracket)
Decrease size of Blob Brush [ (left square bracket) [ (left square bracket)
Constrain Blob Brush path horizontally Shift Shift
or vertically
Switch drawing modes N Shift + D Shift + D
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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Command Windows Macintosh
Join two or more paths N Select paths, Ctrl+ J Select paths, A+ J
Selecting
Switch to last-used selection tool Ctrl A
(Selection tool, Direct Selection tool,
or Group Selection tool)
Switch between Direct Selection tool Alt Option
and Group Selection tool
Add to a selection with Selection tool, Shift-click Shift-click
Direct Selection tool, Group Selection
tool, Live Paint Selection tool, or Magic
Wand tool
Subtract a selection with Selection tool, Shift-click Shift-click
Direct Selection tool, Group Selection
tool, or LIve Paint Selection tool
Subtract from selection with Magic Alt-click Option-click
Wand tool
Add to selection with Lasso tool Shift-drag Shift-drag
Subtract from selection with Lasso tool Alt-drag Option-drag
Change pointer to cross hair for Lasso Caps Lock Caps Lock
tool
Select artwork in active artboard Ctrl + Alt + A A+ Option + A
Create crop marks around selected Alt + C + O
object
Select behind an object Press Ctrl + click twice Press A+ click twice
Select behind in isolation mode Ctrl + double-click A+ double-click
Moving Selections
Move selection in user-defined Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Right Arrow, Left Arrow,
increments Up Arrow, or Down Arrow Up Arrow, or Down Arrow
Move selection in 10x user-defined Shift + Right Arrow, Left Shift + Right Arrow, Left
increments Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down
Arrow Arrow
Lock all deselected artwork Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 2 A+ Option + Shift + 2
Constrain movement to 45 angle Hold down Shift Hold down Shift
(except when using Reflect tool)
Editing Shapes
Switch Pen tool to Convert Anchor Alt Option
Point tool
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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Command Windows Macintosh
Switch between Add Anchor Point Alt Option
tool and Delete Anchor Point
Switch Scissors tool to Add Anchor Alt Option
Point tool
Switch Pencil tool to Smooth tool Alt Option
Move current anchor point while Spacebar-drag Spacebar-drag
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
Turn shape mode buttons in Pathfinder Alt + Shape mode Option + Shape mode
panel into Pathfinder commands
Select the Shape Builder tool N Shift + M A+ M
Display Rectangle Marquee Shift + click + drag Shift + click + drag
with the Shape Builder tool N
Erase unwanted closed regions Alt + click Option + click
created with the Shape Builder tool N
Painting Objects
Toggle between fill and stroke X X
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 Alt + Eyedropper tool Option + Eyedropper tool
intermediate color from gradient
Sample style and append appearance Alt + Shift-click + Eyedropper Option + Shift-click +
of currently selected item tool Eyedropper tool
Add new fill Ctrl + / (forward slash) A+ /
(forward slash)
Add new stroke Ctrl + Alt + / (forward slash) A+ Option + /
(forward slash)
Reset gradient to black and white Ctrl-click gradient button in Agradient
Tools panel or Gradient panel button in Tools panel or
Gradient panel
Open Mosaic options for selected Alt + O + J
raster object
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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Command Windows Macintosh
Decrease Bristle brush size N [ [
Increase Bristle brush size N ] ]
Set Bristle brush opacity value N 1 (10%) or 0 (100%) 1 (10%) or 0 (100%)
Live Paint groups
Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample Alt-click + Live Paint Bucket Option-click + Live Paint
fill and/or stroke tool Bucket tool
Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample Alt + Shift-click + Live Paint Option + Shift-click + Live
color from an image or intermediate Bucket tool Paint Bucket tool
color from a gradient
Select opposite Live Paint Bucket tool Shift + Live Paint Bucket tool Shift + Live Paint Bucket
options (if Paint Fills and Paint Strokes tool
are currently selected, switch to Paint
Fills only)
Fill across unstroked edges into Double-click + Live Paint Double-click + Live Paint
adjacent Bucket tool Bucket tool
Fill all faces that have same fill and Triple-click + Live Paint Triple-click + Live Paint
stroke all edges that have same stroke Bucket tool Bucket tool
Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample Alt-click + Live Paint Option-click + Live Paint
fill and/or stroke Selection tool Selection tool
Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample Alt + Shift-click + Live Paint Option + Shift-click + Live
color from an image or intermediate Selection tool Paint Selection tool
color from a gradient
Add to/subtract from a selection Shift-click + Live Paint Shift-click + Live Paint
Selection tool Selection tool
Select all connected faces /edges Double-click + Live Paint Double-click + Live Paint
with same fill/stroke Selection tool Selection tool
Select all faces/edges with same Triple-click + Live Paint Triple-click + Live Paint l
fill/stroke Selection tool Selection tool
Transforming Objects
Set origin point and open dialog box Alt-click Option-click
when using Rotate tool, Scale tool,
Reflect tool, or Shear tool
Duplicate and transform selection Alt-drag Option-drag
when using Selection tool, Scale tool,
Reflect tool, or Shear tool
Transform pattern (independent of Tilde (~)-drag Tilde (~)-drag
object) when using Selection tool,
Scale tool, Reflect tool, or Shear tool
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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Command Windows Macintosh
Type
Move one character right or left Right Arrow or Left Arrow Right Arrow or Left Arrow
Move up or down one line Up Arrow or Down Arrow Up Arrow or Down Arrow
Move one word right or left Ctrl + Right Arrow or Left A+ Right Arrow or
Arrow Left Arrow
Move up or down one paragraph Ctrl + Up Arrow or Down A+ Up Arrow or
Arrow Down Arrow
Select one word right or left Shift + Ctrl + Right Arrow Shift + A+ Right
or Left Arrow Arrow or Left Arrow
Select one paragraph before or after Shift + Ctrl + Up Arrow or Shift + A+ Up
Down Arrow Arrow or Down Arrow
Extend existing selection Shift-click Shift-click
Align paragraph left, right, or center Ctrl + Shift + L, R, or C A+ Shift + L, R, or C
Justify paragraph Ctrl + Shift + J A+ Shift + J
Insert soft return Shift + Enter Shift + Return
Highlight kerning Ctrl + Alt + K A+ Option + K
Reset horizontal scale to 100% Ctrl + Shift + X A+ Shift + X
Increase or decrease type size Ctrl + Shift + > or < A+ Shift + > or <
Increase or decrease leading Alt + Up or Down Arrow Option + Up or Down Arrow
(horizontal text) or Right (horizontal text) or Right or
or Left Arrow (vertical text) Left Arrow (vertical text)
Set leading to the type size Double-click leading icon in Double-click leading icon in
the Character panel the Character panel
Reset tracking/kerning to 0 Ctrl + Alt + Q A+ Option + Q
Increase or decrease kerning and Alt + Right or Left Arrow Option + Right or Left Arrow
tracking (horizontal text) or Up or (horizontal text) or Up or
Down Arrow (vertical text) Down Arrow (vertical text)
Increase or decrease kerning and Ctrl + Alt + Right or Left A+ Option + Right
tracking by five times Arrow (horizontal text) or Up or Left Arrow (horizontal
or Down Arrow (vertical text) text) or Up or Down Arrow
(vertical text)
Increase or decrease baseline shift Alt + Shift + Up or Down Option + Shift + Up or Down
Arrow (horizontal text) or Arrow (horizontal text) or
Right or Left Arrow Right or Left Arrow
(vertical text) (vertical text)
Switch between Type and Vertical Shift Shift
Type, Area Type and Vertical Area
Type, and Path Type and Vertical
Path Type tools
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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Command Windows Macintosh
Switch between Area Type and Type, Alt-click Type tool Option-click Type tool
Path Type and Area Type, and Vertical
Path Type and Vertical Area Type tools
Using Panels
Set options (except for Actions, Alt-click New button Option-click New button
Brushes, Swatches, and Symbols
panels)
Delete without confirmation (except Alt-click Delete button Option-click Delete button
for Layers panel)
Apply value and keep text box active Shift + Enter Shift + Return
Select range of actions, brushes, Shift-click Shift-click
layers, links, styles, or swatches
Select noncontiguous actions, brushes, Ctrl-click A-click
layers (same level only), links, styles, or
swatches
Show/Hide all panels Tab Tab
Show/Hide all panels except the Tools Shift + Tab Shift + Tab
panel and Control panel
Actions Panel
Expand/Collapse entire hierarchy for Alt-click expansion triangle Option-click expansion
action set triangle
Set options for action set Double-click folder icon Double-click folder icon
Play a single command Alt-click Play button Option-click Play button
Begin recording actions without Alt-click New Action button Option-click New Action
confirmation button
Brushes Panel
Open Brush Options dialog box Double-click brush Double-click brush
Duplicate brush Drag brush to New Brush Drag brush to New Brush
button button
Character and Paragraph Panels
Increase/decrease the selected Up Arrow or Down Arrow Up Arrow or Down Arrow
value by a small increment
Increase/decreases the selected Shift + Up Arrow or Down Shift + Up Arrow or Down
value by a large increment Arrow Arrow
Highlight the font name field in the Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F A+ Option + Shift + F
Character panel
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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Command Windows Macintosh
Color Panel
Select the complement for the current Ctrl-click color bar A-click color bar
color fill/stroke
Change the nonactive fill/stroke Alt-click color bar Option-click color bar
Select the complement for the non- Ctrl + Alt-click color bar A+ Option-click
active fill/stroke color bar
Select the inverse for the current Ctrl + Shift-click color bar A+ Shift-click
fill/stroke color bar
Select the inverse for the nonactive Ctrl + Shift + Alt-click A+ Shift + Option-
fill/stroke color bar click color bar
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 Double-click to right of a Double-click to right of a
0-255 values for RGB numerical field numerical field
Gradient Panel
Duplicate color stops Alt-drag Option-drag
Swap color stops Alt-drag color stop onto Option-drag color stop onto
another stop another color stop
Apply swatch color to active (or Alt-click swatch in the Option-click swatch in the
selected) color stop Swatches panel Swatches panel
Reset the gradient fill to default Ctrl-click Gradient Fill box A-click Gradient Fill
black and white linear gradient in the Gradient panel box in the Gradient panel
Show/Hide gradient arrow Ctrl + Alt + G A+ Option + G
Modify angle and end-point together Alt-drag end point of Option-drag end point of
gradient arrow gradient arrow
Constrain Gradient tool or Gradient Shift-drag Shift-drag
arrow while dragging
View Gradient arrow in selected G G
gradient filled object
Layers Panel
Select all objects on the layer Alt-click layer name Option-click layer name
Show/hide all layers but the Alt-click eye icon Option-click eye icon
selected one
Select Outline/Preview view for Ctrl-click eye icon A-click eye icon
the selected layer
Selects Outline/Preview view for all Ctrl + Alt-click eye icon A+ Option-click
other layers eye icon
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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Command Windows Macintosh
Lock/unlock all other layers Alt-click lock icon Option-click lock icon
Expand all sublayers to display Alt-click expansion triangle Option-click expansion
entire hierarchy triangle
Set options as you create new layer Alt-click New Layer button Option-click New Layer
button
Set options as you create new Alt-click New Sublayer Option-click New Sublayer
sublayer button button
Place new sublayer at bottom of Ctrl + Alt-click New Sublayer A+ Option-click
layer list button New Sublayer button
Place layer at top of layer list Ctrl-click New Layer A-click New Layer
button button
Place layer below selected layer Ctrl + Alt-click New Layer A+ Option-click
button New Layer button
Copy the selection to a new layer, Alt-drag selection Option-drag selection
sublayer, or group
Swatches Panel
Create new spot color Ctrl-click New Swatch A-click New
button Swatch button
Create new global process color Ctrl + Shift-click New A+ Shift-click New
Swatch button Swatch button
Replace swatch with another Alt-drag a swatch over Option-drag a swatch over
another another
Select swatch by name Ctrl + Alt-click in the swatch A+ Option-click in
(using keyboard) color list the swatch color list
Transform Panel
Apply a value and keep focus in Shift + Enter Shift + Return
edit field
Apply a value and copy object Alt + Enter Option + Return
Apply a value and scale option Ctrl + Enter A+ Return
proportionately for width or height
Transparency Panel
Change mask to grayscale image for Alt-click on mask thumbnail Option-click on mask
editing thumbnail
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 thumbnail
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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Command Windows Macintosh
Increase/decrease opacity in 1% Click opacity field + Up Click opacity field + Up
increments Arrow or Down Arrow Arrow or Down Arrow
Increase/decrease opacity in 10% Shift-click opacity field + Shift-click opacity field +
increments Up Arrow or Down Arrow Up Arrow or Down Arrow
Function Keys
Invoke Help F1 F1
Cut F2 F2
Copy F3 F3
Paste F4 F4
Show/hide Brushes panel F5 F5
Show/hide Color panel F6 F6
Show/hide Layers panel F7 F7
Create new symbol F8 F8
Show/hide Info panel Ctrl + F8 A+ F8
Show/hide Gradient panel Ctrl + F9 A+ F9
Show/hide Stroke panel Ctrl + F10 A+ F10
Show/hide Attributes panel Ctrl + F11 A+ F11
Revert F12 F12
Show/hide Graphic Styles panel Shift + F5 Shift + F5
Show/hide Appearance panel Shift + F6 Shift + F6
Show/hide Align panel Shift + F7 Shift + F7
Show/hide Transform panel Shift + F8 Shift + F8
Show/hide Pathfinder panel Shift + Ctrl + F9 Shift + A+ F9
Show/hide Transparency panel Shift + Ctrl + F10 Shift + A+ F10
Show/hide Symbols panel Shift + Ctrl + F11 Shift + A+ F11
Show/hide Perspective Grid N Ctrl + Shift + I A+ Shift + I
Keyboard Shortcuts (continued)
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