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Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows

Keyboard shortcuts for Adobe Illustrator on Windows. Covers selection tools, path editing, and layer management on Windows.
Key label style

Edit and clipboard

Undo
Ctrl+Z
Redo
Ctrl+Shift+Z
Cut
Ctrl+X
Copy
Ctrl+C
Paste
Ctrl+V
Paste in front
Ctrl+F
Paste at back
Ctrl+B
Paste in place
Ctrl+Shift+V
Paste on all artboards
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+V

Work with documents

Create a document
Ctrl+N
Create a document from a template
Ctrl+Shift+N
Create a document without opening the New Document dialog box
Ctrl+Alt+N
Open a document
Ctrl+O
Place a file in the document
Ctrl+Shift+P
Open the File Information dialog box
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I
Open the Document Setup dialog box
Ctrl+Alt+P
Open the Color Settings dialog box
Ctrl+Shift+K
Open the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+K
Open the Preferences dialog box
Ctrl+K
Browse in Adobe Bridge
Ctrl+Alt+O
Close the document window
Ctrl+W
Save changes made to the document
Ctrl+S
Open the Save As dialog box
Ctrl+Shift+S
Save a copy of the document
Ctrl+Alt+S
Save the document as script files
Ctrl+F12
Open the Export for screens dialog box
Ctrl+Alt+E
Open the Save For Web dialog box
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S
Package the document
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+P
Print
Ctrl+P
Exit the application
Ctrl+Q

Select tools

Artboard tool
Shift+O
Selection tool
V
Direct Selection tool
A
Magic Wand tool
Y
Lasso tool
Q
Pen tool
P
Curvature tool
Shift+`
Blob Brush tool
Shift+B
Add Anchor Point tool
=
Delete Anchor Point tool
-
Switch to Anchor Point tool
Shift+C
Type tool
T
Touch Type tool
Shift+T
Line Segment tool
\
Rectangle tool
M
Ellipse tool
L
Paintbrush tool
B
Pencil tool
N
Shaper tool
Shift+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
Alt

View artwork

Toggle between screen modes: Normal Screen Mode, Full Screen Mode with Menu Bar, Full Screen Mode
F
Fit imageable area in window
Double-click
Magnify 100%
Double-click
or
Ctrl+1
Switch to Hand tool (when not in text-edit mode)
Space
Switch to Zoom tool in magnify mode
Ctrl+Space
Switch to Zoom tool in reduce mode
Ctrl+Alt+Space
Move Zoom marquee while dragging with the Zoom tool
Space
Hide bounding box
Ctrl+Shift+B
Hide unselected artwork
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+3
Convert between horizontal and vertical guide
Alt+Drag
Release guide
Ctrl+Shift+Double-click
Show/Hide artboards
Ctrl+Shift+H
Show/Hide artboard rulers
Ctrl+R
Show transparency grid
Ctrl+Shift+D
View all artboards in window
Ctrl+Alt+0
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
Toggle between Outline and GPU Preview of the document
Ctrl+Y
Toggle between GPU and CPU Preview of the document
Ctrl+E
View the document in Overprint Preview mode
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Y
View the document in Pixel Preview mode
Ctrl+Alt+Y
Exit Full Screen mode
Esc
Zoom in
Ctrl+=
Zoom out
Ctrl+-
Hide guides
Ctrl+;
Lock guides
Ctrl+Alt+;
Make guides
Ctrl+5
Release guides
Ctrl+Alt+5
Show/ hide smart guides
Ctrl+U
Show/ hide perspective grid
Ctrl+Shift+I
Show grid
Ctrl+'
Snap to grid
Ctrl+Shift+'
Snap to point
Ctrl+Alt+'

Work with selections

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
Alt
Add to a selectionWorks with the Selection, Direct Selection, Group Selection, Live Paint Selection and Magic Wand tools.
Shift+Click
Subtract a selection with Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, Group Selection tool, or LIve Paint Selection tool
Shift+Click
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
CapsLock
Select artwork in active artboard
Ctrl+Alt+A
Create crop marks around selected object
Alt+C+O
Select all
Ctrl+A
Deselect
Ctrl+Shift+A
Reselect
Ctrl+6
Select the object above the current selection
Ctrl+Alt+]
Select the object below the current selection
Ctrl+Alt+[
Select behind an object
Ctrl+Click
Select behind in isolation mode
Ctrl+Click
Group the selected artwork
Ctrl+G
Ungroup the selected artwork
Ctrl+Shift+G
Lock a selection
Ctrl+2
Unlock a selection
Ctrl+Alt+2
Hide a selection
Ctrl+3
Show all selections
Ctrl+Alt+3
Move selection in user-defined increments
RightLeftUpDown
Move selection in 10x user-defined increments
Shift+RightLeftUpDown
Lock all deselected artwork
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+2
Constrain movement to 45° angle (except when using Reflect tool)
Shift
Bring a selection forward
Ctrl+]
Move a selection to the front
Ctrl+Shift+]
Send a selection backward
Ctrl+[
Move a selection to the back
Ctrl+Shift+[
Select only the objects that are completely inside the marquee
Drag

Draw

Constrain a shape's proportions or orientationEqual height and width for rectangles, ellipses and grids; 45-degree increments for lines and arcs; the original orientation for polygons, stars and flares.
Shift+Drag
Move a shape while drawing it
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
Drag,UpDown
Keep the inner radius of a star constant
Drag,Ctrl
Keep the sides of a star straight
Alt+Drag
with the Star tool
Switch between an open and closed arc
Drag,C
with the Arc tool
Flip an arc, keeping the reference point constant
Drag,F
with the Arc tool
Add or subtract winds from a spiral while increasing the length of the spiral
Drag,Alt+Drag
Change the decay rate of a spiral
Drag,Ctrl+Drag
Add or remove horizontal lines from a rectangular grid or concentric lines from a polar grid
Drag,UpDown
with the Rectangular Grid or Polar Grid tool
Add or remove vertical lines from a rectangular grid or radial lines from a polar grid
Drag,RightLeft
with the Rectangular Grid or Polar Grid tool
Decrease the skew value for horizontal dividers in a rectangular grid or radial dividers in a polar grid by 10%
Drag,F
with the Rectangular Grid or Polar Grid tool
Increase the skew value for horizontal dividers in a rectangular grid or radial dividers in a polar grid by 10%
Drag,V
with the Rectangular Grid or Polar Grid tool
Decrease the skew value for vertical dividers in a rectangular grid or concentric dividers in a polar grid by 10%
Drag,X
with the Rectangular Grid or Polar Grid tool
Increase the skew value for vertical dividers in a rectangular grid or concentric dividers in a polar grid by 10%
Drag,C
with the Rectangular Grid or Polar Grid tool
Increase size of Blob Brush
]
Decrease size of Blob Brush
[
Constrain Blob Brush path horizontally or vertically
Shift
Switch through drawing modes
Shift+D
Join two or more paths
Ctrl+J
with the paths selected
Average two or more paths
Ctrl+Alt+J
with the paths selected
Create corner or smooth join
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+J
with the paths selected
Create a compound path
Ctrl+8
Release a compound path
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+8
Edit a pattern
Ctrl+Shift+F8
Perspective Grid Tool
Shift+P
Perspective Selection Tool
Shift+V
Perspective Grid
Ctrl+Shift+I
Moving objects perpendicularly
5,Click
Switching perspective planes
1234
with the Perspective Selection tool
Copying objects in perspective
Ctrl+Alt+Drag
Repeat transforming objects in perspective
Ctrl+D

Edit shapes

Switch Pen tool to Convert Anchor Point tool
Alt
Switch between Add Anchor Point tool and Delete Anchor Point tool
Alt
Switch Scissors tool to Add Anchor Point tool
Alt
Switch Pencil tool to Smooth tool
Alt
Move current anchor point while drawing with Pen tool
Drag
Cut a straight line with Knife tool
Alt+Drag
Cut at 45° or 90° with Knife tool
Alt+Shift+Drag
Use shape mode buttons in Pathfinder panel to create compound paths
Alt+Clicka Shape Mode button
Erase unwanted closed regions created using Shape Builder tool
Alt+Click
Select the Shape Builder tool
Shift+M
Display rectangular marquee to easily merge multiple paths (when using Shape Builder tool)
Shift+Click+Drag
Increase the intensity of symbols (when using Symbolism tool)
Shift+]
Decrease the intensity of symbols (when using Symbolism tool)
Shift+[
Blend objects
Ctrl+Alt+B
Finish adding objects to the blend
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+B
Distort objects using a warp-shaped envelope
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+W
Distort objects using a mesh as the shape of the envelope
Ctrl+Alt+M
Distort objects using another object as the shape of the envelope
Ctrl+Alt+C

Color / Fill & Stroke

Toggle between fill and stroke
X
Set fill and stroke to default
D
Swap fill and stroke
Shift+X
Select gradient fill mode
Shift+.
Hide gradient annotator (when using the Gradient tool)
Ctrl+Alt+G
Select color fill mode
Shift+,
Select no stroke/fill mode
/
Sample color from an image or intermediate color from gradient
Shift+Click
with the Eyedropper tool
Sample style and append appearance of currently selected item
Alt+Shift+Click
with the Eyedropper tool
Add new fill
Ctrl+/
Add new stroke
Ctrl+Alt+/
Reset gradient to black and white
Ctrl+Click
Make Live Paint (when using the Paint Bucket tool)
Ctrl+Alt+X
Decrease Bristle brush size
[
Increase Bristle brush size
]

Work with Live Paint groups

Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample fill and/or stroke
Alt+Click
with Live Paint Bucket tool
Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample color from an image or intermediate color from a gradient
Alt+Shift+Click
with Live Paint Bucket tool
Select the opposite Live Paint Bucket tool optionsSwitches to Paint Fills only.
Shift+Clickthe Live Paint Bucket tool
with Paint Fills and Paint Strokes both selected
Fill across unstroked edges into adjacent faces
Double-click
with Live Paint Bucket tool
Fill all faces that have same fill and stroke all edges that have same stroke
Triple-click
with Live Paint Bucket tool
Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample fill and/or stroke
Alt+Click
with Live Paint Selection tool
Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample color from an image or intermediate color from a gradient
Alt+Shift+Click
with Live Paint Selection tool
Add to/subtract from a selection
Shift+Click
with Live Paint Selection tool
Select all connected faces /edges with same fill/stroke
Double-click
with Live Paint Selection tool
Select all faces/edges with same fill/stroke
Triple-click
with Live Paint Selection tool

Work with objects

Set origin point and open dialog box when using Rotate tool, Scale tool, Reflect tool, or Shear tool
Alt+Click
Duplicate and transform selection when using Selection tool, Scale tool, Reflect tool, or Shear tool
Alt+Drag
Transform pattern (independent of object) when using Selection tool, Scale tool, Reflect tool, or Shear tool
Drag
Reapply a transformation to an object
Ctrl+D
Apply last pathfinder effect to the selected object
Ctrl+4
Move an object
Ctrl+Shift+M
Open the Transform Each dialog box
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+D
Make a clipping mask
Ctrl+7
Release a clipping mask
Ctrl+Alt+7
Toggle between fill and stroke
X
Set fill and stroke to default
D
Swap fill and stroke
Shift+X
Select gradient fill mode
Shift+.
Hide gradient annotator (when using the Gradient tool)
Ctrl+Alt+G
Select color fill mode
Shift+,
Select no stroke/fill mode
/
Sample color from an image or intermediate color from gradient
Shift+Click
with the Eyedropper tool
Sample style and append appearance of currently selected item
Alt+Shift+Click
with the Eyedropper tool
Add new fill
Ctrl+/
Add new stroke
Ctrl+Alt+/
Reset gradient to black and white
Ctrl+Click
Make Live Paint (when using the Paint Bucket tool)
Ctrl+Alt+X
Decrease Bristle brush size
[
Increase Bristle brush size
]

Create variable width points

Select multiple width points
Shift+Click
Create non-uniform widths
Alt+Drag
Create a copy of the width point
Alt+Drag
Change the position of multiple width points
Shift+Drag
Delete selected width point
Del
Deselect a width point
Esc

Work with type

Check spelling
Ctrl+I
Bold
Ctrl+Shift+B
Italic
Ctrl+Shift+I
Underline
Ctrl+Shift+U
Move one character right or left
RightLeft
Move up or down one line
Up
or
Down
Move one word right or left
Ctrl+RightLeft
Move up or down one paragraph
Ctrl+Up
or
Ctrl+Down
Select one word right or left
Ctrl+Shift+RightLeft
Select one paragraph before or after
Ctrl+Shift+Up
or
Ctrl+Shift+Down
Extend existing selection
Shift+Click
Align paragraph left, right, or center
Ctrl+Shift+L
or
Ctrl+Shift+R
or
Ctrl+Shift+C
Justify text left
Ctrl+Shift+J
Justify all lines
Ctrl+Shift+F
Toggle line composer
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C
Insert soft return
Shift+Enter
Highlight kerning
Ctrl+Alt+K
Reset horizontal scale to 100%
Ctrl+Shift+X
Increase or decrease font size
Ctrl+Shift+.,
Increase or decrease font size by steps
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+.,
Increase or decrease leading
Alt+UpDownRightLeft
Select tracking value
Ctrl+Alt+K
Reset tracking/kerning to 0
Ctrl+Alt+Q
Increase or decrease kerning and tracking
Alt+RightLeftUpDown
Increase or decrease kerning and tracking by five times
Ctrl+Alt+RightLeftUpDown
Increase or decrease baseline shift
Alt+Shift+UpDownRightLeft
Switch between Type and Vertical Type, Area Type and Vertical Area Type, and Path Type and Vertical Path Type tools
Shift
Switch between Area Type and Path Type, Vertical Area Type and Vertical Path Type tools
Alt
Create outlines
Ctrl+Shift+O
Open the Character panel
Ctrl+T
Open the Paragraph panel
Ctrl+Alt+T
Open the Tabs panel
Ctrl+Shift+T
Open the OpenType panel
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T
Insert bullets
Alt+8
Insert copyright symbol
Alt+G
Insert ellipsis
Alt+;
Insert paragraph symbol
Alt+7
Insert section symbol
Alt+6
Insert trademark symbol
Alt+2
Insert registered trademark symbol
Alt+R
Superscript
Ctrl+Shift+=
Subscript
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+=
Insert em dash
Alt+Shift+-
Insert en dash
Alt+-
Insert discretionary hyphen
Ctrl+Shift+-
Toggle auto-hyphenation
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+H
Insert double left quotation marks
Alt+[
Insert double right quotation marks
Alt+Shift+[
Insert single left quotation marks
Alt+]
Insert single right quotation marks
Alt+Shift+]
Insert em space
Ctrl+Shift+M
Insert en space
Ctrl+Shift+N
Insert thin space
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+M
Show hidden characters
Ctrl+Alt+I

Use panels

Set options (except for Actions, Brushes, Swatches, and Symbols panels)
Alt+Click
Switch units of measurement
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+U
Delete without confirmation (except for Layers panel)
Alt+Click
Apply value and keep text box active
Shift+Enter
Select range of actions, brushes, layers, links, styles, or swatches
Shift+Click
Select noncontiguous actions, brushes, layers (same level only), links, styles, or swatches
Ctrl+Click
Show/Hide all panels
Tab
Show/Hide all panels except the Tools panel and Control panel
Shift+Tab
Increase/ decrease values in logical fractions of the measurement unit
Ctrl+Up
or
Ctrl+Down
Increase/ decrease measurement unit by 10x
Shift+Up
or
Shift+Down

Actions panel

Expand/Collapse entire hierarchy for action set
Alt+Click
Set options for action set
Double-click
Play a single command
Ctrl+Click
Begin recording actions without confirmation
Alt+Click

Brushes panel

Open Brush Options dialog box
Double-click
Duplicate brush
Drag

Character and Paragraph panels

Open the Character panel
Ctrl+T
Open the Paragraph panel
Ctrl+Alt+T
Increase/decrease the selected value by a small increment
Up
or
Down
Increase/decreases the selected value by a large increment
Shift+Up
or
Shift+Down
Increase/decrease the selected value by a fraction
Ctrl+Up
or
Ctrl+Down
Highlight the font name field in the Character panel
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F

Color panel

Select the complement for the current color fill/stroke
Ctrl+Click
Change the nonactive fill/stroke
Alt+Click
Select the complement for the nonactive fill/stroke
Ctrl+Alt+Click
Select the inverse for the current fill/stroke
Ctrl+Shift+Click
Select the inverse for the nonactive fill/stroke
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Click
Open Color Guide
Shift+F3
Change the color mode
Shift+Click
Move color sliders in tandem
Shift+Drag
Switch between percentage and 0-255 values for RGB
Double-click

Gradient panel

Duplicate color stops
Alt+Drag
Swap color stops
Alt+Drag
Apply swatch color to active (or selected) color stop
Alt+Click
Reset the gradient fill to default black and white linear gradient
Ctrl+Click
Show/Hide gradient arrow
Ctrl+Alt+G
Modify angle and end-point together
Alt+Drag
Constrain Gradient tool or Gradient annotator while dragging
Shift+Drag
View Gradient annotator in selected gradient filled object
G

Layers panel

Add a layer
Ctrl+L
Add a layer while opening the New Layer dialog box
Ctrl+Alt+L
Select all objects on the layer
Alt+Click
Show/hide all layers but the selected one
Alt+Click
Select Outline/Preview view for the selected layer
Ctrl+Click
Selects Outline/Preview view for all other layers
Ctrl+Alt+Click
Lock/unlock all other layers
Alt+Click
Expand all sublayers to display entire hierarchy
Alt+Click
Set options as you create new layer
Alt+Click
Set options as you create new sublayer
Alt+Click
Place new sublayer at bottom of layer list
Ctrl+Alt+Click
Place layer at top of layer list
Ctrl+Click
Place layer below selected layer
Ctrl+Alt+Click
Copy the selection to a layer, sublayer, or group
Alt+Drag

Swatches panel

Create new spot color
Ctrl+Click
Create new global process color
Ctrl+Shift+Click
Replace swatch with another
Alt+Drag

Transform panel

Apply a value and keep focus in edit field
Shift+Enter
Apply a value and copy object
Alt+Enter
Apply a value and scale option proportionately for width or height
Ctrl+Enter

Transparency panel

Apply last effect to the selected object
Ctrl+Shift+E
Apply last effect to the selected object by adjusting the values in the effects dialog box
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E
Change mask to grayscale image for editing
Alt+Click
Disable opacity mask
Shift+Click
Re-enable opacity mask
Shift+Click
Increase/decrease opacity in 1% increments
Click+UpDown
Increase/decrease opacity in 10% increments
Shift+Click+UpDown

Function keys

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
Ctrl+Shift+F9
Show/hide Transparency panel
Ctrl+Shift+F10
Show/hide Symbols panel
Ctrl+Shift+F11

Intro

Illustrator on Windows uses Ctrl as its primary modifier. The single-key tool shortcuts are identical to Mac. Ctrl+D (Transform Again), Ctrl+G (group), and the stacking order shortcuts work the same as Mac with the modifier swapped.

Windows-specific shortcut notes

Single-key tools. Same bare-key activation as Mac: V, A, P, T, B, R, S, M, L, G, I, E. No Ctrl needed to switch tools.

Transform Again. Ctrl+D repeats the last transformation. Useful for evenly-spaced duplicate creation, move an object, then Ctrl+D repeatedly for copies at the same interval.

Stacking order. Ctrl+[ / Ctrl+] for backward/forward. Ctrl+Shift+[ / Ctrl+Shift+] for back/front.

Group/ungroup. Ctrl+G groups; Ctrl+Shift+G ungroups.

Join. Ctrl+J joins open endpoints.

Panel management. Tab hides/shows all panels. Shift+Tab hides panels but keeps the toolbox.

Keyboard shortcuts editor. Ctrl+Alt+Shift+K opens Illustrator's keyboard shortcut customization panel.

Printable PDF

The Illustrator Windows shortcut list is available as a printable PDF.

FAQ

Need more than shortcuts?
Visit the Adobe Illustrator app page for an overview and helpful links.

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