Adobe Lightroom Classic Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows Ctrl as the primary modifier, Alt for secondary variants.

Mac Command as the primary modifier, Option for secondary variants. A block of AI-assisted features (enhance, HDR merge, pano merge) uses Control rather than Command on Mac, and a handful of shortcuts (Open catalog, Deselect all photos) genuinely differ beyond the usual Ctrl-to-Cmd swap.

Rating and flagging. 1 through 5 set a star rating, 6 through 9 assign a color label, P flags a pick, X flags a reject, and U removes a flag, each also works with Shift to advance to the next photo in one keypress.

Module switching. Ctrl+Alt+1 through 7 (Cmd+Option+1 through 7 on Mac) jump straight to Library, Develop, Map, Book, Slideshow, Print, or Web.

Library views. E, G, C, and N switch between Loupe, Grid, Compare, and Survey view, the four ways to look at a photo or a set of photos.

Develop sliders and presets. Arrow keys nudge the selected slider in small or large increments, and Ctrl+Shift+S (Cmd+Shift+S on Mac) syncs settings across selected photos.

A printable PDF of Lightroom Classic shortcuts is available for each platform. Given the size of the full list, the rating/flagging keys and the module-switching shortcuts are worth learning first.

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and After Effects sit near Lightroom Classic because they're the other Adobe Creative Cloud apps a photo often moves through next, pixel editing, vector graphics, layout, and video. They're related by ecosystem and workflow, not because every shoot touches all of them.

What is the fastest way to rate photos in Lightroom Classic?

Press 1 through 5 for a star rating, or Shift+1 through Shift+5 to rate and advance to the next photo in one keypress. P flags a pick, X flags a reject, and U removes any flag.

How do I switch between Library and Develop in Lightroom Classic?

Ctrl+Alt+1 (Cmd+Option+1 on Mac) goes to Library, Ctrl+Alt+2 (Cmd+Option+2 on Mac) goes to Develop. D also opens the selected photo directly in Develop from Library.

Are Lightroom Classic keyboard shortcuts the same on Windows and Mac?

Mostly, following the usual Ctrl-to-Cmd and Alt-to-Option pattern. A few genuinely differ: Open catalog is Ctrl+O on Windows but Cmd+Shift+O on Mac, and a block of AI-assisted features (enhance, HDR merge, pano merge) uses Control instead of Command on Mac.

This section lists official sources and documentation for Adobe Lightroom Classic. Use these references to verify shortcut behavior instead of relying on memory, old screenshots, or another person's setup.