SHORTCUTS / QUICK KEYS
Clive R. Haynes FRPS
A speedier and more effecient workflow results when using keystrokes to perform many functions within Photoshop. There are many, many of the so called, 'Quick Keys', 'Hot Keys' or 'Shortcuts'.
The list below whilst by no means exhaustive and has been compiled to present many of the most common and frequently used Shortcuts.
This list of 60 shortcuts has been compiled for Photoshop Version 6. However, many will operate with V5 and 5.5.
Please note: I'm familiar Windows rather than Mac, the list below is compiled for 'Windows'.
To convert the shortcuts for Mac use. Most should be OK if 'Ctrl' is substituted by the 'Command' key and 'Alt' substituted by 'Option' key.
I've included an 'Aid to Memory' column, which suggests an association for the key - it may aid the memory.
| Function |
Aid to
Memory
|
Keystroke
|
|
| Tool Bar |
Key
|
+ Modifier
Key
|
|
| Path Selection | pAth | A | |
| Paint Brush / Pencil | Brush | B | Shift + B for Pencil |
| Crop | Crop | C | |
| Default F/G & B/G colours | backgrounD | D | |
| Eraser / Background Eraser | Eraser | E | Shift + E for B/G Eraser |
| Screen Modes/ Full / Full with Menu | Full screen | F | Shift + F to toggle between |
| Gradient / Paintbucket | Gradient | G | Shift + G for Paintbucket |
| Hand | Hand | H | |
| Eye-Dropper / Measure | I-dropper | I | Shift + I for measure |
| Airbrush | J | ||
| Slice / New Slice | K | Shift + K to toggle between | |
| Lasso / Poly / Magnetic | Lasso | L | Shift + I to toggle between |
| Marquee Rectangle / Circle | Marquee | M | Shift + I to toggle between |
| Notes | Notes | N | |
| Dodge / Burn / Saturate | dOdge | O | Shift + O to togglge through |
| Path | pAth | P | Shift + Pto togglge through |
| Quick Mask / View mask as selection | Quick Mask | Q | Shift + Q to toggle between |
| Blur / Sharpen / Smudge | bluR / shaRpen | R | Shift + R to togglge through |
| Rubber Stamp (Clone) / Pattern Stamp | rubber Stamp | S | Shift + S to toggle between |
| Text | Text | T | |
| Custom Shapes / Line tool | cUstom | U | Shift + U to toggle through |
| Move | moVe | V | |
| Magic Wand | Wand | W | |
| Changeover / Exchange F/G & B/G colours | Xchange | X | |
| History Brush / Art History Brush | historY | Y | Shift + Y to toggle between |
| Zoom / Magnify | Zoom | Z | |
| Options Bar | |||
| Brush Size decrease / increase (Use Square Brackets keys) | [ or ] | ||
| Line Tool width decrease / increase (Use Square Brackets keys) | [ or ] | ||
| Viewing & Navigating | Keystroke | ||
| Fit to Screen | Ctrl + 0 (Zero) | ||
| Fit to Maximum Size | Tab, then F key, then Ctrl + 0 (Zero) | ||
| Zoom In | Z + plus (+) | ||
| Zoom Out | Z + minus (-) | ||
| View Actual Pixels (100% viewing) | Ctrl + Alt + 0 (zero) | ||
| Zoom to specified area | Ctrl + Space Bar + L. click, drag and draw | ||
| Scroll Up / Down | Page Up / Page Down Keys | ||
| Menu Commands | Aid to Memory | Keystroke | |
| Close | Wipe | Ctrl + W | |
| Copy | Copy | Ctrl + C | |
| Cut | Xcise | Ctrl + X | |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | ||
| Deselect | Deselect | Ctrl + D | |
| Fill from Foreground Colour | Alt + Backspace | ||
| Fill from Background Colour | Ctrl + Backspace | ||
| Filter - repeat last used | Filter | Ctrl + F | |
| Free Transform | Transform | Ctrl + T | |
| Inverse Selection | Inverse | Ctrl + Shift + I | |
| Invert (neg/pos) | Invert | Ctrl + I | |
| Layers - Merge Visible | Eye | Ctrl + Shift + E | |
| Layer Mask - Hide All | Press Alt + click the Layer Mask icon | ||
| New Document | New | Ctrl + N | |
| Open | Open | Ctrl + O (not Zero) | |
| Undo / Redo | Zap | Ctrl + Z (toggle) | |
| Multiple Undo - step backwards through the History | Ctrl + Alt + Z | ||
| Multiple Redo - step forwards through the History | Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Z | ||
| Reselect | Crtl + Shift + D or Ctrl + Z | ||
| Select All | select All | Ctrl + A | |
| Select Inverse | Invert | Ctrl + Shift + I | |
| Rulers - show / hide | Rulers | Ctrl + R | |
| Save | Save | Ctrl + S | |
| Show / Hide 'Extras' - 'Marching Ants' | Hide | Ctrl + H (toggle) | |
| Show / Hide Grid | Ctrl + Alt + @ | ||
| General | |||
| Show Crosshair / Brush Size (or tool icon) toggle | Caps Lock key - toggle | ||
| Add to Selection | Hold down Shift Key & drag | ||
| Subtract from Selection | Hold down Alt Key & drag | ||
| Hide / Show Palettes & Tool Bar | Tab Key - toggle | ||