Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts
Complete keyboard shortcut reference for Adobe Illustrator on MacWindowsLinux. Illustrator runs on Mac and Windows; Linux keys mirror Windows.
Tools
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Selection tool | VVV |
| Direct Selection tool | AAA |
| Magic Wand tool | YYY |
| Lasso tool | QQQ |
| Pen tool | PPP |
| Add Anchor Point tool | +++ |
| Delete Anchor Point tool | --- |
| Type tool | TTT |
| Line Segment tool | \\\ |
| Rectangle tool | MMM |
| Ellipse tool | LLL |
| Paintbrush tool | BBB |
| Pencil tool | NNN |
| Rotate tool | RRR |
| Reflect tool | OOO |
| Scale tool | SSS |
| Free Transform tool | EEE |
| Shape Builder tool | ShiftMShiftMShiftM |
| Width tool | ShiftWShiftWShiftW |
| Mesh tool | UUU |
| Gradient tool | GGG |
| Eyedropper tool | III |
| Blend tool | WWW |
| Scissors tool | CCC |
| Eraser tool | ShiftEShiftEShiftE |
| Artboard tool | ShiftOShiftOShiftO |
| Hand tool | HHH |
| Zoom tool | ZZZ |
| Switch to Hand tool (when not in text-edit mode) | SpaceSpaceSpace |
Selecting & Editing
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select all | CmdACtrlACtrlA |
| Deselect | ShiftCmdAShiftCtrlAShiftCtrlA |
| Reselect | Cmd6Ctrl6Ctrl6 |
| Select artwork in active artboard | CmdAltACtrlAltACtrlAltA |
| Switch to last-used selection tool | Cmd`Ctrl`Ctrl` |
| Undo | CmdZCtrlZCtrlZ |
| Redo | ShiftCmdZShiftCtrlZShiftCtrlZ |
| Cut | CmdXCtrlXCtrlX |
| Copy | CmdCCtrlCCtrlC |
| Paste | CmdVCtrlVCtrlV |
Arrange, Group & Lock
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Group the selected artwork | CmdGCtrlGCtrlG |
| Ungroup the selected artwork | ShiftCmdGShiftCtrlGShiftCtrlG |
| Lock a selection | Cmd2Ctrl2Ctrl2 |
| Unlock a selection | AltCmd2AltCtrl2AltCtrl2 |
| Hide a selection | Cmd3Ctrl3Ctrl3 |
| Show all selections | AltCmd3AltCtrl3AltCtrl3 |
| Lock all deselected artwork | CmdAltShift2CtrlAltShift2CtrlAltShift2 |
| Bring a selection forward | Cmd]Ctrl]Ctrl] |
| Move a selection to the front (Bring to Front) | ShiftCmd]ShiftCtrl]ShiftCtrl] |
| Send a selection backward | Cmd[Ctrl[Ctrl[ |
| Move a selection to the back (Send to Back) | ShiftCmd[ShiftCtrl[ShiftCtrl[ |
Paste
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Paste in Front | CmdFCtrlFCtrlF |
| Paste at Back | CmdBCtrlBCtrlB |
| Paste in Place | ShiftCmdVShiftCtrlVShiftCtrlV |
| Paste on All Artboards | AltShiftCmdVAltShiftCtrlVAltShiftCtrlV |
Drawing & Paths
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Join two or more paths | CmdJCtrlJCtrlJ |
| Average two or more paths | AltCmdJAltCtrlJAltCtrlJ |
| Create corner or smooth join | ShiftCmdAltJShiftCtrlAltJShiftCtrlAltJ |
| Create a compound path | Cmd8Ctrl8Ctrl8 |
| Release a compound path | AltShiftCmd8AltShiftCtrl8AltShiftCtrl8 |
| Switch through drawing modes | ShiftDShiftDShiftD |
Transform & Objects
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Reapply a transformation to an object (Transform Again) | CmdDCtrlDCtrlD |
| Apply last Pathfinder effect to the selected object | Cmd4Ctrl4Ctrl4 |
| Move an object (Move dialog) | ShiftCmdMShiftCtrlMShiftCtrlM |
| Open the Transform Each dialog box | AltShiftCmdDAltShiftCtrlDAltShiftCtrlD |
| Make a clipping mask | Cmd7Ctrl7Ctrl7 |
| Release a clipping mask | AltCmd7AltCtrl7AltCtrl7 |
| Toggle between fill and stroke | XXX |
| Set fill and stroke to default | DDD |
| Swap fill and stroke | ShiftXShiftXShiftX |
Type
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Create outlines | ShiftCmdOShiftCtrlOShiftCtrlO |
| Open the Character panel | CmdTCtrlTCtrlT |
| Open the Paragraph panel | AltCmdTAltCtrlTAltCtrlT |
| Open the Tabs panel | ShiftCmdTShiftCtrlTShiftCtrlT |
| Open the OpenType panel | AltShiftCmdTAltShiftCtrlTAltShiftCtrlT |
| Superscript | ShiftCmd=ShiftCtrl=ShiftCtrl= |
View & Zoom
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Toggle between Outline and GPU Preview | CmdYCtrlYCtrlY |
| Toggle between GPU and CPU Preview | CmdECtrlECtrlE |
| View in Overprint Preview mode | AltShiftCmdYAltShiftCtrlYAltShiftCtrlY |
| View in Pixel Preview mode | AltCmdYAltCtrlYAltCtrlY |
| Zoom in | Cmd=Ctrl=Ctrl= |
| Zoom out | Cmd-Ctrl-Ctrl- |
| Magnify 100% | Cmd1Ctrl1Ctrl1 |
| Toggle screen modes (Normal / Full Screen with Menu Bar / Full Screen) | FFF |
| Hide guides | Cmd;Ctrl;Ctrl; |
| Make guides | Cmd5Ctrl5Ctrl5 |
| Show/hide Smart Guides | CmdUCtrlUCtrlU |
| Show grid | Cmd'Ctrl'Ctrl' |
| Hide unselected artwork | CmdAltShift3CtrlAltShift3CtrlAltShift3 |
Artboards & Documents
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Show/Hide artboards | CmdShiftHCtrlShiftHCtrlShiftH |
| View all artboards in window | CmdAlt0CtrlAlt0CtrlAlt0 |
| Exit Artboard tool mode | EscEscEsc |
| Navigate to next document | CmdF6CtrlF6CtrlF6 |
| Navigate to previous document | CmdShiftF6CtrlShiftF6CtrlShiftF6 |
| Create a document | CmdNCtrlNCtrlN |
| Open a document | CmdOCtrlOCtrlO |
| Place a file in the document | ShiftCmdPShiftCtrlPShiftCtrlP |
| Save changes made to the document | CmdSCtrlSCtrlS |
| Open the Export for Screens dialog box | AltCmdEAltCtrlEAltCtrlE |
| CmdPCtrlPCtrlP |
Panels & Preferences
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box | AltShiftCmdKAltShiftCtrlKAltShiftCtrlK |
| Open the Preferences dialog box | CmdKCtrlKCtrlK |
| Open the Color Settings dialog box | ShiftCmdKShiftCtrlKShiftCtrlK |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the keyboard shortcut to create outlines in Illustrator?
Select the type, then press Shift+Cmd+O on Mac or Shift+Ctrl+O on Windows to convert text to editable vector outlines (Type > Create Outlines).
How do I make a clipping mask with the keyboard in Illustrator?
Select the objects and the top shape, then press Cmd+7 on Mac or Ctrl+7 on Windows to make a clipping mask. To release it, press Alt+Cmd+7 on Mac or Alt+Ctrl+7 on Windows.
How do I paste in place in Illustrator?
Press Shift+Cmd+V on Mac or Shift+Ctrl+V on Windows to paste in place. Use Cmd+F / Ctrl+F to paste in front and Cmd+B / Ctrl+B to paste at back.
What's the keyboard shortcut to group objects in Illustrator?
Press Cmd+G on Mac or Ctrl+G on Windows to group the selected artwork. To ungroup, press Shift+Cmd+G on Mac or Shift+Ctrl+G on Windows.
How do I switch to Outline mode in Illustrator?
Press Cmd+Y on Mac or Ctrl+Y on Windows to toggle between Outline mode and GPU Preview of the document.
Do Illustrator's AI features like Text to Vector Graphic have keyboard shortcuts?
No. Adobe's default keyboard shortcuts do not include the generative AI features. Text to Vector Graphic, Generative Shape Fill, Generative Pattern, Generative Expand, and Retype are accessed from the Contextual Task Bar, the Object menu, or the Properties panel rather than by a default keyboard shortcut.