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In the commercial printing business, where the timely completion of jobs is vital, efficiency and velocity play a significant part in the overall production process. When it comes to the field of electronic prepress, the degree of productivity you are capable of achieving is directly proportional to the depth of knowledge you possess regarding the software programs that you make use of. Read on to find out the best Adobe Illustrator keyboard shortcuts.
The use of keyboard shortcuts is quite helpful since they eliminate the need to browse through a large number of panels in order to find a certain tool, which results in a considerable reduction in the amount of time wasted. Adobe Illustrator, which is well-known for its functionalities, provides users with a sizable collection of keyboard shortcuts that speed up the workflow operations. You can discover a multitude of keyboard shortcuts that are at your disposal by studying the command menu and moving your mouse over the icons. These shortcuts will enable you to work more quickly and efficiently.
Why Are Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts Important?
Adobe Illustrator is a powerful vector graphics program that designers, illustrators, and artists use to make a wide range of visual material. In Adobe Illustrator, keyboard shortcuts offer a number of important perks that can make your design workflow and efficiency much better. Here’s why it’s important to know the Illustrator computer shortcuts:
- Time Efficiency: Relying less on the mouse or trackpad can help avoid repetitive strain injuries and make long design sessions more comfortable overall.
- Streamlined Workflow: Keyboard tools can speed up your work by letting you use the keyboard instead of the mouse. This helps you keep your mind on making art.
- Editing with more precision: Shortcuts on the keyboard let you do things like move objects by small amounts or line up elements correctly.
- Efficient Selection and Navigation: Shortcuts make it easier to select and move around items on the canvas, so you can work faster and more accurately, even on illustrations that are complicated.
Best Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts
By using shortcuts on the keyboard, rather than scrolling through menus and clicking on icons, you are able to complete things considerably more quickly. When working on difficult projects under strict time constraints, this is an especially important consideration.
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
Spacebar | Hand Tool (temporary) |
Ctrl + 0 | Fit Artboard to Window |
Ctrl + 1 | Actual Size |
Ctrl + Space | Zoom In (temporary) |
Alt + Space | Zoom Out (temporary) |
Ctrl + R | Show/Hide Rulers |
Ctrl + H | Show/Hide Artboards |
Selection Shortcuts
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
V | Selection Tool |
A | Direct Selection Tool |
Shift + V | Selection Tool (temporary) |
Ctrl + Shift + A | Deselect All |
Ctrl + A | Select All |
Ctrl + Shift + > | Select Next Object Above in Group |
Ctrl + Shift + < | Select Next Object Below in Group |
Ctrl + Alt + Shift | Select Objects with Same Fill and Stroke |
Transform Shortcuts
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
Ctrl + T | Free Transform |
Ctrl + D | Transform Again |
Ctrl + Shift + D | Transform Again in Place |
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + T | Copy and Transform Again in Place |
Ctrl + 2 | Lock Selection |
Ctrl + Shift + 2 | Unlock All |
Ctrl + Alt + 2 | Hide Selection |
Ctrl + Shift + 3 | Show All |
Workspace Shortcuts
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
Tab | Hide/Show Tools and Panels |
F | Cycle through Screen Modes |
Shift + F | Full Screen Mode with Menu Bar |
Ctrl + H | Hide/Show Edges |
Ctrl + Shift + H | Hide/Show Artboards |
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + H | Hide/Show Guides, Grids, and Slices |
Drawing and Editing Shortcuts
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
P | Pen Tool |
B | Brush Tool |
N | Pencil Tool |
L | Ellipse Tool |
R | Rectangle Tool |
Shift + M | Shape Builder Tool |
Ctrl + G | Group Objects |
Ctrl + Shift + G | Ungroup Objects |
Ctrl + Z | Undo |
Ctrl + Shift + Z | Redo |
Best Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts Organized by Different Platforms
Your workflow can be made more efficient by using keyboard shortcuts, which eliminate the need to transition between using the keyboard and using the mouse. This helps you maintain your concentration on the process of creating. The use of shortcuts on the keyboard makes it possible to make more precise adjustments, such as nudging items by very small increments or aligning pieces to an exact degree.
Windows Shortcuts
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
Ctrl + N | New Document |
Ctrl + O | Open Document |
Ctrl + S | Save Document |
Ctrl + P | Print Document |
Ctrl + Z | Undo |
Ctrl + Y | Redo |
Ctrl + C | Copy |
Ctrl + X | Cut |
Ctrl + V | Paste |
Ctrl + D | Transform Again |
Ctrl + Shift + D | Transform Again in Place |
Ctrl + T | Free Transform |
Ctrl + G | Group Objects |
Ctrl + Shift + G | Ungroup Objects |
Ctrl + A | Select All |
Ctrl + Shift + A | Deselect All |
Ctrl + Shift + > | Select Next Object Above in Group |
Ctrl + Shift + < | Select Next Object Below in Group |
Ctrl + 0 | Fit Artboard to Window |
Mac Shortcuts
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
Cmd + N | New Document |
Cmd + O | Open Document |
Cmd + S | Save Document |
Cmd + P | Print Document |
Cmd + Z | Undo |
Cmd + Shift + Z | Redo |
Cmd + C | Copy |
Cmd + X | Cut |
Cmd + V | Paste |
Cmd + D | Transform Again |
Cmd + Shift + D | Transform Again in Place |
Cmd + T | Free Transform |
Cmd + G | Group Objects |
Cmd + Shift + G | Ungroup Objects |
Cmd + A | Select All |
Cmd + Shift + A | Deselect All |
Cmd + Shift + > | Select Next Object Above in Group |
Cmd + Shift + < | Select Next Object Below in Group |
Cmd + 0 | Fit Artboard to Window |
How Can I Customize the Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts? in short
Steps to customize Adobe Illustrator keyboard shortcuts:
- Open Keyboard Shortcuts: Select “Keyboard Shortcuts.” from the “Edit” or “Illustrator” menu on Windows or macOS.
- The Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box has a “Set.” dropdown menu. Select “Illustrator Default” or a stored custom set to configure shortcuts.
- Shortcut Type: Menu Commands, Tools, and Panels can be customized. Choose the category that matches your customization needs.
- Find Command: Find the action you want to customize in the commands list. Use the search bar to find it easily.
- Click on the selected command’s “Shortcut” in the “Shortcut” column to change it. Press the keys for the new shortcut. Illustrator will notify you if the combination is already assigned and ask whether you wish to override it.
- Override or Append: If the shortcut is already given to another function, you can “Override” it to add your own. The “Append” option inserts the shortcut without removing the previous one.
- Restore Defaults: Use the “Restore Defaults” button at the bottom of the dialog box to reset a set’s shortcuts.
- Save Custom Set: Click “Save Set” to save your custom shortcuts. This lets you switch shortcut sets.
- The “Load Set” button lets you load previously saved shortcut sets.
- Apply and OK: Click “OK” to apply your shortcut modifications and exit the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box.
- Restart Illustrator: Sometimes you need to restart Illustrator for changes to take effect.
Questions and Answers
A: In Adobe Illustrator, keyboard shortcuts are pre-set combinations of keys that do specific things. This lets you access tools, tasks, and features quickly without having to go through menus.
A: Using keyboard shortcuts can speed up your work in Adobe Illustrator and reduce the amount of mouse movement you need to do. They make it easy to get to tools and orders that you use often, which makes you more efficient and productive.
A: In Adobe Illustrator, you can see a list of keyboard shortcuts by going to the “Edit” menu and selecting “Keyboard Shortcuts.” This will open a dialogue box with all the actions. In this dialogue box, you can also change or make your own options.