Essential Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts for Faster Editing

Keyboard shortcuts are an essential part of mastering Adobe Illustrator, allowing you to speed up your workflow and improve efficiency. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned designer, knowing the right shortcuts can save time and effort.
This guide covers the most commonly used Illustrator keyboard shortcuts, categorized for easy reference.

1. General Illustrator Shortcuts

These shortcuts help you navigate and manage files quickly.

Ctrl + N (Cmd + N on Mac) – Create a new document
Ctrl + O (Cmd + O) – Open an existing file
Ctrl + S (Cmd + S) – Save your work
Ctrl + Shift + S (Cmd + Shift + S) – Save As
Ctrl + Alt + Z (Cmd + Option + Z) – Step backward (multiple undos)
Ctrl + Shift + Z (Cmd + Shift + Z) – Step forward
Ctrl + W (Cmd + W) – Close document
Ctrl + Q (Cmd + Q) – Quit Illustrator

2. Selection Shortcuts

Speed up your selections with these essential commands.

M – Rectangle Tool (press Shift + M to switch between rectangular and elliptical marquee)
L – Ellipse Tool (Shift + L to cycle between Lasso, Polygonal, and Magnetic Lasso Tools)
V – Selection Tool (Shift + V to toggle Magic Wand Tool)
A – Direct Selection Tool
Ctrl + A (Cmd + A) – Select all
Ctrl + D (Cmd + D) – Deselect selection
Ctrl + Shift + I (Cmd + Shift + I) – Invert selection
Ctrl + J (Cmd + J) – Duplicate selected layer

3. Brush & Painting Shortcuts

Control brushes and painting tools efficiently.

B – Paintbrush Tool
Shift + B – Cycle between Paintbrush and Blob Brush
E – Eraser Tool
Alt + Click (Option + Click) – Pick color from the canvas (Eyedropper tool)
Shift + X – Swap stroke and fill colors

4. Layer Management Shortcuts

Manage layers with ease using these essential shortcuts.

Ctrl + Shift + N (Cmd + Shift + N) – Create a new layer
Ctrl + J (Cmd + J) – Duplicate the current layer
Ctrl + Shift + J (Cmd + Shift + J) – Cut selection to a new layer
Ctrl + G (Cmd + G) – Group selected layers
Ctrl + Shift + G (Cmd + Shift + G) – Ungroup layers
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E (Cmd + Option + Shift + E) – Merge visible layers into a new layer
Ctrl + E (Cmd + E) – Merge selected layers

5. Transform & Navigation Shortcuts

Quickly move, scale, and navigate through your canvas.

Ctrl + T (Cmd + T) – Free Transform
Shift + Alt (Shift + Option) – Scale proportionally from the center while transforming
Ctrl + 0 (Cmd + 0) – Fit image to screen
Spacebar + Click & Drag – Move around the canvas
Ctrl + + / – (Cmd + + / -) – Zoom in/out
R – Rotate View Tool
H – Hand Tool

6. Text Editing Shortcuts

For quick and effective text manipulation.

T – Type Tool
Ctrl + Enter (Cmd + Enter) – Confirm text entry
Ctrl + Shift + > / < (Cmd + Shift + > / <) – Increase/Decrease text size
Ctrl + B / I / U (Cmd + B / I / U) – Bold, Italicize, Underline (in supported fonts)
Alt + Left/Right Arrow (Option + Left/Right Arrow) – Adjust kerning
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C (Cmd + Option + Shift + C) – Center text alignment

7. Masking & Adjustment Shortcuts

For quick adjustments and non-destructive editing.

Ctrl + 7 (Cmd + 7) – Create Clipping Mask
Ctrl + L (Cmd + L) – Levels Adjustment
Ctrl + M (Cmd + M) – Curves Adjustment
Ctrl + U (Cmd + U) – Hue/Saturation Adjustment
Ctrl + Shift + U (Cmd + Shift + U) – Desaturate layer
D – Reset foreground/background colors to default (black & white)
X – Swap foreground and background colors

Final Thoughts

Mastering these essential Illustrator shortcuts will help you work faster and more efficiently. Whether you’re editing vectors, designing graphics, or painting digitally, keyboard shortcuts can significantly enhance your productivity.

Did we miss any shortcuts that you find essential? Let us know in the comments!