Have you ever wasted an entire day in Photoshop?So have I. It's not like you start out aimlessly. You have a simple goal in mind, like cropping a photo, improving the resolution, or changing the size of the canvas. But then, you see all the options. And before you know it, you're attempting to solve The Riddle of the Sphinx.
Wouldn't it be nice if you could just press a button, and magically, Photoshop would do what you wanted it to do? It turns out there are a wealth of Photoshop shortcuts that do exactly this.
By pressing a few keys on your computer keyboard at the same time, you can select tools, manipulate images and layers, and even make adjustments to your project's canvas. We'll show you how to do all of that (and more) in this guide.
Save all of these shortcuts to your desktop bydownloading the PDF version here.
Note:All of these shortcuts can be accessed on PC and Mac, but sometimes, they're different on each operating system. We've included both types below, and in the cases where they might be different, Mac instructions appear in italicized parentheses. Also, in these formulas, the plus sign (+) is present only to represent the combination of key commands. On occasion, it might be part of the command itself, like when you press the plus sign to zoom into a part of an image. Otherwise, don't press the plus sign between commands.
- Change image size
- Change canvas size
- Zoom in
- Zoom out
- Scale Proportionately
- Scale in place
- Show Rulers
- Show or hide the grid
- Pointer, a.k.a. Move Tool
- Magic Wand
- Rectangular Marquee, a.k.a. the Select Tool
- Lasso
You'd think setting up your content in Photoshop would be second nature. But sometimes, the shortcuts to change the background size, or zoom into your project aren't what you think. Here are some of the most crucial fundamental shortcuts to know:
1. Change image sizeControl + Alt + i (Command + Option + i )
2. Change canvas sizeControl + Alt + c (Command + Option + c )
3. Zoom inControl + + (Command + + )
4. Zoom outControl + - (Command + - )
5. Scale ProportionatelyHold the shift key while selecting the object
6. Scale in place (from center of the object)Hold shift + option while selecting the object
7. Show RulersControl + r (Command + r)
8. Show or hide the grid (the automatically-generated horizontal and vertical lines that help align objects to the canvas.)Control + ' (Command + ' )
Choosing the Right ToolsThese shortcuts will activate different groups of tools, like "Lasso," "Brush," or "Spot Healing Brush." Within these tools, though, there are different functions. Under the "Magic Wand" tool group, for example, you have the option to execute a new selection or add and subtract from a current one.
Each one of these tools has a keyboard shortcut, and we've outlined some of them below.
9. Pointer, a.k.a. Move Toolv
10. Magic Wandw
11. Rectangular Marquee, a.k.a. the Select Toolm
12. Lassol
13. Eyedropperi
14. Cropc
15. Erasere
16. Rectangleu
17. Horizontal Typet
18. Brushb
19. History Brushy
20. Spot Healing Brushj
21. Gradientg
22. Path Selectiona
23. Handh
24. Rotate Viewr
25. Penp
26. Clone Stamps
27. Dodgeo
28. Zoom Toolz
29. Default Foreground and Background Colorsd
30. Switch Foreground and Background Colorsx
31. Edit in Quick Mask Modeq
32. Change Screen Modex
33. Full Screenf
Using the Brush ToolWith the brush settings, you can change the size, shape, and transparency of your brush strokes to achieve a number of different visual effects. To use these keyboard shortcuts, first select the Brush tool by pressing b.
34. Select previous or next brush style, or .
35. Select the first or last brush style usedShift + , or .
36. Display precise crosshair for brushesCaps Lock or Shift + Caps Lock (Caps Lock)
37. Toggle airbrush optionShift + Alt + p (Shift + Option + p)
Using the Marquee Tool (for Slicing/Selecting)When used correctly, the marquee tool will let you select individual elements, entire graphics, and determine what is copied, cut, and pasted into your graphics. To use these keyboard shortcuts, first select the Marquee tool by pressing m.
38. Toggle between Slice tool and Slice Selection toolControl (Command)
39. Draw square sliceShift + drag
40. Draw from center outwardAlt + drag (Option + drag)
41. Draw square slice from center outwardShift + alt + drag (Shift + option + drag)
42. Reposition the slice while creating the sliceSpacebar + drag
Using Different Blending OptionsBlending options include a number of features to enhance the look of your graphic. You can always choose a blending option by going to the top menu bar, under Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. Or, you can double-click any layer to bring up the options for that particular layer.
Once you open blending options, you can use keyboard shortcuts to select them without moving your mouse. To use the shortcuts, select the Move tool ("v"), and then select the layer you'd like to use the blending options on. Below are some of the most popular modes.
43. Cycle through blending modesShift + + or -
44. Normal modeShift + Alt + n (Shift + Option + n)
45. DissolveShift + Alt + i (Shift + Option + i)
46. DarkenShift + Alt + k (Shift + Option + k)
47. LightenShift + Alt + g (Shift + Option + g)
48. MultiplyShift + Alt + m (Shift + Option + m)
49. OverlayShift + Alt + o (Shift + Option + o)
50. HueShift + Alt + u (Shift + Option + u)
51. SaturationShift + Alt + t (Shift + Option + t)
52. LuminosityShift + Alt + y (Shift + Option + y)
For more niche blending shortcuts, check out these tips from Adobe.
Manipulating Layers & ObjectsIf you want to modify an object or get complex with multiple layers, here are some shortcuts you might like to know:
Click to Enlarge
53. Select all objectsControl + a (Command + a )
54. Deselect all objectsControl + d (Command + d )
55. Select the inverse of the selected objectsShift + Control + i (Shift + Command + i )
56. Select all layersControl + Alt + a (Command + Option + a)
57. Merge all layersControl + Shift + E (Command + Shift + e)
58. Select top layerAlt + . (Option + .)
59. Select bottom layerAlt + , (Option + ,)
Note: In shortcuts 55-57, the brackets ([ ]) are the keystrokes in the command, and "OR" refers to the actual word - as in, press one bracket OR the other, not the letters "o" and "r."
60. Select next layer down or upAlt + [ OR ] (Option + [ OR ])
61. Move target layer down or upControl + [ OR ] (Command + [ OR ])
62. Move layer to the bottom or topControl + Shift + [ OR ] (Command + Shift + [ OR ])
63. Create a new layerShift + Control + n (Shift + Command + n)
64. Group selected layersControl + g (Command + g)
65. Ungroup selected layersControl + Shift + g (Command + Shift + g)
66. Merge and flatten selected layersControl + e (Command + e)
67. Combine all layers into a new layer on top of the other layersControl + Shift + Alt + e (Command + Shift + Option + e)
Note: This step gets you one, combined layer, with all elements of that layer in separate layers below - which is different from a traditional merge-and-flatten layers command.
68. Transform your object (includes resizing and rotating)Control + t (Command + t)
69. Multiple UndosControl + Alt + z (Command + Option + z)
And Finally - Save Your Work for LaterCongratulations - you've finished working on your project, and now, you're ready to share it with the world. Save time-saving your project by using these simple shortcuts:
70. Save asControl + Shift + s (Command + Shift + s)
71. Save for web and devicesControl + Shift + Alt + s (Command + Shift + Option + s)
Originally published Jan 7, 2022 7:00:00 AM, updated January 07 2022
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HubSpot Inc. published this content on 07 January 2022 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 07 January 2022 12:07:00 UTC.