common use illustrator shortcuts in 2023

 To speed up your productivity, use these 21 Illustrator shortcuts.

You may be sure that using these keyboard shortcuts to manage layers, selections, text, and more will increase your output.

Simple activities might impede your workflow whenever you're creating vector graphics in Illustrator(opens in new tab). Take a peek at our collection of Illustrator shortcuts right now instead of becoming angry. Once you learn how to use them, you can be sure that your workflow will be sped up.

We can help you with everything, whether you want to resize your text, deselect a layer, or combine many layers. Additional helpful tips are provided for brushing, saving and closing, and viewing choices. Slowly incorporate the shortcuts into your practise to avoid becoming overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information to retain. Check out Yuko Shimizu's advice on how to become a recognised illustrator as well.

illustrator shortcuts in 2023

1. Choose every item on the layer.

Mac: Option+Click layer

Windows: Layer Alt+Click

Select all the things on one layer, including those that are locked and hidden, quickly (to select only the visible, unlocked objects, click the select circle in the layers palette).

2. Hand Tool

Mac: Spacebar

Windows: Spacebar

The material should not be disturbed when you move around your artboard. You cannot use this shortcut when modifying typography.

3. Hand Tool (Editing type)

Mac: Cmd+Spacebar

Windows: Ctrl+Spacebar

The material should not be disturbed when you move around your artboard. This can be done while editing text, however Illustrator will start adding spaces to your text if you don't move the mouse around extremely fast after pressing the Cmd or Ctrl key.

4. Activate Zoom In tool

Mac: Cmd+Spacebar

Windows: Ctrl+Spacebar

Zoom closer into the artboard.

5. Switch on the Zoom Out tool.

Mac: Cmd+Option+Spacebar

Windows: Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar

Zoom out of the artboard.

6. Access Selection or Direction Selection tool

Mac: Cmd

Windows: Ctrl

Switch between the Selection or Direction Selection tool – a big time saver.

7. Move Selection 10 pts

Mac: Shift+arrow direction

Windows: Shift+arrow direction

Shift your imagery and/or typography accurately and quickly.

8. Add to a selection

Mac: Shift-click

Windows: Shift-click

Create multiple selections, with the ability to add more if needed.

9. Lock selected artwork

Mac: Cmd+2

Windows: Ctrl+2

This is a handy way to lock down those layers that keep getting in the way.

10. Unlock all artwork

Mac: Cmd+Option+2

Windows: Ctrl+Alt+2

Unlock previously locked layers all at once.

11. Duplicate

Mac: Option+drag

Windows: Alt+drag

Just drag your selection while holding Option to duplicate the file.

12. Scale proportionally with Selection tool

Mac: Shift+drag bounding box

Windows: Shift+drag bounding box

Never distort your images again: scale them proportionally with this method.

13. Sample colour

Mac: I

Windows: I

Sample colour from a vector, gradient or image with the eyedropper tool.

14. Show/hide artboards

Mac: Cmd+Shift+H

Windows: Ctrl+Shift+H

Each artboard is bound by solid lines that represent the maximum printable area, with a canvas area beyond these boundaries. This shortcut shows/hides the artboard boundaries.

15. Show/hide artboard rulers

Mac: Cmd+R

Windows: Ctrl+R

Make sure everything lines up by toggling rulers on.

16. View all artboards in window

Mac: Cmd+Option+O

Windows: Ctrl+Alt+O

Shows you multiple artboards at once.

17. Decrease/increase type size

Mac: Cmd+Shift+< or >

Windows: Ctrl+Shift+< or >

An effective way of changing your font size directly in front of your eyes.

18. Decrease/Increase leading

Mac: Option+up/down

Windows: Alt+up/down

Quickly adjust the kerning without having to keep clicking in the character tab.

19. Decrease/Increase kerning or tracking

Mac: Option+arrow L/R

Windows: Alt+arrow L/R

Adjust the space between your text in Illustrator with this handy command.

20. Align text left/centre/right

Mac: Cmd-Shift-L/C/R

Windows: Ctrl+Shift+L/C/R

A great way to experiment with the alignment of your text, this shortcut will enable you to do it quickly.

21. Save for Web and Devices

Mac: Cmd+Shift+Opt+S

Windows: Ctrl+Shift+Alt+S

If you prefer not to drag your mouse around a number of options, use this shortcut.