Adobe Illustrator CS4 Keyboard Shortcuts

List of shortcut keys

Shortcut	Command	How useful(?)
Keys for selecting tools Adobe Illustrator CS4
Shft + O	Artboard tool	+ –
V	Selection tool	+ –
A	Direct Selection tool	+ –
Y	Magic Wand tool	+ –
Q	Lasso tool	+ –
P	Pen tool	+ –
Shft + B	Blob Brush tool	+ –
+ (plus)	Add Anchor Point tool	+ –
- (minus)	Delete Anchor Point tool	+ –
Shft + C	Convert Anchor Point tool	+ –
T	Type tool	+ –
M	Rectangle tool	+ –
L	Ellipse tool	+ –
B	Paintbrush tool	+ –
N	Pencil tool	+ –
R	Rotate tool	+ –
O	Reflect tool	+ –
S	Scale tool	+ –
Shft + R	Warp tool	+ –

E	Free Transform tool	+ –
Shft + S	Symbol Sprayer tool	+ –
J	Column Graph tool	+ –
U	Mesh tool	+ –
G	Gradient tool	+ –
I	Eyedropper tool	+ –
W	Blend tool	+ –
K	Live Paint Bucket tool	+ –
Shft + L	Live Paint Selection tool	+ –
Shft + O	Crop Area tool	+ –
Shft + K	Slice tool	+ –
Shft + E	Eraser tool	+ –
C	Scissors tool	+ –
H	Hand tool	+ –
Z	Zoom tool	+ –
Press Optn	Switch to Smooth tool while using Blob Brush tool	+ –


Keys for viewing artwork Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
F	Toggle between screen modes: Normal Screen Mode, Full Screen Mode with Menu Bar, Full Screen Mode	+ –
Double-click Hand tool	Fit imageable area in window	+ –
Double-click Zoom tool	Magnify 100%	+ –
Spacebar	Switch to Hand tool (when not in text-edit mode)	+ –
Spacebar + Cmnd	Switch to Zoom tool in magnify mode	+ –
Spacebar + Cmnd + Optn	Switch to Zoom tool in reduce mode	+ –
Spacebar	Move Zoom marquee while dragging with the Zoom tool	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + Shft + 3	Hide unselected artwork	+ –
Optn-drag guide	Convert between horizontal and vertical guide	+ –
Cmnd + Shft-double-click guide	Release guide	+ –
Cmnd + Shft + H	Show/Hide artboards	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + R	Show/Hide artboard rulers	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + 0 (zero)	View all artboards in window	+ –
Esc	Exit Artboard tool mode	+ –
Shft-drag	Create artboard inside another artboard	+ –
Cmnd + '	Navigate to next document	+ –
Cmnd + Shft + '	Navigate to previous document	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + '	Navigate to next document group	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + Shft + '	Navigate to previous document group	+ –
Esc	Exit Full Screen mode	+ –
Optn + v	Save multiple artboards to Illustrator CS3 or earlier format	+ –


Keys for drawing Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Shft-drag	Constrain a shape's proportions or orientation to: equal height and width for rectangles, rounded rectangles, ellipses, and grids Increments of 45º for line and arc segments Original orientation for polygons, stars, and flares	+ –
spacebar-drag	Move a shape while drawing it	+ –
Optn-drag	Draw from the center of a shape (except for polygons, stars, and flares)	+ –
Start dragging, then press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow	Increase or decrease polygon sides, star points, arc angle, spiral winds, or flare rays	+ –
Start dragging, then hold down Cmnd	Keep the inner radius of a star constant	+ –
Optn-drag	Keep the sides of a star straight	+ –
Start dragging, then hold down C	Switch between an open and closed arc	+ –
Start dragging, then hold down SF	Flip an arc, keeping the reference point constant	+ –
Optn-drag	Add or subtract winds from a spiral while increasing the length of the spiral	+ –
Cmnd-drag	Change the decay rate of a spiral	+ –
Start dragging, then press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow	Add or remove horizontal lines from a rectangular grid or concentric lines from a polar grid	+ –
Start dragging, then press the Right Arrow or Left Arrow	Add or remove vertical lines from a rectangular grid or radial lines from a polar grid	+ –
Start dragging, then press F	Decrease the skew value for horizontal dividers in a rectangular grid or radial dividers in a polar grid by 10%	+ –
Start dragging, then press V	Increase the skew value for horizontal dividers in a rectangular grid or radial dividers in a polar grid by 10%	+ –
Start dragging, then press X	Decrease the skew value for vertical dividers in a rectangular grid or concentric dividers in a polar grid by 10%	+ –
Start dragging, then press C	Increase the skew value for vertical dividers in a rectangular grid or concentric dividers in a polar grid by 10%	+ –
Optn-click Live Trace in the Ctrl panel, or hold down Optn and select a tracing preset.	Create and expand a Live Trace object in one step	+ –
] (right square bracket)	Increase size of Blob Brush	+ –
[ (left square bracket)	Decrease size of Blob Brush	+ –
Shft	Constrain Blob Brush path horizontally or vertically	+ –


Keys for selecting Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Cmnd	Switch to last-used selection tool (Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, or Group Selection tool)	+ –
Optn	Switch between Direct Selection tool and Group Selection tool	+ –
Shft-click	Add to a selection with Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, Group Selection tool, Live Paint Selection tool, or Magic Wand tool	+ –
Shft-click	Subtract a selection with Selection tool, Direct Selection tool, Group Selection tool, or LIve Paint Selection tool	+ –
Optn-click	Subtract from selection with Magic Wand tool	+ –
Shft-drag	Add to selection with Lasso tool	+ –
Optn-drag	Subtract from selection with Lasso tool	+ –
Caps Lock	Change pointer to cross hair for Lasso tool	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + A	Select artwork in active artboard	+ –


Keys for moving selections Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down Arrow	Move selection in user-defined increments	+ –
Shft + Right Arrow, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down Arrow	Move selection in 10x user-defined increments	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + Shft + 2	Lock all deselected artwork	+ –
Hold down Shft	Constrain movement to 45º angle (except when using Reflect tool)	+ –
	Set keyboard increments in General Preferences	+ –


Keys for editing shapes Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Optn	Switch Pen tool to Convert Anchor Point tool	+ –
Optn	Switch between Add Anchor Point tool and Delete Anchor Point tool	+ –
Optn	Switch Scissors tool to Add Anchor Point tool	+ –
Optn	Switch Pencil tool to Smooth tool	+ –
Spacebar-drag	Move current anchor point while drawing with Pen tool	+ –
Optn-drag	Cut a straight line with Knife tool	+ –
Shft + Optn-drag	Cut at 45º or 90º with Knife tool	+ –
Optn + Shape mode	Turn shape mode buttons in Pathfinder panel into Pathfinder commands	+ –


Keys for painting objects Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
X	Toggle between fill and stroke	+ –
D	Set fill and stroke to default	+ –
Shft + X	Swap fill and stroke	+ –
>	Select gradient fill mode	+ –
<	Select color fill mode	+ –
/ (forward slash)	Select no stroke/fill mode	+ –
Optn + Eyedropper tool	Sample color from an image or intermediate color from gradient	+ –
Optn + Shft-click + Eyedropper tool	Sample style and append appearance of currently selected item	+ –
Cmnd + / (forward slash)	Add new fill	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + / (forward slash)	Add new stroke	+ –
Cmnd-click gradient button in Tools panel or Gradient panel	Reset gradient to black and white	+ –


Keys for working with Live Paint groups Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Optn-click + Live Paint Bucket tool	Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample fill and/or stroke	+ –
Optn + Shft-click + Live Paint Bucket tool	Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample color from an image or intermediate color from a gradient	+ –
Shft + Live Paint Bucket tool	Select opposite Live Paint Bucket tool options (if Paint Fills and Paint Strokes are currently selected, switch to Paint Fills only)	+ –
Double-click + Live Paint Bucket tool	Fill across unstroked edges into adjacent faces	+ –
Triple-click + Live Paint Bucket tool	Fill all faces that have same fill and stroke all edges that have same stroke	+ –
Optn-click + Live Paint Selection tool	Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample fill and/or stroke	+ –
Optn + Shft-click + Live Paint Selection tool	Switch to Eyedropper tool and sample color from an image or intermediate color from a gradient	+ –
Shft-click + Live Paint Selection tool	Add to/subtract from a selection	+ –
Double-click + Live Paint Selection tool	Select all connected faces /edges with same fill/stroke	+ –
Triple-click + Live Paint Selection tool	Select all faces/edges with same fill/stroke	+ –


Keys for transforming objects Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Optn-click	Set origin point and open dialog box when using Rotate tool, Scale tool, Reflect tool, or Shear tool	+ –
Optn-drag	Duplicate and transform selection when using Selection tool, Scale tool, Reflect tool, or Shear tool	+ –
Tilde (~)-drag	Transform pattern (independent of object) when using Selection tool, Scale tool, Reflect tool, or Shear tool	+ –


Keys for working with type Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Right Arrow or Left Arrow	Move one character right or left	+ –
Up Arrow or Down Arrow	Move up or down one line	+ –
Cmnd + Right Arrow or Left Arrow	Move one word right or left	+ –
Cmnd + Up Arrow or Down Arrow	Move up or down one paragraph	+ –
Shft + Cmnd + Right Arrow or Left Arrow	Select one word right or left	+ –
Shft + Cmnd + Up Arrow or Down Arrow	Select one paragraph before or after	+ –
Shft-click	Extend existing selection	+ –
Cmnd + Shft + L, R, or C	Align paragraph left, right, or center	+ –
Cmnd + Shft + J	Justify paragraph	+ –
Shft + Return	Insert soft return	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + K	Highlight kerning	+ –
Cmnd + Shft + X	Reset horizontal scale to 100%	+ –
Cmnd + Shft + > or <	Increase or decrease type size	+ –
Optn + Up or Down Arrow (horizontal text) or Right or Left Arrow (vertical text)	Increase or decrease leading	+ –
Double-click leading icon in the Character panel	Set leading to the type size	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + Q	Reset tracking/kerning to 0	+ –
Optn + Right or Left Arrow (horizontal text) or Up or Down Arrow (vertical text)	Increase or decrease kerning and tracking	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + Right or Left Arrow (horizontal text) or Up or Down Arrow (vertical text)	Increase or decrease kerning and tracking by five times	+ –
Optn + Shft + Up or Down Arrow (horizontal text) or Right or Left Arrow (vertical text)	Increase or decrease baseline shift	+ –
Shft	Switch between Type and Vertical Type, Area Type and Vertical Area Type, and Path Type and Vertical Path Type tools	+ –
Optn-click Type tool	Switch between Area Type and Type, Path Type and Area Type, and Vertical Path Type and Vertical Area Type tools	+ –
	To change the increment value for type shortcuts, choose Illustrator > Preferences >Type . Enter the values you want in the Size/Leading, Baseline Shift, and Tracking text boxes, and click OK.	+ –


Keys for using panels Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Optn-click New button	Set options (except for Actions, Brushes, Swatches, and Symbols panels)	+ –
Optn-click Delete button	Delete without confirmation (except for Layers panel)	+ –
Shft + Return	Apply value and keep text box active	+ –
Shft-click	Select range of actions, brushes, layers, links, styles, or swatches	+ –
Cmnd-click	Select noncontiguous actions, brushes, layers (same level only), links, styles, or swatches	+ –
Tab	Show/Hide all panels	+ –
Shft + Tab	Show/Hide all panels except the Tools panel and Control panel	+ –


Keys for the Actions panel Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Optn-click expansion triangle	Expand/Collapse entire hierarchy for action set	+ –
Double-click folder icon	Set options for action set	+ –
Optn-click Play button	Play a single command	+ –
Optn-click New Action button	Begin recording actions without confirmation	+ –


Keys for the Brushes panel Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Double-click brush	Open Brush Options dialog box	+ –
Drag brush to New Brush button	Duplicate brush	+ –


Keys for the Character and Paragraph panels Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Up Arrow or Down Arrow	Increase/decrease the selected value by a small increment	+ –
Shft + Up Arrow or Down Arrow	Increase/decreases the selected value by a large increment	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + Shft + F	Highlight the font name field in the Character panel	+ –


Keys for the Color panel Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Cmnd-click color bar	Select the complement for the current color fill/stroke	+ –
Optn-click color bar	Change the nonactive fill/stroke	+ –
Cmnd + Optn-click color bar	Select the complement for the nonactive fill/stroke	+ –
Cmnd + Shft-click color bar	Select the inverse for the current fill/stroke	+ –
Cmnd + Shft + Optn-click color bar	Select the inverse for the nonactive fill/stroke	+ –
Shft-click color bar	Change the color mode	+ –
Shft-drag color slider	Move color sliders in tandem	+ –
Double-click to right of a numerical field	Switch between percentage and 0-255 values for RGB	+ –


Keys for the Gradient panel Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Optn-drag	Duplicate color stops	+ –
Optn-drag color stop onto another color stop	Swap color stops	+ –
Optn-click swatch in the Swatches panel	Apply swatch color to active (or selected) color stop	+ –
Cmnd-click Gradient Fill box in the Gradient panel	Reset the gradient fill to default black and white linear gradient	+ –
Cmnd + Optn + G	Show/Hide gradient arrow	+ –
Optn-drag end point of gradient arrow	Modify angle and end-point together	+ –
Shft-drag	Constrain Gradient tool or Gradient arrow while dragging	+ –
G	View Gradient arrow in selected gradient filled object	+ –


Keys for the Layers panel Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Optn-click layer name	Select all objects on the layer	+ –
Optn-click eye icon	Show/hide all layers but the selected one	+ –
Cmnd-click eye icon	Select Outline/Preview view for the selected layer	+ –
Cmnd + Optn-click eye icon	Selects Outline/Preview view for all other layers	+ –
Optn-click lock icon	Lock/unlock all other layers	+ –
Optn-click expansion triangle	Expand all sublayers to display entire hierarchy	+ –
Optn-click New Layer button	Set options as you create new layer	+ –
Optn-click New Sublayer button	Set options as you create new sublayer	+ –
Cmnd + Optn-click New Sublayer button	Place new sublayer at bottom of layer list	+ –
Cmnd-click New Layer button	Place layer at top of layer list	+ –
Cmnd + Optn-click New Layer button	Place layer below selected layer	+ –
Optn-drag selection	Copy the selection to a new layer, sublayer, or group	+ –


Keys for the Swatches panel Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Cmnd-click New Swatch button	Create new spot color	+ –
Cmnd + Shft-click New Swatch button	Create new global process color	+ –
Optn-drag a swatch over another	Replace swatch with another	+ –
Cmnd + Optn-click in the swatch color list	Select swatch by name (using keyboard)	+ –


Keys for the Transform panel Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Shft + Return	Apply a value and keep focus in edit field	+ –
Optn + Return	Apply a value and copy object	+ –
Cmnd + Return	Apply a value and scale option proportionately for width or height	+ –


Keys for the Transparency panel Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
Optn-click on mask thumbnail	Change mask to grayscale image for editing	+ –
Shft-click on mask thumbnail	Disable opacity mask	+ –
Shft-click on disabled mask thumbnail	Re-enable opacity mask	+ –
Click opacity field + Up Arrow or Down Arrow	Increase/decrease opacity in 1% increments	+ –
Shft-click opacity field + Up Arrow or Down Arrow	Increase/decrease opacity in 10% increments	+ –


Function keys Adobe Illustrator CS4
	This is not a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This table lists only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.	+ –
F1	Invoke Help	+ –
F2	Cut	+ –
F3	Copy	+ –
F4	Paste	+ –
F5	Show/hide Brushes panel	+ –
F6	Show/hide Color panel	+ –
F7	Show/hide Layers panel	+ –
F8	Create new symbol	+ –
Cmnd + F8	Show/hide Info panel	+ –
Cmnd + F9	Show/hide Gradient panel	+ –
Cmnd + F10	Show/hide Stroke panel	+ –
Cmnd + F11	Show/hide Attributes panel	+ –
F12	Revert	+ –
Shft + F5	Show/hide Graphic Styles panel	+ –
Shft + F6	Show/hide Appearance panel	+ –
Shft + F7	Show/hide Align panel	+ –
Shft + F8	Show/hide Transform panel	+ –
Shft + Cmnd + F9	Show/hide Pathfinder panel	+ –
Shft + Cmnd + F10	Show/hide Transparency panel	+ –
Shft + Cmnd + F11	Show/hide Symbols panel	+ –