Psttt!
Photoshop tutorials, tips n tricks
Keyboard Shortcuts
Categories: Reference, Resources

PHOTOSHOP KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

BASIC KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS (these work with most applications, not just Photoshop)

Keys

What they do:

Ctrl – N Opens a new file
Ctrl – O Opens an existing file
Ctrl – C Copies selected item into memory
Ctrl – V Pastes selected item from memory
Ctrl – X Cuts selected item to memory for pasting
Ctrl – S Saves current file

SWITCHING TOOLS: these shortcuts allow you to temporarily switch between certain tools while you’re working. Releasing the key(s) restores the original tool.

Keys

Use with: What they do:
Ctrl Most tools Changes to MOVE TOOL
Alt Brush, Paintbucket Changes to EYEDROPPER
Spacebar Most tools Changes to HAND TOOL
Spacebar + Ctrl Most tools Changes to ZOOM IN
Spacebar + Alt Most tools Changes to ZOOM OUT

POWER TIP: Alt- Click on any icon in the Toolbar that features an options menu (i.e. Marquee, Lasso) to cycle through the options without using the menu.

ALTERING SELECTIONS: these shortcuts allow you to add to, subtract from, invert or drop a current selection.

Keys

Use with What they do:
Shift Marquee etc Adds to the current selection
Alt Marquee etc Subtracts from current selection
Ctrl – D Selection Releases or “drops” current selection
Ctrl – Shift – I Selection Inverts selection (selects everything BUT currently selected area)

POWER TIP: Ctrl click on any layer in the Layer Palette to “pick up” the item on it as a selection

PHOTOSHOP KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS (Part 2)

USING COLOURS

Keys

What they do:

D key Resets colours to Black and White
X key Switches foreground & background colours
Alt –Delete Fills selection/layer with foreground colour
Ctrl – Delete Fills selection/layer with background colour
Shift -Delete Opens the “Fill” dialogue box

LAYER MENU SHORTCUTS

Keys

What they do:

Ctrl-Alt-Shift-N Create new layer bypassing the dialogue box
Ctrl-J Copies (‘jumps’) selection to new layer
Ctrl-Shift-J Cuts (‘jumps’) selection to new layer
Ctrl –Alt -Arrow Keys Copies layer to above or below current layer
Ctrl -E Merges selected layers
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-E Copies all visible layers onto a new layer
Ctrl – [ or ] Moves layer up or down stack

 

Download this as an Acrobat PDF document

Download this as a Word document

 

Leave a Reply