If you are an Adobe Illustrator user, mastering Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts can help you in boosting your productivity and efficiency while designing. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, knowing the right shortcuts helps you navigate the interface, switch tools quickly, and execute commands without interrupting your creative flow. From selecting objects to applying effects and managing layers, these shortcuts allow you to work faster and more precisely. In this guide, we’ll explore the most essential Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts to help you streamline your workflow and take your designs to the next level.

Table of Contents
List of Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts
Here’s a comprehensive list of Adobe Illustrator keyboard shortcuts, categorized for different functions.
Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows OS and Mac OS
Here’s a comprehensive list of Adobe Illustrator keyboard shortcuts for both Windows and Mac OS, categorized for different functions.
Section | Action | Windows Shortcut | Mac OS Shortcut |
---|---|---|---|
File Operations | New Document | Ctrl + N | Cmd + N |
Open Document | Ctrl + O | Cmd + O | |
Save Document | Ctrl + S | Cmd + S | |
Save As | Ctrl + Shift + S | Cmd + Shift + S | |
Ctrl + P | Cmd + P | ||
Editing | Undo | Ctrl + Z | Cmd + Z |
Redo | Ctrl + Shift + Z | Cmd + Shift + Z | |
Cut | Ctrl + X | Cmd + X | |
Copy | Ctrl + C | Cmd + C | |
Paste | Ctrl + V | Cmd + V | |
Paste in Place | Ctrl + Shift + V | Cmd + Shift + V | |
Select All | Ctrl + A | Cmd + A | |
Deselect | Ctrl + Shift + A | Cmd + Shift + A | |
Tools | Selection Tool | V | V |
Direct Selection Tool | A | A | |
Pen Tool | P | P | |
Brush Tool | B | B | |
Type Tool | T | T | |
Rectangle Tool | M | M | |
Eyedropper Tool | I | I | |
Navigation | Zoom In | Ctrl + + | Cmd + + |
Zoom Out | Ctrl + - | Cmd + - | |
Fit Artboard in Window | Ctrl + 0 | Cmd + 0 | |
Hand Tool (Move View) | H | H | |
Layers & Objects | Bring to Front | Ctrl + Shift + ] | Cmd + Shift + ] |
Send to Back | Ctrl + Shift + [ | Cmd + Shift + [ | |
Lock Object | Ctrl + 2 | Cmd + 2 | |
Unlock All | Ctrl + Alt + 2 | Cmd + Option + 2 | |
Group Objects | Ctrl + G | Cmd + G | |
Ungroup Objects | Ctrl + Shift + G | Cmd + Shift + G | |
Align & Transform | Align Objects Left | Shift + Ctrl + L | Shift + Cmd + L |
Align Objects Right | Shift + Ctrl + R | Shift + Cmd + R | |
Rotate Object | R | R | |
Scale Object | S | S | |
Reflect Object | O | O | |
Guides & Grids | Show/Hide Rulers | Ctrl + R | Cmd + R |
Show/Hide Guides | Ctrl + ; | Cmd + ; | |
Lock/Unlock Guides | Ctrl + Alt + ; | Cmd + Option + ; | |
Snap to Grid | Ctrl + Shift + ' | Cmd + Shift + ' | |
Text & Typography | Increase Font Size | Ctrl + Shift + > | Cmd + Shift + > |
Decrease Font Size | Ctrl + Shift + < | Cmd + Shift + < | |
Convert Text to Outlines | Ctrl + Shift + O | Cmd + Shift + O | |
Toggle Character/Paragraph Panel | Ctrl + T | Cmd + T | |
Effects & Appearance | Expand Appearance | Ctrl + Shift + E | Cmd + Shift + E |
Apply Last Effect | Ctrl + Shift + Alt + E | Cmd + Shift + Option + E | |
Hide/Show All Effects | Ctrl + H | Cmd + H | |
Export & Output | Export As | Ctrl + Shift + E | Cmd + Shift + E |
Package Files | Ctrl + Shift + P | Cmd + Shift + P | |
Save for Web (Legacy) | Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S | Cmd + Shift + Option + S |
This list of Adobe Illustrator keyboard shortcuts will help you boost efficiency and speed up your design workflow.