A few weeks ago I compiled a list of InDesign shortcuts that I use daily and made a A4 printable cheat sheet (You can find it here ). Lots of people downloaded it, and asked me if I could make the same thing for Illustrator.
So, here it is: a single A4 printable cheat sheet that you can always have on your desk, ready to be checked. I hope this will help you memorize a few more shortcuts and be even more productive.
Even more, make sure you read this InDesign vs. Illustrator content to find the correct answer to when and why choose one software over the other.
Here are the ready-to-be-printed PDFs with the most important and used shortcuts:
In case you wonder, I made also a Desktop Background with these shortcuts. Here they are:
A full list of Illustrator keyboard shortcuts Illustrators has so many shortcuts that they didn’t fit into a single A4, so the printable cheat sheet above includes only the ones that I use the most and that I believe are the most important for day to day work.
However, here is also a more exhaustive list, in case I missed your favorites.
Application
Command
macOS
Windows
Help
F1
F1
General
⌘ + K
Ctrl + K
Units
⌘ + ,
Ctrl + ,
Hide Others
⌥ + ⌘ + H
Alt + Ctrl + H
Quit Illustrator
⌘ + Q
Ctrl + Q
Revert
⌥ + ⌘ + Z
Alt + Ctrl + Z
Place
⇧ + ⌘ + P
⇧ + Ctrl + P
Package
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + P
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + P
Other Script
⌘ + F12
Ctrl + F12
Document Setup
⌥ + ⌘ + P
Alt + Ctrl + P
File Info
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + I
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + I
Print
⌘ + P
Ctrl + P
Keyboard Shortcuts
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + K
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + K
Navigate to Next Document
⌘ + `
Ctrl + `
Navigate to Previous Document
⇧ + ⌘ + `
⇧ + Ctrl + `
Go back to the list
Files
Command
macOS
Windows
New
⌘ + N
Ctrl + N
New from Template
⇧ + ⌘ + N
⇧ + Ctrl + N
Open
⌘ + O
Ctrl + O
Browse in Bridge
⌥ + ⌘ + O
Alt + Ctrl + O
Close
⌘ + W
Ctrl + W
Save
⌘ + S
Ctrl + S
Save As
⇧ + ⌘ + S
⇧ + Ctrl + S
Save a Copy
⌥ + ⌘ + S
Alt + Ctrl + S
Save for Web
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + S
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + S
Go back to the list
Basic Operations
Command
macOS
Windows
Artboard
⇧ + O
⇧ + O
Undo
⌘ + Z
Ctrl + Z
Redo
⇧ + ⌘ + Z
⇧ + Ctrl + Z
Cut
⌘ + X
Ctrl + X
Copy
⌘ + C
Ctrl + C
Paste
⌘ + V
Ctrl + V
Paste in Front
⌘ + F
Ctrl + F
Paste in Back
⌘ + B
Ctrl + B
Paste in Place
⇧ + ⌘ + V
⇧ + Ctrl + V
Paste on All Artboards
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + V
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + V
Check Spelling
⌘ + I
Ctrl + I
Color Settings
⇧ + ⌘ + K
⇧ + Ctrl + K
Select All
⌘ + A
Ctrl + A
Select All on Active Artboard
⌥ + ⌘ + A
Alt + Ctrl + A
Deselect
⇧ + ⌘ + A
⇧ + Ctrl + A
Reselect
⌘ + 6
Ctrl + 6
Next Object Above
⌥ + ⌘ + ]
Alt + Ctrl + ]
Next Object Below
⌥ + ⌘ + [
Alt + Ctrl + [
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Tools
Command
macOS
Windows
Selection
V
V
Direct Selection
A
A
Magic Wand
Y
Y
Lasso
Q
Q
Pen
P
P
Add Anchor Point
=
=
Delete Anchor Point
-
-
Anchor Point
⇧ + C
⇧ + C
Curvature Tool
⇧ + `
⇧ + `
Type
T
T
Touch Type
⇧ + T
⇧ + T
Line Segment
\
\
Rectangle
M
M
Ellipse
L
L
Paintbrush
B
B
Blob Brush
⇧ + B
⇧ + B
Pencil
N
N
Eraser
⇧ + E
⇧ + E
Scissors
C
C
Rotate
R
R
Reflect
O
O
Scale
S
S
Width
⇧ + W
⇧ + W
Warp
⇧ + R
⇧ + R
Free Transform
E
E
Shape Builder
⇧ + M
⇧ + M
Live Paint Bucket
K
K
Live Paint Selection
⇧ + L
⇧ + L
Perspective Grid
⇧ + P
⇧ + P
Perspective Selection
⇧ + V
⇧ + V
Mesh
U
U
Gradient
G
G
Eyedropper
I
I
Blend
W
W
Symbol Sprayer
⇧ + S
⇧ + S
CC Charts Tool
J
J
Slice
⇧ + K
⇧ + K
Hand
H
H
Zoom
Z
Z
Toggle Fill/Stroke
X
X
Default
D
D
Swap Fill/Stroke
⇧ + X
⇧ + X
Color
,
,
Gradient
.
.
None
/
/
Toggle Screen Mode
F
F
Show/Hide All Palettes
Tab
Tab
Show/Hide All But Toolbox
⇧ + Tab
⇧ + Tab
Increase Diameter
]
]
Decrease Diameter
[
[
Symbolism Tools - Increase Intensity
⇧ + }
⇧ + }
Symbolism Tools - Decrease Intensity
⇧ + {
⇧ + {
Toggle Drawing Mode
⇧ + D
⇧ + D
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Object Editing
Command
macOS
Windows
Transform Again
⌘ + D
Ctrl + D
Move
⇧ + ⌘ + M
⇧ + Ctrl + M
Bring to Front
⇧ + ⌘ + ]
⇧ + Ctrl + ]
Bring Forward
⌘ + ]
Ctrl + ]
Send Backward
⌘ + [
Ctrl + [
Send to Back
⇧ + ⌘ + [
⇧ + Ctrl + [
Group
⌘ + G
Ctrl + G
Ungroup
⇧ + ⌘ + G
⇧ + Ctrl + G
Selection
⌘ + 2
Ctrl + 2
Unlock All
⌥ + ⌘ + 2
Alt + Ctrl + 2
Selection
⌘ + 3
Ctrl + 3
Show All
⌥ + ⌘ + 3
Alt + Ctrl + 3
Join
⌘ + J
Ctrl + J
Average
⌥ + ⌘ + J
Alt + Ctrl + J
Edit Pattern
⇧ + ⌘ + F8
⇧ + Ctrl + F8
Make
⌥ + ⌘ + B
Alt + Ctrl + B
Release
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + B
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + B
Make with Warp
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + W
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + W
Make with Mesh
⌥ + ⌘ + M
Alt + Ctrl + M
Make with Top Object
⌥ + ⌘ + C
Alt + Ctrl + C
Make
⌥ + ⌘ + X
Alt + Ctrl + X
Make
⌘ + 7
Ctrl + 7
Release
⌥ + ⌘ + 7
Alt + Ctrl + 7
Make
⌘ + 8
Ctrl + 8
Release
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + 8
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + 8
Create Outlines
⇧ + ⌘ + O
⇧ + Ctrl + O
Show Hidden Characters
⌥ + ⌘ + I
Alt + Ctrl + I
Apply Last Effect
⇧ + ⌘ + E
⇧ + Ctrl + E
Last Effect
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + E
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + E
Go back to the list
View and Navigation
Command
macOS
Windows
Preview
⌘ + Y
Ctrl + Y
GPU Preview
⌘ + E
Ctrl + E
Overprint Preview
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + Y
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + Y
Pixel Preview
⌥ + ⌘ + Y
Alt + Ctrl + Y
Zoom In
⌘ + =
Ctrl + =
Zoom Out
⌘ + -
Ctrl + -
Fit Artboard in Window
⌘ + 0
Ctrl + 0
Fit All in Window
⌥ + ⌘ + 0
Alt + Ctrl + 0
Actual Size
⌘ + 1
Ctrl + 1
Go back to the list
Menu Commands
Command
macOS
Windows
Hide Edges
⌘ + H
Ctrl + H
Hide Artboards
⇧ + ⌘ + H
⇧ + Ctrl + H
Show Template
⇧ + ⌘ + W
⇧ + Ctrl + W
Show Rulers
⌘ + R
Ctrl + R
Change to Artboard Rulers
⌥ + ⌘ + R
Alt + Ctrl + R
Hide Bounding Box
⇧ + ⌘ + B
⇧ + Ctrl + B
Show Transparency Grid
⇧ + ⌘ + D
⇧ + Ctrl + D
Show Text Threads
⇧ + ⌘ + Y
⇧ + Ctrl + Y
Hide Gradient Annotator
⌥ + ⌘ + G
Alt + Ctrl + G
Hide Guides
⌘ + ;
Ctrl + ;
Lock Guides
⌥ + ⌘ + ;
Alt + Ctrl + ;
Make Guides
⌘ + 5
Ctrl + 5
Release Guides
⌥ + ⌘ + 5
Alt + Ctrl + 5
Smart Guides
⌘ + U
Ctrl + U
Show Grid
⇧ + ⌘ + I
⇧ + Ctrl + I
Show Grid
⌘ + '
Ctrl + '
Snap to Grid
⇧ + ⌘ + '
⇧ + Ctrl + '
Snap to Point
⌥ + ⌘ + '
Alt + Ctrl + '
Minimize Window
⌘ + M
Ctrl + M
Align
⇧ + F7
⇧ + F7
Appearance
⇧ + F6
⇧ + F6
Attributes
⌘ + F11
Ctrl + F11
Brushes
F5
F5
Color
F6
F6
Color Guide
⇧ + F3
⇧ + F3
Gradient
⌘ + F9
Ctrl + F9
Graphic Styles
⇧ + F5
⇧ + F5
Info
⌘ + F8
Ctrl + F8
Layers
F7
F7
Pathfinder
⇧ + ⌘ + F9
⇧ + Ctrl + F9
Stroke
⌘ + F10
Ctrl + F10
Symbols
⇧ + ⌘ + F11
⇧ + Ctrl + F11
Transform
⇧ + F8
⇧ + F8
Transparency
⇧ + ⌘ + F10
⇧ + Ctrl + F10
Go back to the list
Text
Command
macOS
Windows
Character
⌘ + T
Ctrl + T
OpenType
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + T
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + T
Paragraph
⌥ + ⌘ + T
Alt + Ctrl + T
Tabs
⇧ + ⌘ + T
⇧ + Ctrl + T
Insert Hyphen
⇧ + ⌘ + -
⇧ + Ctrl + -
Point Size Up
⇧ + ⌘ + .
⇧ + Ctrl + .
Point Size Down
⇧ + ⌘ + ,
⇧ + Ctrl + ,
Font Size Step Up
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + .
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + .
Font Size Step Down
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + ,
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + ,
Kern Looser
⇧ + ⌘ + ]
⇧ + Ctrl + ]
Kern Tighter
⇧ + ⌘ + [
⇧ + Ctrl + [
Tracking
⌥ + ⌘ + K
Alt + Ctrl + K
Clear Tracking
⌥ + ⌘ + Q
Alt + Ctrl + Q
Spacing
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + O
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + O
Uniform Type
⇧ + ⌘ + X
⇧ + Ctrl + X
Highlight Font
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + F
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + F
Highlight Font (Secondary)
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + M
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + M
Left Align Text
⇧ + ⌘ + L
⇧ + Ctrl + L
Center Text
⇧ + ⌘ + C
⇧ + Ctrl + C
Right Align Text
⇧ + ⌘ + R
⇧ + Ctrl + R
Justify Text Left
⇧ + ⌘ + J
⇧ + Ctrl + J
Justify All Lines
⇧ + ⌘ + F
⇧ + Ctrl + F
Toggle Auto Hyphenation
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + H
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + H
Toggle Line Composer
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + C
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + C
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Others
Command
macOS
Windows
Switch Selection Tools
⌥ + ⌘ + Tab
Alt + Ctrl + Tab
Lock Others
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + 2
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + 2
Hide Others
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + 3
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + 3
Repeat Pathfinder
⌘ + 4
Ctrl + 4
Average & Join
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + J
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + J
New Symbol
F8
F8
Add New Fill
⌘ + /
Ctrl + /
Add New Stroke
⌥ + ⌘ + /
Alt + Ctrl + /
New Layer
⌘ + L
Ctrl + L
New Layer with Dialog
⌥ + ⌘ + L
Alt + Ctrl + L
Switch Units
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + U
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + U
New File (No Dialog)
⌥ + ⌘ + N
Alt + Ctrl + N
Close All
⌥ + ⌘ + W
Alt + Ctrl + W
Cut (Secondary)
F2
F2
Copy (Secondary)
F3
F3
Paste (Secondary)
F4
F4
Zoom In (Secondary)
⌘ + +
Ctrl + +
Navigate to Next Document Group
⌥ + ⌘ + `
Alt + Ctrl + `
Navigate to Previous Document Group
⌥ + ⇧ + ⌘ + `
Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + `
Go back to the list
