Adobe Photoshop is one of the most powerful design and graphics programs, but it can take a lot of work to learn all the tips and tricks that make editing jobs easier and faster. That’s why it’s important to know Adobe Photoshop keyboard keys. Keyboard buttons let you avoid having to click and move through menus repeatedly. This speeds up your work so you can do more in less time.
Instead of trying to remember all the keyboard shortcuts you need for Photoshop, you can save this piece and use it as a reference whenever you need to. Keep in mind that Windows and Mac users usually use the same keys. But sometimes, they’re different. If so, both versions will be listed in the piece. In parentheses, you’ll see the one for macOS.
Also Read: 120 Most Useful Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts
Preparing Your Work
You should prepare the picture or canvas before working in Photoshop. This will help you get more done. If you use Photoshop often, you should know how to set up a project, but keyboard shortcuts will save you time. Instead of looking for the right tools, you can change the size of your picture, zoom in or out, and scale it by pressing a few buttons on your keyboard. Here are the most basic Photoshop tools that will help you get your work ready:
| Preparing Your Work | ||
| Action | Windows | macOS |
| Change Image Size | CTRL + Alt + i | Command + Option + i |
| Change Canvas Size | CTRL + Alt + c | Command + Option + c |
| Zoom In | CTRL + + | Command + + |
| Zoom Out | CTRL + – | Command + – |
| Scale Proportionately | Hold Shift while selecting an object | |
| Scale in Place | Hold shift + alt (option) while selecting an object | |
| Show Rulers | CTRL + r | Command + r |
| Show/Hide the Grid | CTRL + ‘ | Command + ‘ |
Selecting Tools
In Photoshop, the tools you use are grouped. Each group of tools serves a different purpose. For example, under the Object Selection group, you can make a quick selection or use a “magic wand” tool.
| Selecting Tools | |||||
| Move tool |  | v | Path Selection tool Direct Selection tool |  | a |
| Object Selection tool Quick Selection tool |  | w | Hand tool |  | h |
| Rectangular Marquee tool Elliptical Marquee Tool |  | m | Rotate View |  | r |
| Lasso tool Polygonal Lasso tool |  | l | Pen tool Freeform Pen tool |  | p |
| Eyedropper tool Color Sampler tool |  | i | Clone Stamp tool Pattern Stamp tool |  | s |
| Crop tool Perspective Crop tool |  | c | Dodge tool Burn tool |  | o |
| Eraser tool Background Eraser tool |  | e | Zoom Tool |  | z |
| Rectangle Rounded Rectangle |  | u | Default Foreground/Background colors |  | d |
| Horizontal Type tool Vertical Type tool |  | t | Switch Foreground/Background colors |  | x |
| Brush tool Pencil tool |  | b | Toggle Quick Mask Modes |  | q |
| History Brush tool Art history Brush tool |  | y | Change Screen Mode |  | f |
| Spot Healing Brush tool Healing Brush tool |  | j | |||
| Gradient tool Paint Bucket tool |  | g |
Here’s a list of the most widely used keyboard shortcuts for each tool:
Note: Both Windows and macOS users can use these quick options.
The Brush Tool
For clear reasons, the brush is one of the most used tools in Adobe Photoshop.
Using these tools, you can change the size, shape, and transparency of the brush strokes.
| The Brush Tool | |
| Increase size | ] |
| Decrease size | [ |
| Increase brush hardness | } |
| Decrease brush hardness | { |
| Select previous or next brush style | , or . |
| Display precise crosshair for brushes | Capslock Also Shift + Capslock |
| Toggle airbrush option | Shift + Alt + p (Shift + Option + p on Mac) |
The Marquee Tool
It’s easy to make quick, simple choices in Photoshop. But the Marquee tool can do much more than drag and choose. You can use it to pick out parts of your picture or the whole graphic. After making a good selection, you can quickly copy, cut, and paste it to another place, document, or Layer.
Here are some of the most popular shortcuts for the Marquee tool. But first, press the letter M on your keyboard to pick the tool.
| The Marquee Tool | ||
| Windows | macOS | |
| Toggle between Slice Tool and Slice Selection Tool | CTRL | Command |
| Draw square slice | Shift + drag mouse | Shift + drag mouse |
| Draw from center outwards | Alt + drag mouse | Option + drag mouse |
| Draw square slice from center outwards | Shift + Alt + drag mouse | Shift + Option + drag mouse |
| Reposition the slice while creating it | Spacebar + drag mouse | Spacebar + drag mouse |
Blending Options
Blending styles will make the graphics or image you are working on look better. They decide how the colours mix from one Layer to the next. Some blending choices make small changes, while others can make your graphics look very different.
To choose the blending option, click on Layer> Layer Style > Blending Options in the top menu bar of Photoshop.
Alternatively, you can double-click any layer to bring up the choices for that Layer. There are choices for blending.
You can use the following shortcuts once you’ve brought up the blending choices. But remember first to select the move tool (v) and then click on the Layer you want to change with blending choices.
| Blending Options | ||
| Windows | macOS | |
| Toggle different blending modes | Shift + + and Shift + – | Shift + + and Shift + – |
| Normal mode | Shift + Alt + n | Shift + Option + n |
| Dissolve | Shift + Alt + i | Shift + Option + i |
| Darken | Shift + Alt + k | Shift + Option + k |
| Lighten | Shift + Alt + g | Shift + Option + g |
| Multiply | Shift + Alt + m | Shift + Option + m |
| Overlay | Shift + Alt + o | Shift + Option + o |
| Hue | Shift + Alt + u | Shift + Option + u |
| Saturation | Shift + Alt + t | Shift + Option + t |
| Luminosity | Shift + Alt + y | Shift + Option + y |
Working with Layers and Objects
Manipulating certain items in your graph or multiple layers can be hard work. But these shortcuts make it look like everything is so easy. These are also some Photoshop tools that experts and people who are just starting to use the most.
| Manipulating Objects and Layers | ||
| Windows | macOS | |
| Select all objects | CTRL + a | Command + a |
| Deselect selected objects | CTRL + d | Command + d |
| Inverse the selection | Shift + CTRL + i | Shift + Command + i |
| Select all layers | CTRL + Alt + a | Command + Option + a |
| Merge all layers | CTRL + Shift + e | Command + Shift + e |
| Select top layer | Alt + . | Option + . |
| Select bottom layer | Alt + , | Option + , |
| Select next layer down or up | Alt + [ or ] | Option + [ or ] |
| Move target layer down or up | CTRL + [ or ] | Command + [ or ] |
| Move selected layer to the bottom or top | CTRL + Shift + [ or ] | Command + Shift + [ or ] |
| Create a new layer | Shift + CTRL + n | Shift + Command + n |
| New layer via copy | CTRL + j | Command + j |
| New Layer via cut | CTRL + Shift + J | Command + Option + j |
| Group selected layers | CTRL + g | Command + g |
| Ungroup selected layers | CTRL + Shift + g | Command + Shift + g |
| Merge and flatten selected layers | CTRL + e | Command + e |
| Merge selected layers on top of the other layers | Control + Shift + Alt + e | Command+ Shift+ Option + e |
| Free Transform objects | CTRL + t | Command + t |
| Undo last action | CTRL + z | Command +z |
| Undo multiple last actions | CTRL + Alt + z | Command + Option + Z |
Saving Your Photoshop Document
Lastly, look at the Photoshop tools you can use to save your work. It will be fine if you finish it. If you save your work as a Photoshop (PSD) file, you can always return to it.
| Save your Photoshop Work | ||
| Windows | macOS | |
| Save as | CTRL + Shift + s | Command + Shift + s |
| Save for Web and Devices | CTRL + Shift + Alt + s | Command + Shift + Option + s |
Even if you’re starting with this software, learning and practising these important key commands can make a big difference in how long it takes to change complicated images. Don’t worry if it takes a while to remember a certain trick, though. Practice makes perfect!