Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts
120+ Adobe Photoshop keyboard shortcuts for Mac and Windows. Searchable, printable reference for selection, layers, brushes, and more.
Selection
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select All | |
| Deselect | |
| Inverse Selection | |
| Reselect | |
| Quick Mask Mode | |
| Refine Edge / Select and Mask | |
| Add to Selection | |
| Subtract from Selection | |
| Load Layer as Selection | |
| Stamp Visible to New Layer |
Layers
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Duplicate Layer | |
| New Layer | |
| Merge Down | |
| Merge Visible | |
| Group Layers | |
| Ungroup Layers | |
| Bring Forward | |
| Send Backward | |
| Bring to Front | |
| Send to Back | |
| Solo Layer Visibility | |
| Create Clipping Mask | |
| Delete Layer | |
| New Layer (No Dialog) | |
| Flatten & Stamp Visible |
Tools
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Move Tool | |
| Marquee Tool | |
| Lasso Tool | |
| Magic Wand / Quick Selection | |
| Crop Tool | |
| Brush Tool | |
| Eraser Tool | |
| Gradient / Paint Bucket | |
| Type Tool | |
| Pen Tool | |
| Eyedropper | |
| Healing Brush / Spot Healing | |
| Clone Stamp | |
| Dodge / Burn / Sponge | |
| Rotate View Tool | |
| Hand Tool | |
| Zoom Tool | |
| Shape Tool | |
| Path Selection Tool | |
| 3D Rotate Tool | |
| 3D Camera Tool | |
| Swap Foreground / Background Colors | |
| Default Colors (Black & White) |
File
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New Document | |
| Open | |
| Save | |
| Save As | |
| Save for Web (Legacy) | |
| Close Document | |
| Close All | |
| Export As | |
| File Info |
View
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Zoom In | |
| Zoom Out | |
| Fit on Screen | |
| 100% Zoom (Actual Pixels) | |
| Toggle Rulers | |
| Toggle Grid | |
| Toggle Guides | |
| Show/Hide Extras | |
| Toggle Path Display | |
| Hide/Show All Panels | |
| Hide/Show Side Panels | |
| Cycle Screen Modes |
Transform
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Free Transform | |
| Free Transform (Copy) | |
| Apply Transform | |
| Cancel Transform | |
| Constrain Proportions | |
| Transform from Center | |
| Repeat Last Transform |
Editing
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Undo / Step Back | |
| Redo / Step Forward | |
| Copy | |
| Paste | |
| Cut | |
| Paste in Place | |
| Fill Dialog | |
| Fill with Foreground Color | |
| Fill with Background Color | |
| Repeat Last Filter | |
| Last Filter with Dialog | |
| Fade Last Action |
Adjustments
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Levels | |
| Curves | |
| Hue / Saturation | |
| Color Balance | |
| Desaturate | |
| Invert | |
| Auto Levels | |
| Auto Contrast | |
| Auto Color | |
| Black & White |
Brushes
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Decrease Brush Size | |
| Increase Brush Size | |
| Decrease Brush Hardness | |
| Increase Brush Hardness | |
| Set Brush Opacity (10-100%) | |
| Set Brush Flow (10-100%) | |
| Previous Brush | |
| Next Brush | |
| First Brush | |
| Last Brush | |
| Toggle Precise Cursor |
Type
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Increase Font Size | |
| Decrease Font Size | |
| Decrease Tracking | |
| Increase Tracking | |
| Align Text Left | |
| Align Text Center | |
| Align Text Right | |
| Adjust Leading | |
| Commit Text |
Blending
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Normal Blend Mode | |
| Multiply Blend Mode | |
| Screen Blend Mode | |
| Overlay Blend Mode | |
| Soft Light Blend Mode | |
| Darken Blend Mode | |
| Lighten Blend Mode | |
| Difference Blend Mode | |
| Color Blend Mode | |
| Luminosity Blend Mode |
Pro tips
Learn the Most-Used First
Don't try to memorize everything at once. Start with the 10-15 shortcuts you'd use every session: V (Move), B (Brush), Ctrl+Z (Undo), Ctrl+T (Transform), Ctrl+J (Duplicate Layer). Master these before expanding.
Practice by Forcing Yourself
The fastest way to learn shortcuts is to stop using menus entirely. Put a sticky note on your monitor listing 5 new shortcuts each week and force yourself to use them instead of clicking.
Learn the Bracket Keys
The [ and ] keys for brush size are the single most time-saving shortcut for painters and retouchers. Add Shift to control hardness. These alone can save you hours per project.
Customize What Doesn't Work
Go to Edit → Keyboard Shortcuts to reassign any shortcut. If a default combo feels awkward, change it. Many pros remap commonly used actions to single keys or easier combos.
Use Spring-Loaded Keys
Hold a tool's shortcut key temporarily to use it, then release to snap back to your previous tool. For example, hold H to pan, then release to go back to your brush. This is a massive workflow boost.
Print This Cheat Sheet
Having a physical reference next to your workspace is proven to help with memorization. Hit the Print button above and keep it next to your monitor until the shortcuts become muscle memory.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most important Photoshop shortcuts to learn first?
Start with these 10 essentials: V (Move), B (Brush), Ctrl/⌘+Z (Undo), Ctrl/⌘+T (Free Transform), Ctrl/⌘+J (Duplicate Layer), Ctrl/⌘+D (Deselect), Ctrl/⌘+S (Save), [ and ] (Brush Size), Ctrl/⌘+Shift+N (New Layer), and X (Swap Colors). These cover 80% of daily Photoshop work.
Are Photoshop shortcuts the same on Windows and Mac?
The logic is the same, but the modifier keys differ. Windows uses Ctrl, Alt, and Shift, while Mac uses ⌘ (Command), ⌥ (Option), and ⇧ (Shift). For example, Undo is Ctrl+Z on Windows and ⌘+Z on Mac. Use the platform toggle at the top of this page to see the correct keys for your system.
Can I create custom keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop?
Yes! Go to Edit → Keyboard Shortcuts (Alt+Shift+Ctrl+K on Windows, ⌥+⇧+⌘+K on Mac). You can reassign virtually any menu item, tool, or panel to a custom shortcut. You can also save and export your custom shortcut sets.
Why don't some shortcuts work in my version of Photoshop?
Some shortcuts were added or changed in recent versions. For example, Ctrl+Z was changed from 'Undo' (single step) to 'Multiple Undo' starting in Photoshop CC 2019. If a shortcut doesn't work, check Edit → Keyboard Shortcuts to see the current mapping in your version.
What's the difference between Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Alt+Z?
In Photoshop CC 2019 and later, Ctrl/⌘+Z performs multiple undo (stepping back through history), and Ctrl/⌘+Shift+Z redoes. In older versions, Ctrl+Z only toggles the last action, and Ctrl+Alt+Z steps back through history.
How do blend mode shortcuts work?
Blend mode shortcuts use Shift+Alt (⇧+⌥ on Mac) plus a letter. For example, Shift+Alt+M for Multiply, Shift+Alt+S for Screen, Shift+Alt+O for Overlay. These only work when a layer (not a tool) is selected - if a painting tool is active, they change the tool's blend mode instead.
Want to master Photoshop?
Go beyond shortcuts with in-depth Photoshop video courses, from the basics all the way to advanced workflows.
Explore Photoshop courses