[PhotoShop] A list of shortcuts you should definitely remember [with practice]
Everyone who uses PhotoShop on a daily basis. Do you use shortcuts properly?
For example, switching tools. You’ll have tons of tools to switch between when working in Photoshop. Those who have switched tools 100 times, 200 times, or 1000 times or more. Did you bother clicking the tool with the mouse to switch?
If so, remember the shortcuts now and use the shortcuts to switch tools. That alone should dramatically improve your work efficiency.
This site allows you to intuitively learn shortcuts while looking at the actual preview screen, so please give it a try. Please use the list of shortcuts with explanations at the bottom.
Let’s practice first
The following practice functions include all Photoshop exercises. If you want to practice by dividing by genre, please select a menu from the items in “TRAINING” on this site and practice.
Tool switching shortcut list
In PhotoShop, tool switching is assigned by one letter. There are many shortcuts for the brush tool that have the initials of the tool name, such as “b”, so it’s easy to remember. Let’s remember everything at this opportunity.
If it’s hard to remember them all, at least by remembering the shortcuts for your favorite tools, you’ll be up and running quickly.
Common to Windows & mac
Switch to move tool | v |
---|---|
Switch to rectangle selection tool | m |
Switch to Lasso Tool | l |
Switch to Quick Select Tool | w |
Switch to crop tool | c |
Switch to eyedropper tool | i |
Switch to the Sport Repair Brush tool | j |
Switch to brush tool | b |
Switch to copy stamp rule | s |
Switch to history brush tool | y |
Switch to eraser tool | e |
Switch to Gradient Tool | g |
Switch to dodge tool | o |
Switch to pen tool | p |
Switch to horizontal text tool | t |
Switch to path component selection tool | a |
Switch to rectangle tool | u |
Switch to palm tool | h |
Switch to rotate view tool | r |
Switch to zoom tool | z |
When you want to switch to a tool in the same tool group

As mentioned above, each tool is divided into groups. To switch to a tool in the same group, hold down the “SHIFT key” and enter the alphabet assigned to the tool to switch.
Switch between tool groups | shift【key】 |
---|
Group layers
It is a shortcut that can be grouped when multiple layers are selected. As the number of layers increases, the management becomes more difficult, so it is necessary to always have a habit of managing them neatly. There are also shortcuts for ungrouping, so be sure to remember them as well.
Layer management is a tedious task, but if you remember these shortcuts, you will be able to keep the layer structure easy to understand without stress.
Group layers | WindowsCtrlg |
---|---|
mac | |
Ungroup layers | WindowsCtrlshiftg |
mac |
Show/hide layers
This is a shortcut that allows you to show or hide layers. In other words, it means toggling the eyeball mark on the layer palette on and off. You can switch it on and off with the same shortcut.
Hide layers | WindowsCtrl, |
---|---|
mac | |
Show Layer | WindowsCtrl, |
mac |
Switching the selected layer
You can switch the selected layer without using the layer palette. If you remember this shortcut, you can switch the selected layer no matter where the cursor is, which will improve work efficiency and reduce stress. Please remember it.
Select back layer | Windowsalt[ |
---|---|
mac | |
Select foreground layer | Windowsalt] |
mac |
Reorder layers
Normally you drag the mouse to reorder the layers, but remember the shortcuts to reorder them wherever your cursor is.
Use it in combination with the above “Switch Selected Layers” shortcut to achieve comfortable work.
Select layer to back | WindowsCtrl[ |
---|---|
mac | |
Bring selected layer to front | WindowsCtrl] |
mac |
Layer lock
A shortcut that locks a layer so that it cannot be edited. Since the lock and unlock are the same shortcut, it is a mechanism that can be toggled on and off. It’s good to remember.
Lock Layer | WindowsCtrl/ |
---|---|
mac | |
Unlock layers | WindowsCtrl/ |
mac |
Combine layers
A shortcut used when you want to combine multiple layers. If you use this shortcut cut with multiple layers selected, they will be combined.
As the name implies, you can combine all visible layers. Be careful when using it.
Combine layers | WindowsCtrle |
---|---|
mac | |
Merge display layers | WindowsCtrlshifte |
mac |
Shortcuts related to other layers
Find layer is a shortcut that you can select smoothly even if the layer is complicated as long as you name the layer firmly. Let’s make a habit of using it.
Select all layers | WindowsCtrlalta |
---|---|
mac | |
Search Layer | WindowsCtrlaltshiftf |
mac |
Drawing color/background color
This is a shortcut that you can use unexpectedly if you want to use it. It may not come out very well, but this shortcut is quite usable if you devise its usage.
Since it is versatile, it is good to be aware of how to use it according to the situation.
Restore default drawing color and background color | Windowsd |
---|---|
macd | |
Swap drawing color and background color | Windowsx |
macx |
Switching between quick mask modes
This is a shortcut for switching to the quick mask mode that allows you to visualize the selection range more clearly.
In the quick mask mode, you can see the shade of the selection range, which is very convenient for fine adjustment of the selection range. Let’s make a habit of using it.
Switch to quick mask mode | Windowsq |
---|---|
macq | |
Switch to image drawing mode (return from quick mask mode) | Windowsq |
macq |
Brush size
This is a shortcut to change the brush size and hardness. If you use a brush a lot, be sure to remember this shortcut. The work speed will change considerably.
Reduce brush size | Windows[ |
---|---|
mac[ | |
Increase brush size | Windows] |
mac] | |
Reduces brush hardness | Windows{ |
mac{ | |
Increased brush hardness | Windows} |
mac} |
History
History related shortcuts. Undo / Redo (ctrl + z) is well known, but if you want to go back the history by two steps or more, use the shortcut of “Go back one step in the history”.
Undo/Redo | WindowsCtrlz |
---|---|
mac | |
Go back one step in history | WindowsCtrlaltz |
mac | |
Take history one step | WindowsCtrlshiftz |
mac |
Cut, copy, paste
You can also cut, copy, and paste in Photoshop. It can be used in various formats such as bitmaps and vector data, and is intuitive to use.
Special shortcuts such as ignoring layers and copying visible parts are also available. This is recommended because it will increase the variation of your work.
cut | WindowsCtrlx |
---|---|
mac | |
copy | WindowsCtrlc |
mac | |
Copy the combined part (copy the whole visible part) | WindowsCtrlshiftc |
mac | |
paste | WindowsCtrlv |
mac | |
Special paste (paste in selection) | WindowsCtrlshiftv |
mac |
Inversion of gradation
Depending on the person, it may not be used very often, but it is a shortcut that can be used for high-level machining.
Inversion of gradation | WindowsCtrli |
---|---|
mac |
Open image resolution/Canvas size
This is a shortcut for setting the canvas. In particular, I think that there are many opportunities to use shortcuts that open image resolution and canvas size.
Open image resolution | WindowsCtrlalti |
---|---|
mac | |
Open canvas size | WindowsCtrlaltc |
mac |
Make a layer with the selected area copied
This is a shortcut that allows you to copy the selected area, create a new layer, and paste it with a single command. This is also recommended as it will save you some steps.
Create a layer with a copy of the selected area | WindowsCtrlj |
---|---|
mac |
Clipping mask
Shortcut to make the selected layer a clipping mask. It is a shortcut that can be toggled with the same command and toggled.
This shortcut is exactly the same as right-clicking between layers in the layer palette while holding down alt or option.
Create clipping mask | WindowsCtrlaltg |
---|---|
mac | |
Remove clipping mask | WindowsCtrlaltg |
mac |
Selection range
It is a shortcut for selection, which is one of the important elements of Photoshop again. All of them are used well, so learning is essential.
[Selection range] Select all selection range | WindowsCtrla |
---|---|
mac | |
[Selection range] Deselect | WindowsCtrld |
mac | |
[Selection range] Reselection | WindowsCtrlshiftd |
mac | |
[Selection range] Invert selection range | WindowsCtrlshifti |
mac |
Enlarge/Reduce
There are many people who use [ctrl] or [cmd] + SPACE & mouse operation to scale the window, but there are also shortcuts available.
Zoom out | WindowsCtrl– |
---|---|
mac | |
Zoom in | WindowsCtrl; |
mac | |
Fit to screen size | WindowsCtrl0 |
mac |
extra
This is a shortcut for switching the display of extras such as guides and grids. There are times when the guide and grid are necessary and times when they are annoying, so if you can easily switch, you can work without stress.
Show Extras | WindowsCtrlh |
---|---|
mac | |
Hide extras | WindowsCtrlh |
mac |
File
Shortcuts related to files. It may be no exaggeration to say that it is the first action to remember because it is an action that is always necessary for work.
Open file | WindowsCtrlo |
---|---|
mac | |
overwrite save | WindowsCtrls |
mac | |
Save as | WindowsCtrlshifts |
mac | |
Save for web | WindowsCtrlshiftalts |
mac |
Shortcut to open the color adjustment dialog
It is a shortcut to open the dialog of each color adjustment. It’s much easier to open with a shortcut than to open it from the top menu, so be sure to remember it.
Open color settings | WindowsCtrlshiftk |
---|---|
mac | |
Open level correction | WindowsCtrll |
mac | |
Open tone curve | WindowsCtrlm |
mac | |
Open Hue/Saturation | WindowsCtrlu |
mac | |
Open color balance | WindowsCtrlb |
mac | |
Open black and white | WindowsCtrlshiftaltb |
mac |
Shortcuts for color adjustment and immediate reflection
It is a type of shortcut that immediately reflects the color effect without displaying the dialog. Reversing the gradation is a convenient shortcut when you want to make a black one white. As with shortcuts, remembering how to use various effects will help you to use Photoshop well.
Inversion of gradation | WindowsCtrli |
---|---|
mac | |
Desaturate | WindowsCtrlshiftu |
mac |
Automatic color adjustment shortcut
It is a shortcut that automatically adjusts colors on the Photoshop side. I think that it is more accurate to adjust manually, but if the quality is good to some extent, this function may be sufficient.
Automatic tone correction | WindowsCtrlshiftl |
---|---|
mac | |
Auto contrast | WindowsCtrlshiftaltl |
mac | |
Automatic color correction | WindowsCtrlshiftb |
mac |
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