Inkscape Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts will save you time when working on your design projects. Learning the most common and used shortcuts is essential to speeding up your workflow and minimizing the tedious work you sometimes need to do.

Here is a comprehensive list of the most common Inkscape keyboard shortcuts you may need in the program. Plus, a bonus section on where to find the complete list of shortcuts and how to customize them to suit your needs.

Table of Contents

Inkscape Keyboard Shortcuts

Here are the top keyboard shortcuts split into categories for Windows and Mac users.

Tools

Windows	Mac	Action
`S`	`S`	Select and transform objects tool
`Spacebar`	`Spacebar`	Temporarily switches to Select tool and back to current tool with another `Spacebar` press
`N`	`N`	Edit Path by Nodes Tool
`R`	`R`	Create Rectangles and Squares Tool
`E`	`E`	Create Circles, Ellipses, and Arcs Tool
`*`	`*`	Create Stars and Polygons Tool
`X`	`X`	Create 3D Boxes Tool
`I`	`I`	Create Spirals Tool
`B`	`B`	Draw Bezier Curves and Straight Lines Tool
`P`	`P`	Draw Freehand Lines Tool (Pencil)
`C`	`C`	Draw Calligraphic or Brush Strokes Tool
`T`	`T`	Create and Edit Text Objects Tool
`G`	`G`	Create and Edit Gradients Tool
`D`	`D`	Pick Colors from Image Tool
`U`	`U`	Fill Bounded Areas Tool
`W`	`W`	Tweak Objects by Sculpting or Painting Tool
`A`	`A`	Spray Copies or Clones of Objects Tool
`E`	`E`	Erase Objects or Paths Tool
`O`	`O`	Create Diagram Connectors
`M`	`M`	Measure Objects
`Z`	`Z`	Zoom In or Out Tool

General Actions

Windows	Mac	Action
`Control` + `N`	`Command` + `N`	New Document
`Control` + `O`	`Command` + `O`	Open Document
`Control` + `I`	`Command` + `I`	Import
`Control` + `S`	`Command` + `S`	Save Document
`Shift` + `Control` + `S`	`Shift` + `Command` + `S`	Save Document As
`Control` + `W`	`Command` + `W`	Close Document
`Control` + `Q`	`Command` + `Q`	Quit Inkscape
`Control` + `Z`	`Command` + `Z`	Undo
`Control` + `Y`	`Command` + `Y`	Redo
`Control` + `X`	`Command` + `X`	Cut
`Control` + `C`	`Command` + `C`	Copy
`Control` + `V`	`Command` + `V`	Paste
`Control` + `Alt` + `V`	`Command` + `Option` + `V`	Paste in Place
`Shift` + `Control` + `V`	`Shift` + `Command` + `V`	Paste Style
`Control` + `A`	`Command` + `A`	Select All
`Shift` + `Control` + `R`	`Shift` + `Command` + `R`	Resize Page to Selection

Editing Actions

Windows	Mac	Action
`Delete`	`Delete`	Delete Selected Object(s)
`Control` + `D`	`Command` + `D`	Duplicate
`Control` + `G`	`Command` + `G`	Group
`Shift` + `Control` + `G`	`Shift` + `Command` + `G`	Ungroup
`H`	`H`	Flip Horizontally
`V`	`V`	Flip Vertically

Path Actions

`Shift` + `Control` + `C`	`Shift` + `Command` + `C`	Object to Path
`Control` + `Alt` + `C`	`Command` + `Option` + `C`	Stroke to Path
`Shift` + `Alt` + `B`	`Shift` + `Option` + `B`	Trace Bitmap
`Control` + `+`	`Command` + `+`	Union
`Control` + `-`	`Command` + `-`	Difference
`Control` + `*`	`Command` + `*`	Intersection
`Control` + `^`	`Command` + `^`	Exclusion
`Control` + `/`	`Command` + `/`	Division
`Control` + `Alt` + `/`	`Command` + `Option` + `/`	Cut Path
`Control` + `K`	`Command` + `K`	Combine
`Shift` + `Control` + `K`	`Shift` + `Command` + `K`	Break Apart
`Control` + `(`	`Command` + `(`	Inset
`Control` + `)`	`Command` + `)`	Outset
`Control` + `J`	`Command` + `J`	Dynamic Offset
`Control` + `Alt` + `J`	`Command` + `Option` + `J`	Linked Offset
`Control` + `&`	`Command` + `&`	Path Effects
`&`	`&`	Paste Path Effects
`Control` + `L`	`Command` + `L`	Simplify Nodes

Navigation Actions

Windows	Mac	Action
`Space` + click and drag	`Space` + click and drag	Pan View
`Shift` + `+`	`Shift` + `+`	Zoom In
`Shift` + `-`	`Shift` + `-`	Zoom Out
`1`	`1`	Zoom to 1:1
`2`	`2`	Zoom to 1:2
`3`	`3`	Zoom Selection
`4`	`4`	Zoom Drawing
`5`	`5`	Zoom Page
`6`	`6`	Zoom Page Width
`Control` + `4`	`Command` + `4`	Center Page
` (back quote)	` (back quote)	Zoom Previous
`~`	`~`	Zoom Next
`Control` + `Up`	`Command` + `Up`	Scroll Up
`Control` + `Down`	`Command` + `Down`	Scroll Down
`Control` + `Left`	`Command` + `Left`	Scroll Left
`Control` + `Right`	`Command` + `Right`	Scroll Right

Text and Font Actions

Windows	Mac	Action
`Shift` + `Control` + `F`	`Shift` + `Command` + `F`	Text and Font Panel
`Control` + `Shift` + `>`	`Command` + `Shift` + `>`	Increase Font Size
`Control` + `Shift` + `<`	`Command` + `Shift` + `<`	Decrease Font Size
`Control` + `B`	`Command` + `B`	Bold
`Control` + `I`	`Command` + `I`	Italic
`Control` + `Alt` + `K`	`Command` + `Option` + `K`	Check Spelling

Dialogs and Panels

Windows	Mac	Action
`Shift` + `Control` + `F`	`Shift` + `Command` + `F`	Fill and Stroke
`Shift` + `Control` + `M`	`Shift` + `Command` + `M`	Transform
`Shift` + `Control` + `L`	`Shift` + `Command` + `L`	Layers
`Shift` + `Control` + `A`	`Shift` + `Command` + `A`	Align and Distribute
`Shift` + `Control` + `O`	`Shift` + `Command` + `O`	Object Properties
`Shift` + `Control` + `X`	`Shift` + `Command` + `X`	XML Editor
`Shift` + `Control` + `D`	`Shift` + `Command` + `D`	Document Preferences
`Shift` + `Control` + `E`	`Shift` + `Command` + `E`	Export Panel
`Shift` + `Alt` + `B`	`Shift` + `Option` + `B`	Trace Bitmap
`Control` + `F`	`Command` + `F`	Find
`Shift` + `Control` + `T`	`Shift` + `Command` + `T`	Text and Font
`Shift` + `Control` + `W`	`Shift` + `Command` + `W`	Swatches
`Shift` + `Control` + `H`	`Shift` + `Command` + `H`	Undo History
`Shift` + `Control` + `Y`	`Shift` + `Command` + `Y`	Symbols
`Shift` + `Control` + `Q`	`Shift` + `Command` + `Q`	Selectors and CSS

Window Actions

Windows	Mac	Action
`Control` + `R`	`Control` + `R`	Toggle Rulers
`Control` + `B`	`Control` + `B`	Toggle Scrollbars
`F11`	`F11`	Toggle Fullscreen
`Shift` + `#`	`Shift` + `#`	Page Grid
`Shift` + `\|`	`Shift` + `\|`	Guides
`F12`	`F12`	Show/Hide Dialogs
`Shift` + `F10`, right-click	`Shift` + `F10`, right-click	Drop-Down (context) Menu
`Control` + `F4`, `Control` + `W`	`Command` + `W`	Close Document Window
`Control` + `Tab`	`Control` + `Tab`	Next Item
`Shift` + `Control` + `Tab`	`Shift` + `Control` + `Tab`	Previous Item

Layers Actions

Windows	Mac	Action
`Shift` + `Control` + `N`	`Shift` + `Command` + `N`	Add New Layer
`Control` + `Page Up`	`Command` + `Page Up`	Switch to Layer Above
`Control` + `Page Down`	`Command` + `Page Down`	Switch to Layer Below
`Shift` + `Page Up`	`Shift` + `Page Up`	Move Selection to Layer Above
`Shift`+ `Page Down`	`Shift` + `Page Down`	Move Selection to Layer Below
`Shift` + `Control` + `Page Up`	`Shift` + `Command` + `Page Up`	Raise Layer
`Shift` + `Control` + `Page Down`	`Shift` + `Command` + `Page Down`	Lower Layer
`Shift` + `Control`+ `Home`	`Shift` + `Command`+ `Home`	Raise Layer to Top
`Shift` + `Control` + `End`	`Shift` + `Command` + `End`	Lower Layer to Bottom

Object Actions

Windows	Mac	Action
`Alt` + `D`	`Option` + `D`	Clone Object
`Shift` + `Alt` + `D`	`Shift` + `Option` + `D`	Unlink Clone
`Shift` + `D`	`Shift` + `D`	Select Original
`Alt` + `B`	`Option` + `B`	Make a Bitmap Copy
`Home`	`Home`	Raise Selection to Top
`End`	`End`	Lower Selection to Bottom
`Page Up`	`Page Up`	Raise Selection One Step
`Page Down`	`Page Down`	Lower Selection One Step
`Control` + `]`	`Command` + `]`	Rotate 90° CW
`Control` + `[`	`Command` + `[`	Rotate 90° CCW
`Escape`	`Escape`	Deselect

How to Customize Keyboard Shortcuts in Inkscape

If you want to see the complete list of keyboard shortcuts in Inkscape, you can find them in the Preferences Panel. In this panel, you can also change any shortcuts to a custom one and add new shortcuts that suit your preferences.

To view and edit the keyboard shortcuts in Inkscape, go to Edit > Preferences on Windows or Inkscape > Preferences on Mac.

In the Preferences panel, open the Interface group on the left and click on the Keyboard tab.

Now, you can scroll through the groups to find all the shortcuts. To change a shortcut, locate it in the group and click on the shortcut section.

Once you see “New accelerator” appear in the shortcut position, press the keys you want to be the new shortcut. You can then exit the panel, and the new shortcut will work for that action.

To reset all the keyboard shortcuts to the default ones, click Reset at the bottom of the panel.

Inkscape Keyboard Shortcuts

Inkscape Keyboard Shortcuts

Tools

General Actions

Editing Actions

Path Actions

Navigation Actions

Text and Font Actions

Dialogs and Panels

Window Actions

Layers Actions

Object Actions

How to Customize Keyboard Shortcuts in Inkscape

Related Posts

Imagetools

About

Legal & Privacy