| Basic File Controls | |
|---|---|
| ⌨️ Ctrl + N / Cmd + N | Create a new file |
| 📂 Ctrl + O / Cmd + O | Open a file |
| 💾 Ctrl + S / Cmd + S | Save file |
| 💾 Ctrl + Shift + S / Cmd + Shift + S | Save As |
| 🖨️ Ctrl + P / Cmd + P | Print image |
| ❌ Ctrl + W / Cmd + W | Close document |
| 🚪 Ctrl + Q / Cmd + Q | Quit Photoshop |
| ↩️ Ctrl + Z / Cmd + Z | Undo |
| ⏪ Ctrl + Alt + Z / Cmd + Option + Z | Step backward |
| ⏩ Ctrl + Shift + Z / Cmd + Shift + Z | Step forward |
| 🎨 Ctrl + F / Cmd + F | Repeat last filter |
| ⚙️ Ctrl + K / Cmd + K | Open Preferences |
| 🎨 Ctrl + Shift + K / Cmd + Shift + K | Color Settings |
| 📏 Ctrl + R / Cmd + R | Show or hide rulers |
| 🆘 F1 | Open Help |
| 📐 Ctrl + , | Show or hide guides |
| 🔳 Ctrl + ; | Show or hide grid |
| 🖼️ Ctrl + Alt + I / Cmd + Option + I | Image size |
| 🖼️ Ctrl + Alt + C / Cmd + Option + C | Canvas size |
| 🌐 Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S / Cmd + Option + Shift + S | Save for Web |
| Tools Shortcuts | |
|---|---|
| 🖱️ V | Move Tool |
| ⬛ M | Marquee Tool |
| ✂️ L | Lasso Tool |
| 🔮 W | Magic Wand Tool |
| ✂️ C | Crop Tool |
| 🎯 I | Eyedropper Tool |
| 🩹 J | Spot Healing Brush Tool |
| 🖌️ B | Brush Tool |
| 🧬 S | Clone Stamp Tool |
| 🧽 E | Eraser Tool |
| 🌈 G | Gradient Tool |
| ✏️ P | Pen Tool |
| 🔤 T | Text Tool |
| 🧩 A | Path Selection Tool |
| 🔺 U | Shape Tool |
| ✋ H | Hand Tool |
| 🔍 Z | Zoom Tool |
| 💡 O | Dodge/Burn Tool |
| 🔄 R | Rotate View Tool |
| 🕓 Y | History Brush Tool |
| 📏 K | Measure Tool |
| Layer Controls | |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + J / Cmd + J | Duplicate layer |
| Ctrl + Shift + N / Cmd + Shift + N | New layer |
| Ctrl + G / Cmd + G | Group layers |
| Ctrl + Shift + G / Cmd + Shift + G | Ungroup layers |
| Ctrl + E / Cmd + E | Merge layers |
| Ctrl + Shift + E / Cmd + Shift + E | Merge visible layers |
| Ctrl + Alt + G / Cmd + Option + G | Create clipping mask |
| Ctrl + Shift + ] / Cmd + Shift + ] | Bring layer to top |
| Ctrl + ] / Cmd + ] | Bring layer forward |
| Ctrl + [ / Cmd + [ | Send layer backward |
| Ctrl + Shift + [ / Cmd + Shift + [ | Send to bottom |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E / Cmd + Option + Shift + E | Stamp visible |
| Ctrl + L / Cmd + L | Levels adjustment |
| Ctrl + M / Cmd + M | Curves adjustment |
| Ctrl + U / Cmd + U | Hue/Saturation |
| Ctrl + B / Cmd + B | Color balance |
| Ctrl + Shift + U / Cmd + Shift + U | Desaturate |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + K | Keyboard shortcuts menu |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + N | New layer below current |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E | Merge visible as new layer |
Photoshop Shortcut Keys [Note]: Ctrl keys apply to Windows users, and Cmd keys apply to Mac users.
| Selection Shortcuts | |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + A / Cmd + A | Select all |
| Ctrl + D / Cmd + D | Deselect |
| Ctrl + Shift + D / Cmd + Shift + D | Reselect |
| Ctrl + Shift + I / Cmd + Shift + I | Inverse selection |
| Shift + M | Toggle Marquee types |
| Shift + L | Toggle Lasso types |
| Ctrl + Click on Layer Thumbnail | Select layer content |
| Alt + Click on Layer Mask | View mask |
| Ctrl + Alt + R / Cmd + Option + R | Refine edge |
| Ctrl + Shift + M | Modify selection |
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + D | Feather selection |
| Shift + F6 | Feather selection dialog |
Photoshop Shortcut Keys [Note]: Ctrl keys apply to Windows users, and Cmd keys apply to Mac users.
| Brush & Painting Shortcuts | |
|---|---|
| [ | Decrease brush size |
| ] | Increase brush size |
| Shift + [ | Decrease hardness |
| Shift + ] | Increase hardness |
| Alt + Scroll | Change brush size |
| Shift + Alt + Right Click | Adjust brush hardness |
| Ctrl + Alt + Z | Step backward while painting |
| X | Switch foreground and background color |
| D | Reset to default black and white colors |
| Alt + Delete / Option + Delete | Fill with foreground color |
| Ctrl + Delete / Cmd + Delete | Fill with background color |
| Shift + Alt + F | Fade brush effect |
| Caps Lock | Toggle brush cursor display |
| 0–9 | Set brush opacity percentage |
| Shift + 0–9 | Set brush flow |
Photoshop Shortcut Keys [Note]: Ctrl keys apply to Windows users, and Cmd keys apply to Mac users.
| Text Shortcuts | |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + T / Cmd + T | Transform text |
| Ctrl + Shift + > / Cmd + Shift + > | Increase font size |
| Ctrl + Shift + < / Cmd + Shift + < | Decrease font size |
| Ctrl + Shift + L | Left align text |
| Ctrl + Shift + C | Center text |
| Ctrl + Shift + R | Right align text |
| Alt + Arrow Keys | Adjust text tracking |
| Ctrl + Enter / Cmd + Return | Apply text |
| Esc | Cancel text editing |
| Ctrl + H / Cmd + H | Hide text selection edges |
| Note: Ctrl keys apply to Windows users, and Cmd keys apply to Mac users. | |
| Zoom & View Controls | |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + + / Cmd + + | Zoom in |
| Ctrl + – / Cmd + – | Zoom out |
| Ctrl + 0 / Cmd + 0 | Fit on screen |
| Ctrl + 1 / Cmd + 1 | Actual pixels |
| Spacebar | Temporary hand tool |
| Tab | Hide/show panels |
| F | Switch screen modes |
| Ctrl + Tab | Switch open documents |
| Shift + Spacebar | Pan image |
| Ctrl + H | Hide extras |
| Ctrl + ‘ | Show grid |
| Ctrl + ; | Show guides |
| Ctrl + Shift + ; | Lock guides |
| Note: Ctrl keys apply to Windows users, and Cmd keys apply to Mac users. | |
| Transform & Editing | |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + T / Cmd + T | Free transform |
| Ctrl + Alt + T / Cmd + Option + T | Transform copy |
| Shift + Drag Corner | Resize proportionally |
| Alt + Drag Corner | Resize from center |
| Ctrl + Shift + T | Repeat transform |
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + T | Repeat transform with copy |
| Ctrl + R | Show rulers |
| Ctrl + Shift + H | Hide transform controls |
| Ctrl + ‘ | Toggle grid |
| Ctrl + Shift + I | Invert selection |
| Ctrl + I | Invert colors |
| Ctrl + F | Apply last filter again |
| Shift + Ctrl + F | Fade filter |
| Ctrl + Alt + X | Liquify |
| Ctrl + Shift + X | Extract |
| Note: Ctrl keys apply to Windows users, and Cmd keys apply to Mac users. | |
| Filters & Effects | |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + F | Repeat last filter |
| Ctrl + Shift + F | Fade filter |
| Ctrl + Alt + F | Open last filter dialog |
| Ctrl + L | Levels |
| Ctrl + M | Curves |
| Ctrl + U | Hue/Saturation |
| Ctrl + B | Color balance |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + L | Auto tone |
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + B | Black & White |
| Ctrl + Alt + 2 | Load highlights as selection |
| Note: Ctrl keys apply to Windows users, and Cmd keys apply to Mac users. | |
| Other Handy Shortcuts | |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + N | New layer without dialog |
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + E | Merge visible as new layer |
| Ctrl + Shift + C | Copy merged |
| Ctrl + Shift + V | Paste in place |
| Ctrl + Shift + F | Fade effect |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E | Create snapshot layer |
| Shift + Ctrl + Alt + K | Keyboard shortcuts panel |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + P | Print One Copy |
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S | Save for Web |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C | Canvas size dialog |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + I | Image size dialog |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + K | Open keyboard shortcuts settings |
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Q | Quit Photoshop fast |
| Note: Ctrl keys apply to Windows users, and Cmd keys apply to Mac users. | |
[ Author ] – Safdar Khurshid researches and evaluates consumer electronic gadgets, including smartphones, laptops, accessories, and everyday tech products, with a strong focus on long term usability, real world performance and buying mistakes people often regret later. His work is centered on helping readers understand trade offs clearly, so they know not just what to buy but also what to avoid.