Adobe Illustrator - My Top 10 Most Useful Keyboard Shortcuts


TOP 10 MOST USEFUL KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

This post is all about using keyboard shortcuts in Adobe Illustrator. They are super important if you want to excel in your designing. I will be going over the most used ones that every designer should know by heart.

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NOTE:
I use a PC, not a Mac. So, whenever I say Ctrl it means Command key on a Mac. Whenever I say Alt, it means the Option key on a Mac. 
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Now I am going to go over my TOP 10 most useful keyboard shortcuts!

Before we even begin the top 10 list, 
I am going to assume you all know
 Copy & Paste by heart - because
 they are used in many 
other programs. 

COPY & PASTE
Ctrl C  -Copy
Ctrl V  -Paste


1.)

UNDO:
Ctrl Z

2.)

REDO:
Ctrl Shift Z

Getting used to using your left had to make these commands is the most efficient way to do it.

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3.)

ZOOM TOOL:
Ctrl + to zoom in
Ctrl - to zoom out

You can also click 'Z' which is a shortcut for clicking on the magnifier tool, which I don't recommend getting used to. There is an easier way!

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4.) & 5.)

SELECTION & DIRECT SELECTION TOOLS
Click 'V' for the Selection Tool
Click 'A' for the Direct Selection Tool

Keep in mind that if you are typing in any text boxes, you cannot click 'A' or 'V' without keying in a letter. In this case, you can hold down Ctrl and toggle Text to Direct Selection or Selection Tool depending on if the last tool you used was the Selection or Direct Selection. Which ever tool you had clicked last, is the tool that will be Ctrl ready. (You can use this basic idea in many tools, not just text)

TIP: You can set yourself up to have either tool be Ctrl ready when you are using text, if you know you will want to use either tool during.

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6.)

PEN TOOL
'P'

The same toggle effect the Selection and the Direct Selection Tool has using text, is the same for using the pen tool. Which ever tool you had clicked last, is the tool that will be Ctrl ready. So if you click the Selection tool before you click the Pen tool, the Selection tool will be Ctrl ready.

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7.)

SEND TO BACK & FRONT
Shift Alt [   - Send to Back
Shift Alt ]   - Send to Front

This function sends the object completely behind or in front of all of the other objects.

8.)

SEND BACK ONE & FORWARD ONE
Alt [   - Send Back one
Alt ]   - Send Forward one

This function, similar to the send to back & front shortcut. But this one only sends each object back or forward one object at a time, not the entire document at once.

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9.)

TEXT SIZES
Shift Alt <
Shift Alt >

You can adjust the text size when the text box is selected, not being edited. The way you can change the sizes during edit, is only if you highlight the text before you use this shortcut.

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10.)

CHANGE PAINTBRUSH SIZE
[   -Smaller
]   -Larger

While you have the brush tool selected, you can click these brackets to adjust the size of the brush.


BONUS:

PASTE IN FRONT
Ctrl F

After you copy an object, you have the option to 'paste in front'. This means that the pasted object will go directly in front of itself, but not in front of any other object in the document. This can be useful for many reasons, depending on what you are designing. So useful, it has its own shortcut!


I hope you liked my TOP 10 Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts!








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