What Photoshop Keyboard Shortcut Do You Use the Most?
Keyboard shortcuts can really help us with our workflow and efficiency. Regular users of Photoshop will have that one keyboard shortcut that we tend to use on a daily basis. We would love to know what your most frequently used keyboard shortcut is! We’ll tally up your responses and publish the results in an article.
Please vote for the Photoshop keyboard shortcut you use the most in the comments of this post.
Please mention the following:
- The keyboard shortcut you use most often (e.g. Ctrl + O or Cmd + O)
- What the keyboard shortcut does (e.g. Ctrl + O is the shortcut for File > Open)
- Why do you frequently use this keyboard shortcut?
What’s the keyboard shortcut I use most often? It’s Alt+Shift+Ctrl+S.
It’s the shortcut for File > Save for Web & Devices.
I use this keyboard shortcut a lot because I perform a ton of simple image editing work, such as resizing images or resaving images into another web image format. Sometimes, I can be editing 20 images at the same time, all of which need to be saved in a suitable web format.
Now it’s your turn! Share your most-used Photoshop keyboard shortcut in the comments. Thanks!
Author: Jacob Gube
39 Comments (Add yours)
Eelco
Jan 07 2013
Mine is definitely ctrl+alt+arrow > Shortcut for duplicating a layer+direction
Most used for myself as a webdesigner. Duplicating dummy items, naviation elements, etc.
and of course the keyboard shortcuts as: V / U / I but those are single key shortcuts right :)
Ilie Ciorba
Jan 07 2013
Shift+Alt+Command+N to a create a new layer with no new dialog boxes or anything, and then Alt+Command+G to clip it, I hit those once a minute I guess
Mark
Jan 07 2013
Ctrl-S in any app as I’m a paranoid saver. I think that covers all three questions.
David van Ballegooijen
Jan 07 2013
I use a custom made shortcut to toggle pixel snapping on or off the most perhaps… Only beaten by F to toggle viewmodes..
Ayhan Sipahi
Jan 07 2013
v – t, Ctrl+0
Move Tool – Type Tool, Display All
I’m front-end developer and graphic designer
I prepare lots of typographic graphics like posters, business cards, flyers. Sometimes have lots of text area in a document.
previewing all is one of my favorite. Looking all file, helps you to find if you did any mistakes.
John
Jan 07 2013
Definitely save for web: Cmd+Opt+Shift+S
Marius Stuparu
Jan 07 2013
There isn’t just one for me.
CTRL-ALT-SHFT-I -> (remapped) Image size -> for resizing images
CTRL-ALT-H -> (remapped) Shadows/Highlights -> brightness and darkness adjustment
CTRL-J -> Layer via copy -> no need to explain
CTRL-E / CTRL-SHFT-E -> Merge / Merge visible -> mostly when slicing
CTL-G -> Group layers -> because of light OCPD http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCPD
Peter Wadham
Jan 07 2013
When I saw your question I thought of the same short-cut save for web/devices.
Maybe because its a slightly epic four-finger shortcut makes it memorable :-)
Peter Wadham
Jan 07 2013
actually, really I’d use command-Z paired with shift-command-Z the most,
auditioning changes….
Jacob Gube
Jan 22 2013
Editorial Team
Haha, yes, the first few times I started using this shortcut it felt awkward because it used four fingers!
At first, it didn’t feel like a shortcut since with my mouse’s sensitivity turned up to a high setting (and I use a gaming mouse too), it’s pretty quick at going to File > Save for Images & Devices versus trying to locate and hit all 4 keys.
Heather
Jan 07 2013
Cmd/Ctrl + 1 to zoom in/out to Actual Pixels. I do a lot of web graphics and this little keystroke gets used A LOT!
rafael armstrong
Jan 07 2013
Whenever I’m doing retouching, compositing or the like, I like to merge the edited layers/groups while retaining the originals. So, I select the relevant layers/groups and use the following shortcut:
Cmd + Opt + Shift + E. It creates a copy of all selected layers, merged into one.
Ana pereira
Jan 07 2013
The shortcut I use most is Ctrl+D
This short cut cancels a selection
I use it very often because I do a lot of selections to edit/improve fotos or to make collages.
Isaac Gube
Jan 08 2013
Editorial Team
Ctrl/cmd+z is my most used shortcut. I use it constantly to fix mistakes.
Anton Grahn
Jan 08 2013
Ctrl+j to duplicate layers. Definitely.
Luiyit
Jan 08 2013
CTRL-T -> Transform
CTRL-ALT-SHFT-C -> Copy layer style. I configure
CTRL-ALT-SHFT-PC -> Paste layer style. I configure
v -> Pointer
U -> Rectangle
M -> Selection
Z -> Zoom
P -> Pen
B -> Brushes
E -> Erase
Nimsrules
Jan 08 2013
My Favourite Shortcut: Alt->I->R
It Removes all the transparent space from an image.
I do this then Ctrl+Shft+Alt+S to ‘Save for the Web’
Manuel Garcia
Jan 08 2013
I’ve been using the “CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + S” for taking care of the quality of the image. It’s really useful if you’re into blogging.
Yuval
Jan 08 2013
For sure the first one is Ctrl+S! (save)
The next ones: Ctrl+J (duplicate), Ctrl+Backspace (fill a selection)..
Matthew Craig
Jan 08 2013
Cmd+s
Literally every 5 seconds
Jacob Gube
Jan 09 2013
Editorial Team
That’s also a habit of mine regardless of what software (e.g., Word, Notepad++, Photoshop, etc.) I’m currently using! :) I know I can set most software to auto-save at an interval of my choice, but the action of pressing that keyboard shortcut gives me conscious reassurance that I’ve saved my work.
Carlin Scuderi
Jan 08 2013
Cmd-Q
…….
Ken Howard
Jan 08 2013
Using keyboard shortcuts for menu items involves too many keys at once. I’m more in to D to reset the foreground and background colors, V to select the pointer tool and M to select the selection tool. Of course I also like using the right and left brackets with the command key to move layers from top to bottom. I’m going to try the Command+Alt+Shift+S shortcut, hopefully it sticks.
Fred Peres
Jan 08 2013
Cmd + option + shift + E
Create a new merged layer
Michael
Jan 08 2013
Crtl+Z, by far.
olivier durand
Jan 09 2013
HOW ABOUT Ctrl+Z FOR THOSE WHO UNDO ALL THE TIME! lol
Rachel Reveley
Jan 10 2013
CTRL I P for cropping and CTRL I R for trimming. Often in that order, you would be surprised at how impressed some people are when they see you do that.
Philip
Jan 11 2013
the enter button
Heather
Jan 12 2013
Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V :)
Josh
Jan 15 2013
CMD-S after every action. It became instinctual when I was made to use the busted computer at an internship and my programs were constantly crashing.
However! If I were to pick a second place to incessant saving: F, because I shift between screen modes way more frequently than I can explain.
Laura Smith
Jan 20 2013
Ctrl+’ Toggles the grid lines on and off
mp3ch
Jan 24 2013
ctrl + shift + alt + S
Save for web
Ben Junda
Feb 12 2013
Shift+Arrow Keys, moves in increments of 10 pixels
Beth mueller
Mar 30 2013
Cmd+Opt+Shift+S
Saving for web so often
Adam Waselnuk
Mar 30 2013
Space bar. Helps me go exploring around the magic landscape if pixels. It’s gotten to the point where I try using that shortcut in every app.
Amanda
Mar 30 2013
Space bar. As many other key strokes I use, I’d be lost without being able to move the canvas around.
Jithin
Mar 30 2013
Ctrl + Shift + N (New layer)
Jason Lengstorf
Mar 30 2013
When in a text area, command + enter exits the text area so keyboard shortcuts are usable again. HUGE timesaver.
Kim Jun Hong
Apr 01 2013
Ctrl+Alt+Z – Undo
Z – Zoom
M – Rectangular Marquee Tool
Ctrl+S – Save