As 6Sense stated, in 2025, over 211,149 companies worldwide have adopted Adobe Illustrator as their primary graphic design software. As the demand for faster, high-quality design increases, knowing the right Adobe Illustrator shortcut keys becomes more essential than ever.
Key Takeaways
- 100 Adobe Illustrator shortcut keys speed up your design workflow.
- Shortcuts cover tools, text formatting, object alignment, layers, and exports.
100 Adobe Illustrator Shortcut Keys to Boost Design Efficiency
In the following table, we’ve compiled 100 Adobe Illustrator shortcut keys you need with their own functions. Pin them!
1. Selection Tools Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Feature |
| V | Selection Tool |
| A | Direct Selection Tool |
| Shift + V | Perspective Selection Tool |
| Q | Lasso Tool |
| O | Reflect Tool |
| Y | Magic Wand Tool |
| Ctrl (Cmd) + Click | Temporarily Activate Selection Tool |
| E | Free Transform tool |
| Ctrl (Cmd) + A | Select All |
| Shift + Ctrl (Cmd) + A | Deselect All |
Also Read: Top 10 Chrome Extensions for Graphic Designers to Use in 2025
2. Drawing Tools Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Feature |
| P | Pen tool |
| Spacebar-drag | Move a Shape While Drawing |
| Alt-drag | Draw from the Center of a Shape |
| Shift + C | Convert Anchor Point Tool |
| M | Rectangle Tool |
| L | Ellipse Tool |
| ` | Line Segment Tool |
| B | Paintbrush Tool |
| N | Pencil Tool |
| Shift + B | Blob Brush Tool |
3. Adobe Illustrator Keyboard Shortcuts for Type Tool
| Shortcut | Feature |
| T | Type Tool |
| Shift + T | Touch Type Tool |
| Ctrl + Shift + > | Increase Font Size |
| Ctrl + Shift + < | Decrease Font Size |
| Ctrl + Shift + K | All Caps |
| Ctrl + Shift + C | Center Align |
| Ctrl + Shift + L | Left Align |
| Ctrl + Shift + R | Right Align |
| Alt + Left/Right Arrow | Kern Text |
| Shift + Ctrl + U | Underline |
4. Object Manipulation Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Feature |
| Ctrl + G | Group |
| Ctrl + Shift + G | Ungroup |
| Ctrl + D | Repeat the Last Used Transformation |
| Ctrl + C then Ctrl + F | Copy and Paste in Front |
| Ctrl + C then Ctrl + B | Copy and Paste in Back |
| Ctrl + ] | Bring Forward |
| Ctrl + [ | Send Forward |
| Ctrl + Shift + ] | Bring to Front |
| Ctrl + Shift + [ | Send to Back |
| Shift + M | Shape Builder Tool |
5. Useful Adobe Illustrator Shortcut Keys Layer Management
| Shortcut | Feature |
| F7 | Open Layers Panel |
| Ctrl + 7 | Make a Clipping Mask |
| Ctrl + 2 | Lock Selection |
| Ctrl + Alt + 2 | Unlock All |
| Ctrl + 3 | Hide Selection |
| Ctrl + Alt + 3 | Show All |
| Ctrl + Shift + [ | Send to Back of Layer |
| Ctrl + Shift + ] | Send to Front of Layer |
| Alt + Click Eye Icon | Hide Others |
| Esc | Deselect a Width Point |
Also Read: How to Price Your Design Work Without Underselling
6. Path and Anchor Editing Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Feature |
| Ctrl + J | Join Paths |
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + J | Average Points |
| Ctrl + Shift + C | Convert Anchor |
| Ctrl + Alt + Drag | Copying Objects in Perspective |
| Alt + Drag Handle | Adjust Curve Independently |
| Ctrl + Click | Select Path While Using Pen Tool |
| Alt + Drag the Width Point | Create Non-uniform Widths |
| Shift + Click | Select Multiple Width Points |
| Ctrl + 8 | Make Compound Path |
| Ctrl + Shift + 8 | Release Compound Path |
7. View and Zoom Shortcut Keys in Adobe Illustrator
| Shortcut | Feature |
| Ctrl + Spacebar + Click | Zoom In |
| Alt + Ctrl + Spacebar + Click | Zoom Out |
| Ctrl + 0 | Fit Artboard in Window |
| Ctrl + 1 | Actual Size |
| Ctrl + Y | Toggle Outline Mode |
| Ctrl + ; | Show/Hide Guides |
| Ctrl + ‘ | Show/Hide Grid |
| Ctrl + R | Show/Hide Rulers |
| Shift + O | Artboard Tool |
| H | Hand Tool |
8. Adobe Illustrator Shortcut Keys for Color and Swatch
| Shortcut | Feature |
| Shift + X | Swap Fill and Stroke |
| X | Toggle Fill/Stroke |
| D | Default Fill/Stroke (white fill, black stroke) |
| / | Remove Fill or Stroke |
| Ctrl + Shift + F9 | Open Pathfinder Panel |
| Ctrl + Shift + K | Color Settings |
| F6 | Color Panel |
| F5 | Brushes Panel |
| Ctrl + Shift + H | Hide Edges |
| Alt + Click Swatch | Apply to Stroke or Fill |
Also Read: Top 7 Graphic Design Trends 2025 in the Creative Industry
9. Popular Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Feature |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Ctrl + X | Cut |
| Ctrl + C | Copy |
| Ctrl + V | Paste |
| Ctrl + I | Check Spelling |
| Ctrl + K | Open Preferences Dialog Box |
| Ctrl+ F | Paste at Front |
| Ctrl + B | Paste at Back |
| Shift + Ctrl + V | Paste in Place |
| Alt + Shift + Ctrl + V | Paste on All Artboards |
10. Adobe Illustrator Shortcut Keys for File and Export
| Shortcut | Feature |
| Ctrl + N | New Document |
| Ctrl + O | Open File |
| Ctrl + S | Save |
| Ctrl + Shift + S | Save As |
| Ctrl + Alt + S | Save a Copy |
| Ctrl + P | |
| Ctrl + W | Close |
| Alt + ⇧ + Ctrl + S | Save for Web |
| ⇧ + Ctrl + S | Save As |
| Ctrl + Q | Quit Illustrator |
Also Read: Top 10 Chrome Extensions for Graphic Designers to Use in 2025
Shortcut Your Way to Pro-Level Design with Illustrator Keys
Learning Adobe Illustrator shortcut keys is like mastering a new language, but one that speaks directly to speed, efficiency, and precision. Whether you’re managing layers, paths, or typography, these shortcuts are designed to reduce clicks and free up your time for creativity.
But what if you could accelerate that creative process even further? This is where high-quality resources become invaluable. For instance, Graphicted offers a premium collection of 3D assets designed to integrate into your vector illustration projects across a variety of themes.
This versatile collection includes many unique icons, each delivered in high-resolution (3000 x 3000 px), transparent PNG format, which not only makes them easy to use but also simple to customize with just a few clicks.
The included file types, which range from PNG, PSD, and Blender to OBJ, GLTF, and FBX, ensure you have the flexibility to adapt them to any project, from quick mockups to complex 3D workflows.
By combining your Illustrator mastery with a resource like this, you can unlock new creative possibilities efficiently while delivering stunning and professional results. Go check out our 3D assets collection at Graphicted and find what suits best for your illustration projects!
