20 Keyboard Shortcuts To Helps Improve Illustrator Workflow on Windows and Mac

Windows or Mac OS includes many keyboard shortcuts, which also known as accelerator keys or hotkeys that perform operation, task or commands within the operating system. Keyboard shortcuts make it easier for user to interact with computer, which otherwise would typically require a mouse or other pointing device to perform the operation. Here’s the 20 keyboard shortcuts or accelerator hotkeys of Windows and Mac OS available on the operating system level to improve illustrator workflow, as published by Microsoft.

[table]

	Windows	Mac
VIEWING
1. MOVE ARTBOARD WITH HAND TOOL	Space + Drag	Space + Drag
2.TURN RULER ON/OFF	CTRL + R	Command + R
3.TURN SMART GUIDE ON/OFF	CTRL + U	Command + U
4.MAKE GUIDES	CTRL + 5	Command + 5
5.ZOOM IN/OUT	CTRL + plus or minus sign (+/-)	Command + plus or minus sign (+/-)
SELECTING
6.SWITCH TO LAST-USED SELECTION TOOL	CTRL	Command
7.ADD TO OR SUBTRACT FROM SELECTION	SHIFT + Click	SHIFT + Click
8.MOVE SELECTION BY 10 PTS	SHIFT + Arrow key	SHIFT + Arrow key
WORKING WITH LAYERS AND SHAPES
9.DRAW SHAPE FROM THE CENTER OUT	ALT + Drag	OPTION + Drag
10.COPY AND PASTE IN FRONT/BACK	CTRL + C, CTRL + F/B	Command + C, Command + F/B
11.BRING TO FRONT/BACK	CTRL + [ or ]	Command + [ or ]
12.SHOW/HIDE PATHFINDER	CTRL + SHIFT + F9	Command + SHIFT + F9
13.GROUP/UNGROUP	CTRL + G CTRL + SHIFT + G	Command + G Command + SHIFT + G
14.LOCK/UNLOCK	CTRL + 2 CTRL + ALT +2	Command + 2 Command + OPTION + 2
15.MOVE A SHAPE WHILE DRAWING IT	Space + Drag	Space + Drag
16.QUICK COPY	ALT + Click & Drag	OPTION + Click & Drag
17.CONVERT ANCHOR POINT	SHIFT + C	SHIFT + C
WORKING WITH COLORS AND TEXT
18.SWITCH BETWEEN FILL AND STROKE	SHIFT + X	SHIFT + X
19.ALIGN TEXT TO LEFT, CENTER, OR RIGHT	CTRL + SHIFT + L/C/R	Command + SHIFT + L/C/R
SAVING
20.SAVE FOR WEB	CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + S	Command + OPTION + SHIFT + S

[/table]

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