Adobe Illustrator 9 (MAC) Keyboard Shortcuts

SHORTCUT	ACTION
Files
Cmnd-N	New Document dialog box
Cmnd-O	Open dialog box
Cmnd-W	Close
Cmnd-S	Save
Cmnd-Shft-S	Save As dialog box
Cmnd-Optn-S	Save a Copy dialog box
Cmnd-Optn-P	Document Setup dialog box in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Q	Quit/Exit Illustrator
Tools
V	Selection
A	Direct-selection
Y	Lasso
Q	Direct-select Lasso
P	Pen
T	Type
L	Ellipse
M	Rectangle
B	Paintbrush
N	Pencil
R	Rotate
S	Scale
O	Reflect
E	Free Transform
W	Blend
J	Column Graph
U	Gradient Mesh
G	Gradient
I	Eyedropper
C	Scissors
H	Hand
Z	Zoom
+	Add-anchor-point
-	Delete-anchor-point
Shft-C	Convert-anchor-point
Dialog boxes
Tab	Highlight next field/option in Adobe Illustrator dialog boxes
Shft-Tab	Highlight previous field/option
Cmnd . (period key) or Esc	Cancel
Return	OK
Open/Save dialog boxes
Cmnd-D	Desktop
Cmnd-up arrow	Up one folder level in Adobe Illustrator open/save dialog boxes
Palettes
Tab	Show/hide all palettes
Shft-Tab	Show/hide all palettes except Toolbox
Return	Apply value in palette field in Adobe Illustrator
Shft-Return	Apply value in field, keep field selected
Tab	Highlight next field (pointer in palette)
Shft-Tab	Highlight previous field (pointer in palette)
Views
Cmnd-Y	Preview/Outline view toggle
Cmnd-Optn-Y	Pixel Preview view on/off in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Optn- Shft-Y	Overprint Preview view on/off
Caps lock	Use crosshair pointer (drawing tools)
Cmnd-H	Show/Hide Edges
Double-click Hand tool	Display entire artboard in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-0	Fit In Window
Double-click Zoom tool or Cmnd-1	100% view size
Optn-click	Zoom out (Zoom tool selected)
Cmnd-Spacebar-click or Cmnd-	Zoom in (any tool selected) in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Optn- Spacebar-click or Cmnd-(minus)	Zoom out (any tool selected) in Adobe Illustrator
Drag with Zoom tool, then Spacebar-drag	Adjust Zoom marquee position
Drag Zoom tool or Cmnd-drag in Navigator palett	Zoom in on specific area of artboard
Spacebar	Use Hand tool (any tool selected) in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Optn- Shft-3	Hide all unselected objects
Cmnd-Optn-3	Show All
Cmnd-Shft-W	Show/Hide Template(s)
Cmnd-Shft-B	Show/Hide Bounding Box
Cmnd-Shft-D	Show/Hide Transparency Grid in Adobe Illustrator
F	Standard screen mode/Full screen mode
Undo/redo
Cmnd-Z	Undo last operation
Cmnd-Shft-Z	Redo last undone operation in Adobe Illustrator
Create objects
Optn-drag	Draw object from center using Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, or Ellipse tool
Shft-drag	Draw circle with Rectangle or Rounded Rectangle tool; square with Ellipse tool
Polygon, Star, Spiral tools
Spacebar	Move object as you draw with Polygon, Star, or Spiral tool in Adobe Illustrator
Shft	Constrain orientation as you draw with Polygon, Star, or Spiral tool
Up or down arrow	Add or subtract sides as you draw with the Polygon tool, points as you draw with the Star tool, or segments as you draw with the Spiral tool
Optn	Align shoulders as you draw with Star tool in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd	Increase or decrease outer radius as you draw with Star tool or decay as you draw with Spiral tool
Select/Copy
Cmnd-6	Select Again (last used command on Edit menu > Select submenu) in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd	Use last-used selection tool (any non-selection tool chosen)
Cmnd-Ctrl-Tab	Toggle between Selection tool and Direct-selection tool or Group-selection tool
Optn	Toggle between Group-selection and Direct-selection tools in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-A	Select All
Cmnd-Shft-A	Deselect All
Cmnd-Optn-[- click	Select an object hidden behind another object
Shft-drag	Add to selection with either lasso tool in Adobe Illustrator
Optn-drag	Subtract from selection with either lasso tool
Move
Double-click Selection tool	Move dialog box in Adobe Illustrator
Optn-drag	Drag copy of object
Any arrow key	Move selected object the current Keyboard Increment (Preferences > General)
Shft-arrow key	Move selection 10x Keyboard Increment in Adobe Illustrator
Shft	Constrain movement to multiple of 45º
Clipboard
Cmnd-X	Cut
Cmnd-C	Copy
Cmnd-V	Paste
Cmnd-F	Paste In Front
Cmnd-B	Paste In Back
Transform
Optn-click	Transform tool dialog/set origin (any transform tool except Free Transform)
Shft-drag	Transform object along multiple of 45º (Shear, Reflect, Rotate tool)
Shft-drag	Scale object uniformly (Scale, Free Transform tools)
F-11	Show/Hide Attributes palette in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-D	Transform Again
~ drag	Transform pattern fill, not object(any transform tool)
Start dragging, then Optn-drag	Transform copy of object (any transform tool)
Modify value, then press Optn-Return	Transform copy of object (Transform palette)
Modify W or H value, then press Cmnd-Return	Scale object uniformly (Transform palette) in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Optn-D	Transform Each dialog box
Bounding box
Shft-drag handle	Scale object uniformly using bounding box(Free Transform or Selection tool)
Optn-drag handle	Resize object from center using bounding box in Adobe Illustrator
Blends
Cmnd-Optn-B	Blend > Make
Cmnd-Optn- Shft-B	Blend > Release
Free Transform tool
Optn-drag a handle	Transform from center in Adobe Illustrator
Start dragging corner handle, then Cmnd-drag	Distort
Start dragging side handle, then Cmnd-drag	Skew
Start dragging corner handle, then Cmnd-Optn-	Make Perspective
Pen/Reshape
Optn	Add-anchor-point and Delete-anchor-point tool toggle (either selected)
Optn	Use Add-anchor-point tool (Scissors tool selected)
Optn	Use Convert-anchor-point tool (Pen tool selected)
Optn	Smooth and Pencil tools toggle in Adobe Illustrator
Shft-drag	Constrain direction line angle to multiple of 45º with Direct-selection or Convert-anchor-point tool
Cmnd-J	Join two selected endpoints
Cmnd-Optn-J	Average two selected endpoints
Cmnd-Optn- Shft-J	Average and Join two selected endpoints
Drag, then Optn-release	Close path while drawing with Pencil or Paintbrush tool
Optn-drag tool	Cut in a straight line with Knife tool in Adobe Illustrator
Optn-Shft	Cut in 45º increment with Knife tool
Fill & Stroke
F-10	Show/Hide Stroke palette
D	Default fill/stroke
Optn	Eyedropper and Paint Bucket tool toggle (either one selected)
X	Fill/Stroke box toggle (Toolbox and Color palette)
< (comma)	Apply last-used solid color in Adobe Illustrator
/	Apply fill/stroke of None
Color palette
Cmnd-I or F-6	Show/Hide Color palette in Adobe Illustrator
Optn-click or drag color spectrum bar on Color p	Change fill color if Stroke box on Toolbox is selected, or vice versa
Shft-click color spectrum bar	Cycle through color models in Adobe Illustrator colors pallete
Shft-X	Swap fill/stroke
Swatches palette
Cmnd-Optn-click list, start typing	Select a swatch name in Adobe Illustrator
Layers
F-7	Show/Hide Layers palette
Grouping
Cmnd-G	Group
Cmnd-Shft-G	Ungroup
Restacking (keyboard)
Cmnd-Shft-]	Bring To Front
Cmnd-Shft-[	Send To Back
Cmnd-]	Bring Forward
Cmnd-[	Send Backward
Select
Click selection square or Optn-click name	Select layer, sublayer, group, or object
Shft-click square	Add to selection in Adobe Illustrator
Optn-drag square	Copy selection to new layer, sublayer, group
Views
Optn-click eye icon	Hide/show all other layers
Cmnd-click eye icon	View a layer in Outline/Preview view in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Optn- click eye icon	View all other layers in Outline/ Preview view
Optn-click blank in second column	Lock/unlock all other layers
Create top-level layers
Cmnd-L	Create layer above currently selected layer
Cmnd-click New Layer button	Create layer at top of list
Cmnd-Optn-click New Layerbutton	Create layer below currently selected layer
Lock/unlock (keyboard)
Cmnd-2	Lock (selected object)
Cmnd-Optn- Shft-2	Lock all unselected objects
Cmnd-Optn-2	Unlock All
Type
Cmnd-T	Show/Hide Character palette
Cmnd-M	Show/Hide Paragraph palette
Return	Hard Return
Shft-Return	Soft Return
Cmnd-Optn-Shft-M	Highlight font field on Character palette in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Shft-T	Show/hide Tab Ruler palette
Cmnd-Shft-(hyphen key)	Force hyphenate a word
Cmnd-Shft-O	Create Outlines
Type tools
Optn	Use Area Type tool (Type tool selected, over open path)
Optn	Use Path Type tool (Type tool selected, over closed path) in Adobe Illustrator
Shft with any type tool	Switch to vertical/horizontal type tool equivalent as you create type
Double-click with any selection tool	Switch to Type tool when selecting type block
Selecting type
Double-click	Select a word
Triple-click	Select a paragraph
Cmnd-A	Select all the type in a block in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-left/right arrow	Move insertion pointer left/right one word
Up/Down arrow	Move insertion pointer up/down one line
Alignment
Cmnd-Shft-L	Align left
Cmnd-Shft-C	Align center
Cmnd-Shft-R	Align right
Cmnd-Shft-J	Justify
Cmnd-Shft-F	Justify last line
Point size
Cmnd-Shft->	Increase point size in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Shft-<	Decrease point size
Leading
Optn-down arrow	Increase leading
Optn-up arrow	Decrease leading
Double-click leading button on Character palette	Set leading to the current font size in Adobe Illustrator
Horizontal scale
Cmnd-Shft-X	Reset horizontal scale to 100%
Kerning/tracking
Optn-right arrow	Increase kerning/tracking in Adobe Illustrator
Optn-left arrow	Decrease kerning/tracking
Cmnd-Optn right arrow	Increase kerning/tracking 5x
Cmnd-Optn left arrow	Decrease kerning/tracking 5x
Cmnd-Shft-Q	Reset kerning/tracking to 0
Baseline shift
Optn-Shft up arrow	Increase baseline shift
Optn-Shft down arrow	Decrease baseline shift in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Optn- Shft up arrow	Increase baseline shift 5x
Cmnd-Optn- Shft down arrow	Decrease baseline shift 5x
Curly quotes
Optn Shft-]	'
Optn-]	'
Optn Shft-[	"
Optn-[	"
Brushes
F-5	Show/Hide Brushes palette in Adobe Illustrator
Combine Paths
Cmnd-8	Compound Path > Make
Cmnd-Optn-8	Compound Path > Release
Cmnd-4	Repeat last-used Pathfinder command in Adobe Illustrator
Gradients
F-9	Show/Hide Gradient palette
> (period)	Reapply last-used gradient
Cmnd-click thumbnail	Reset gradient palette to black and white
Optn-drag	Duplicate color stop
Optn-click swatch	Apply swatch color to active color stop in Adobe Illustrator
Shft-drag with Gradient Mesh tool	Move mesh point along one of its lines
Shft-click with Gradient Mesh tool	Add mesh point using adjacent mesh color
Optn-click with Gradient Mesh tool	Remove mesh point
Clipping masks
Cmnd-7	Clipping Mask > Make
Cmnd-Optn-7	Clipping Mask > Release
Transparency palette
Optn-click mask thumbnail	View only opacity mask in mask edit mode
Shft-click mask thumbnail	Disable opacity mask in Adobe Illustrator Transparency pallete
Effects
Cmnd-Shft-E	Apply Last Effect
Cmnd-Optn-Shft-E	Last Effect (reopen last effect dialog box)
Appearances
Cmnd-/	Add new fill
Cmnd-Optn-/	Add new stroke
Optn-Shft-click with Eyedropper	Sample style and append appearance of selected object
Filters
Cmnd-E	Apply Last Filter
Cmnd-Optn-E	Last Filter (reopen last filter dialog box)
Precision Tools
Cmnd-R	Show/Hide Rulers in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-;	Show/Hide Guides
Cmnd-5	Make Guides
Click selection square on Layers palette, then Com	Release Guides
Cmnd-Shft- double-click guide	Release a guide
Optn-drag new guide	Convert guide between horizontal/vertical orientation
Cmnd-Optn-;	Lock/Unlock Guides
Cmnd-�	Show/Hide Grid in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Shft-"	Snap To Grid
Cmnd-Optn-"	Snap To Point (Pixel Preview off); Snap To Pixel (Pixel Preview on)
Cmnd-U	Smart Guides
Shft-drag with tool	Constrain Measure tool to multiple of 45º
Preferences
Cmnd-K	General Preferences dialog box in Adobe Illustrator
Export/Print
Cmnd-Optn- Shft-S	Save for Web
Cmnd-Shft-P	Page Setup/Print Setup dialog box
Cmnd-P	Print dialog box
F-8	Show/Hide Info
Shortcuts/Help
Cmnd-Optn- Shft-K	Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box in Adobe Illustrator
Cmnd-Shft-?	Illustrator Help (online)