Timesaving Photoshop CS5 Shortcuts and Tips
Adobe Photoshop is a huge program with loads of commands, but it is very time consuming experience to perform a task when we don’t know the shortcuts (short keys). So today I decided to post a list of routinely used shortcuts and tips that will greatly increase the speed of your work.
I have tested all these shortcuts on Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended.
Make sure you don’t miss: Photoshop CS5 Shortcuts for Professionals
You might also like to view: Best of the Best Photoshop Tutorials from 2010
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Tip: Open Photoshop and test these shortcuts as you right away, that’s the best way to memorize them.
Tools
Image Courtesy Tam Cao
1. Caps Lock switches your cursor to Plus sign for precision, while working with painting or editing tools.
2. To draw a straight line, click where you want the line to start, then go to the point where you want the line to end, hold Shift and Click.
3. Holding Ctrl will change you current tool to Move Tool, temporarily.
4. Holding Spacebar will change you current tool to Hand Tool, temporarily.
5. Holding Alt will change you current tool to Eyedropper Tool, temporarily if you are working with a painting tool.
6. Ctrl + Alt + Click and drag the image, it will create a duplication of the current image image or selection and make an overlay on top.
7. If you hold down Alt while using Burn or Dodge Tool, it switches the tool functions in between them.
8. When you are done typing with any text tool, press Ctrl+Enter, Photoshop will understand you are done.
9. Alt + Mouse Scroll changes the zoom level
10. While using Magnetic Lasso Tool, pressing Delete button will remove the previous anchor point.
11. While working with Zoom Tool, Ctrl + Spacebar = zooms in, Alt + Spacebar = zooms out.
12. Eyedropper Tool to captures foreground color, hold Alt and click, it will capture the color for background.
13. When drawing a line with Measure Tool, if you hold Alt and draw another line from the end of the first line, it will also measure the angle.
14. When using Marquee Tools, hold down Alt and it will make the click point as the center point of the selection.When using Brush Tool, or other Paint Tools, pressing the numbers on the numeral pad will alter the transparency. ([4=40%] or [press 4 then 5 will get 45%])
15. Hold Shift and press “+” or “-” it will change the layer and painting modes:
-
- N = Normal
- I = Dissolve
- M = Multiply
- S = Screen
- O = Overlay
- F = Soft Light
- H = Hard Light
- D = Color Dodge
- B = Color Burn
- K = Darken
- G = Lighten
- E = Difference
- X = Exclusion
- U = Hue
- T = Saturation
- C = Color
- Y = Luminosity
- Q = Behind 1
- L = Threshold 2
- R = Clear 3
- W = Shadow 4
- V = Midtones 4
- Z = Highlights 4
- (This will work with these tools: Alpha turned off, Indexed Mode, Line tool, Bucket Tools, Dodge and Burn)
Workspace
16. When you double click the gray background area, the “Open” command will run. (Works when no file is opened)
17. Double clicking on the title of any panel will minimize or maximize it.
18. All “Cancel” buttons in every Photoshop windows and tables, will be transformed into a “Reset” button by just holding Alt.
19. Pressing Tab will hide toolbar and panels, while Shift + Tab will only hide panels. This is one the most used trick in Photoshop.
20. Let’s have some fun, wanna change the grey background color outside the opened file, select Paint Bucket tool, hold shift and click. Voila! (works only when a file is opened)
21. Open a file and press F button, it switches among the 3 different screen modes so you can easily choose the best workspace for your current task.
22. Ctrl + Backspace and Alt + Backspace will fill in the whole image area with foreground color or background colors.
23. Pressing Shift + Backspace will pop-up the option window, Alt + Shift + Backspace and Ctrl + Shift + Backspace, will fill the image with foreground or background color but will not change the values in of the areas of alpha.
24. Ctrl+J makes a duplicate layer.
25. Ctrl + D to deselect everything, and Ctrl+Shift+D to reselect what you deselected.
26. You can show or hide a path by pressing Ctrl+shift+H
27. Pressing Ctrl+Tab allows you to toggles between opened image files.
28. Alt drag a step from a serial action can copy it to another action.
29. If you want to import an object from Illustrator to Photoshop, just Copy and Paste. Photoshop will ask you whether to import it as a vector or bitmap.
30. Double clicking the Hand Tool will provide you the largest full image preview possible.
31. Double clicking the Zoom Tool sets the zoom level to 100%.
32. Pressing X will swap the foreground and background colors.
33. Pressing D will resets the foreground and background colors to default (mostly Black and White)
34. Ctrl+Shift+N opens the new layer with a dialog box, Ctrl+Shift+Alt+N creates a new layer, no questions asked.
35. Ctrl+E Merges Layers
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Awesome Comments!
Adding to Item 8: If you have an extended keyboard, pressing ENTER next to the numeric keyboard has the same effect
Tayyab Reply:
January 8th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Thanks Giles Morgans, how did I miss that…?
While in the full screen mode, pressing the numeric Enter will bring up the top panel only. The most useful and most compact layout I always use.
Great post! Some new stuff, but always nice to have an overview.
How about CTRL+Z for one step back in your history and CTRL+ALT+Z for more steps?
I know that’s the shortcut I use the most!
And to bad there isn’t a way to set up a keyboard shortcut for switching your dimension with the croptool. (like 4×6 switching to 6×4 for landscape photos).
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 12:38 am
Yeah, too bad, there is no shortcut….
21. Open a file and press F button, it switches among the 3 different screen modes so you can easily choose the best workspace for your current task.
35. Press F to alter between the modes.
21 and 35 the same?
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 12:39 am
Thanks for marking, its updated.
q = quick mask
w = magic wand
e = eraser
r = rotate tool (CS5), with the new snap tools, if you hold R and rotate, after you let got it will snap back to the same tool as you had previously
t = type tool
y = history brush
u = vector shape
i = eye dropper
o = dodge and burn
p = pen tool (drawing paths)
a = path selection tool
s = stamp tool (clone)
g = paint bucket/gradient tool
h = hand
j = healing brush
l = lasso
z = zoom
x = swap background and foreground
c = crop
v = move tool
b = brush
n = notes
m = marquee
[ = make brush smaller
] = make brush bigger
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 12:42 am
@Robert Whetton
thank you for taking out time to make this list.
Ali Raza Reply:
January 28th, 2011 at 6:12 am
If we hold the shortkey of any tool and use it….after we finish working with it…this takes the last selected tool back…
CHECKED IN CS5
great list, but not an end all complete list…
What about:
Shift + Alt + to make text larger/smaller when in the text tool?
Shift + Alt + UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW adjusts line offset.
CTRL + click on a layer thumbnail in the layers panel to select the contents (works well for alpha channel selections)
expanding on ZOOM:
CRTL + “+” or “-” to zoom in/out incrementally without having to switch to the zoom tool.
CTRL + 1 or 2 or 3 to show only Red, Green or Blue color channels respectively (1, 2, 3, 4 for CMYK mode)
CTRL + 4(RGB)/5(CMYK) and up to show only alpha channels in the order they were created in.
CTRL + ~ to show all color channels.
Everyone knows CTRL + Z is undo/redo, but for stepping back more than one step, CTRL + ALT + Z steps back through history…CTRL + ALT + Y Steps Forward. only limit is the number of undos set in the preferences.
there are even more, but this is a good solid start.
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 12:43 am
Yes, this tip does not really contain the advance tips, only the basic ones. I am making a post for the advanced users of Photoshop. It will be published in a few days. Check back soon.
ctrl+right click and moving the mouse= will re size the brush/pencil/eraser tools.this was soo cool
excellent help i found new shortcuts that i never knew excisted
very helpful…muy bueno
Hey, I have a bunch more shortcuts
——————————————————————
CTRL+J duplicates the current Layer while you have nothing selected, yes.
If you have any active selection and press CTRL+J, the selected area will be copied to the new layer.
If you press SHIFT+CTRL+J when you have something selected, it will be cut out and put on a new layer.
——————————————————————
If you press the number keys 0-9 while not handling a brush tool, you set the current layers opacity.
This reminds me: is there a way to hotkey-change the current layers fill-opacity, not the overall opacity?
——————————————————————
You can drag around a selection by holding space.
——————————————————————
Scrolling moves the document up and down.
CTRL+scroll moves it left and right.
——————————————————————
ALT+click on the visibility icon of a layer to hide all other layers.
——————————————————————
CTRL+TAB to switch between open windows.
——————————————————————
Thats what comes to my mind quickly
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 12:47 am
Wow! thanks Paratron
I’ll be adding your tips with your reference in the sequel of this post which will be intended for the advanced users. I’ll wait for your feedback there also.
Ali Raza Reply:
January 28th, 2011 at 6:15 am
If we hold SHIFT and press 1-9 it will change the FILL OPACITY of the layer.
15. Hold Shift and press “+” or “-” it will change the layer and painting modes:
Shift+alt+N = Normal
Shift+alt+I = Dissolve
Shift+alt+M = Multiply
Shift+alt+S = Screen
…and so on
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 12:48 am
Nice Addition, thanks
Another adding for items 30 and 31 : with numpad ; ctrl + 0 and ctrl + alt + 0 do the same.
Added to #34 – ctrl+alt+shift+E will merge all visible layers into the newly created layer. Also ctrl+e will merge selected layers. I use these heaps
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 12:50 am
Thanks for the tip Blair, but why are you always merging layers???
When I have the toolbar set the path (P) on numlock using the + – switch between types of paths. Need to disable this funkctions but I do not know how, it becomes my mistake that I switch it and then make the opposite path. pls help me. thank u /sorry for google translate/
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 1:17 am
Peter!
I’m sorry I checked everything but there is no problem at my PC, maybe its just your system. Try reinstalling the program, that might help… Sorry that’s all I can suggest you right now.
Julieanne Kost at Imaging USA, “If it had any more shortcuts, we would have to ship it with a foot pedal.” I love a sense of humor!
I love the screen captures of the tool boxes over the years. I learned my chops on Photoshop 2.0, since then they have bounced the pen tool all over the tool box, put the quick select tool in front of the old trusty magic wand, and now they have hijacked the shortcut for feathering and snatched the R right out from under the blur tool. I hate having to re-learn shortcuts I have used for years, of course I can take them back by customizing, but when I sit down at someone else’s machine I still have to adapt.
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 1:26 am
Wow! I learned Photoshop at Photoshop 4 n I thought I was an experienced user…. lol
A shrtcut that I find realy helpful, but not so popular is
ctrl+alt+2
It selects tonal range higher than 50% (look at the histogram).
You can easily revers it with ctrl+shift+i
Great article, thanks a lot for that!
I am going to post about it on my blog tomorrow:
http://photoshoplightroombridge.co.uk/
All best,
Marek
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 1:05 am
Thanks for the appreciation Marek Mularczyk
I also checked out your blog. Very nice content, buy why such a dark template? You like the flames or something else?
CTRL+Shift+E (merge visible layers). Unless I have hidden layers, almost as good as flattening just before saving finished project to a jpeg.
Thanks for sharing these. A new Photoshop user.
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 1:19 am
Nice to know this helps new users as well. Thanks for your comment.
Does anyone know how to scroll through the layer modes (e.g. normal, darken, multiple, color, saturation, etc.)?
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 1:25 am
An addition to Tip # 15 by @Stoyan Kostov
Hold Shift and press “+” or “-” it will change the layer and painting modes:
Shift+alt+N = Normal
Shift+alt+I = Dissolve
Shift+alt+M = Multiply
Shift+alt+S = Screen
verry much better on helping me. Thanks a lots.
Thanx a lot for these …. really very helpful…
An awesome blend mode shortcut:
Mac: Option + Shift + [letter of the name of a blend mode]
PC: Alt + Shift + [letter of the name of a blend mode]
ex: Option + Shift + O = Overlay Blend Mode
ex: Option + Shift + K = Darken Blend Mode
Pretty sure that may be one of the best shortcuts in photoshop, nothing else really compares to it. Kinda curious why it didn’t make the list, and there are ton more fun shortcuts out there. Good list though.
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 1:28 am
This tip is added in the sequel of this post.
@Billy, thank you! That’s it! (and I should have referred to it properly as “blend mode”)
I love photo-shop thanks for it. Its so amazing
Very useful shortcuts…
Here are few more…
CTRL+mouse scroll will horizontally scroll the page. and holding shift will make it faster.
ADDING TO POINT 10: Backspace also do the same function.
With any tool Selected: Pressing CTRL+Space will bring the zoom in and CTRL+ALT+Space will bring the zoom out icons temporarily.
SHIFT + (key of tool) will switch between that tool family.
ALT+Click on tool do the same function.
here comes very handy shortcut.
ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+T = transforms again the selected object just like We do in illustrator with CTRL+D;
SHIFT+[ increases and SHIFT+] decreases the brush size faster…
CTRL+Tab and CTRL+`{this sign is from below~} switch between opened.
pressing 1-9 will change the opacity of the layer 9=90% and 0=100%.
Ali Raza Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 1:06 am
Adding one more key
after text selection:
CTRL+SHIFT+>
will increase
and
CTRL+SHIFT+<
will decrease
the font size;
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 1:29 am
Great Tips, these will be added in the sequel of this post with your reference.
ctrl+shift+J creates a new layer by cutting the actual selection.
ctrl+alt+D opens the option to unsharpen the actual selection.
to 20. right mouse click in the grey does the same.
by the way: crtl means cmd on mac, right?
and one question: is there any posibility to go up and down through the layers by only using a key combination?
Ali Raza Reply:
January 28th, 2011 at 7:18 am
ALT+[ GO DOWN THROUGH LAYERS
ALT+] GO UP
CTRL+[ MOVE TARGET LAYER DOWN
CTRL+] MORE TARGET LAYER UP
Thanks for sharing, this is all we need
Does anyone know the shortcut to change brush size without havig to drag and drop there up-left…
?
Thanx
Tayyab Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 11:18 am
Robert Whetton, one of our dear commentators of this post described it in a comment above.
[ = make brush smaller
] = make brush bigger
Ken (no specialist at all) Reply:
January 27th, 2011 at 11:33 am
doesn’t work on my (swiss) keyboard…
I really didn’t know about all this shortcuts.
@maiyuran
ctrl+right click and moving the mouse= will re size the brush/pencil/eraser tools.this was soo cool
Correction : It is ALT + right click…
Does anyone know how you toggle between first (the open state) and last step of the history pallet?
I know the Cmd + Alt/Shift + Z stuff I was just wondering if there is such an option.
Regards
Tayyab Reply:
February 24th, 2011 at 11:49 pm
Everybody!
The Sequel of of this article has been published Photoshop CS5 Shortcuts for Professionals
@Florin
I think there used to be one in PS 7, I tried but couldn’t recall (Sorry ): ) , neither did any of my tries worked in CS5. If something does work, I’ll share it right here.
Alternatively, you can simply press Enter on the numpad (if you have one) instead of using Ctrl + Enter to tell Photoshop you’re done typing.
hit F12 to revert but that might take you back and not let you return.
@Florin I tested it out, you can revert to the original by using F12 and Ctrl or Cmd Z will take you back one step to where you left off.
Raul that’s awesome. Probably one of the shortcuts out there that I couldn’t find by my own.
On a mac there is a problem as Macbook Pros reveal the “expose” when pressing the F12. That of course can be disabled from the Preferences.
I didn’t realize in the first place that PS creates another step in fact in the history pallet called revert which takes you back and forth from the first to the last step of the image.
Cheers!
@Raul
Thanks for helping @florin.
Really nice resources collected in this post. Thanks for sharing.
Tayyab Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 3:50 am
Thanks for the appreciation Web India!
You’re awesome! thanks so much!
Hi there!
Great site!
I am trying to ‘turn on’ the grey work space background in all my Adobe CS 5 applications. Does anyone know how to do this as it’s not a default on mine.
Thanks
On a MacBookPro, PS CS5
to Bring up the layers panel
Press fn + F7
To bring up the tools panel
press tab
Tayyab Reply:
January 31st, 2012 at 2:55 am
thanks for the key Gayle.