What does this shortcuts page cover?

This page documents 467 keyboard shortcuts for Adobe InDesign across 19 categories, including Tools, Working with type, Layers, Tables, Selecting and moving objects, Editing paths and frames, Color panel, and Viewing documents and document workspaces.

With 467 shortcuts across 19 categories, where should I actually start?

For most layout work, Tools, Selecting and moving objects, and Working with type give you the biggest return quickly. Viewing documents and Layers are also worth an early look if you work across multi-page or multi-layer documents.

Are there differences between the Mac and Windows shortcuts?

Yes. Most shortcuts follow the standard pattern of swapping Command for Ctrl and Option for Alt between macOS and Windows. A few shortcuts exist only on one platform, so check the OS column if a shortcut is not working as expected.

Is it realistic to learn all 467 shortcuts?

Not for most users. InDesign's shortcut set is intentionally broad to support very different workflows, from book layout to interactive documents. Focus on the categories that match your day-to-day tasks and treat the rest as a reference.

InDesign Hotkeys and Keyboard Shortcuts

Character and paragraph styles

Action	Hotkey
Make character style definition match text	`Select`+`Text`+`And`+`Press`+`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`C`
Clear overrides from paragraph style	`⌥`+`⇧`+`-click`+`Paragraph`+`Style`+`Name`
Remove style and local formatting	`⌥`+`-click`+`Paragraph`+`Style`+`Name`
Make paragraph style definition match text	`Select`+`Text`+`And`+`Press`+`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`R`
Show/hide Paragraph and Character Styles panels, respectively	`⌘`+`F11,command`+`⇧`+`F11`
Change options without applying style	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`-double-click`+`Style`

Color panel

Action	Hotkey
Switch between color modes (CMYK, RGB, LAB)	`⇧`+`-click`+`ColBar`
Select a color for the nonactive fill or stroke	`⌥`+`-click`+`ColBar`
Move color sliders in tandem	`⇧`+`-drag`+`Slider`

Control panel

Action	Hotkey
Open the Scale dialog box	`⌥`+`Click`+`XY`+`Scale`+`Icon`
Open the Shear dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`Shear`+`Icon`
Open the Drop Caps & Nested Styles dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`Drop`+`Cap`+`Number`+`Of`+`Lines,Drop`+`Cap`+`One`+`Or`+`ME`+`Characters`+`Icon`
Open Text Preferences	`⌥`+`-click`+`Superscript,Subscript,Small`+`Caps`+`Button`
Open the Text Frame options dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`Number`+`Of`+`Columns`+`Icon`
Change reference point when proxy has focus	`Any`+`Key`+`On`+`The`+`Numeric`+`KeypadKeyboard`+`Numbers`
Open Frame Grid options dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`Number`+`Of`+`Characters`+`HIzontal,Number`+`Of`+`Characters`+`Vertical,Character`+`Aki,Line`+`Aki,Vertical`+`Scale,HIzontal`+`Scale,Grid`+`View,Font`+`Size,Number`+`Of`+`Columns,Column`+`Gutter`+`Icon`
Open the Grids Preferences	`⌥`+`-click`+`Align`+`To`+`Baseline`+`Grid,Do`+`Not`+`Align`+`To`+`Baseline`+`Grid`+`Button`
Open Units & Increments Preferences	`⌥`+`-click`+`Kerning`+`Icon`
Toggle Character/Paragraph text attributes mode	`⌘`+`⌥`+`7`
Open New Named Grid options dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`Named`+`Grid`+`Icon`
Open the Justification dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`Leading`+`Icon`
Open Named Grid dialog box	`Double-click`+`Named`+`Grid`+`Icon`
Toggle focus to/from Control panel	`⌘`+`6`
Open the Move dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`XY`+`Icon`
Open the Underline options dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`Underline`+`Button`
Open the Rotate dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`Angle`+`Icon`
Open the Strikethrough options dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`Strikethrough`+`Button`

Editing paths and frames

Action	Hotkey
Temporarily select Convert Direction Point tool	`Direct`+`Selection`+`Tooloption`+`⌘`+`,Pen`+`Tooloption`
Display the Stroke panel	`⌘`+`F10`
Temporarily select Add Anchor Point tool	`ScissS`+`Tooloption`
Temporarily switch between Add Anchor Point and Delete Anchor Point tool	`⌥`
Move anchor point and handles while drawing	`Pen`+`Toolspacebar`
Keep Pen tool selected when pointer is over path or anchor point	`Pen`+`Toolshift`

Finding and changing text

Action	Hotkey
Replace selection with Change To text	`⌘`+`F3`
Insert selected text into Find What box	`⌘`+`F1`
Insert selected text into Change To box	`⌘`+`F2`
Insert selected text into Find What box and finds next	`⇧`+`F1`
Find next occurrence of Find What text	`⇧`+`F2⌥`+`⌘`+`F`

Layers panel

Action	Hotkey
Add new layer to the top of the layer list	`⇧`+`⌘`+`-click`+`Create`+`New`+`Layer`
Add new layer and open New Layer dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`Create`+`New`+`Layer`
Add new layer below selected layer	`⌘`+`-click`+`Create`+`New`+`Layer`
Add new layer to the top of the layer list and open New Layer dialog box	`Cmdoption`+`⇧`+`-click`+`Create`+`New`+`Layer`
Select all objects on layer	`⌥`+`-click`+`Layer`
Copy selection to new layer	`⌥`+`-drag`+`Small`+`Square`+`To`+`New`+`Layer`

Navigating through and selecting text

Action	Hotkey
Select all in story	`⌘`+`A`
Select one paragraph before or after	`⇧`+`⌘`+`↑⇧`+`⌘`+`↓`+`Arrow`
Select one word	`Double-click`+`WD`
Move to previous or next paragraph	`⌘`+`↑⌘`+`↓`+`Arrow`
Move to right or left one word	`⌘`+`Right Arrow⌘`+`←`
Update missing font list	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`
Select first/last frame	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`Page`+`↑⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`Page`+`↓`
Select previous/next frame	`⌥`+`⌘`+`Page`+`↑⌥`+`⌘`+`Page`+`↓`
Select current line	`⇧`+`⌘`+`\`
Move to start or end of line	`HomeEnd`
Move to start or end of story	`⌘`+`Home⌘`+`End`
Move up or down one line	`↑↓`+`Arrow`
Select one character right or left	`⇧`+`Right Arrow⇧`+`←`
Select one paragraph	`Triple-clickQuadruple-click`+`Paragraph,depending`+`On`+`Text`+`Preferences`+`Setting`
Select characters from insertion point	`⇧`+`–click`
Select one line above or below	`⇧`+`↑⇧`+`↓`+`Arrow`
Delete word in front of insertion point (Story Editor)	`⌘`+`⌫Del`+`(numeric`+`Keypad)`
Select start or end of story	`⇧`+`⌘`+`Home⇧`+`⌘`+`End`
Select start or end of line	`⇧`+`Home⇧`+`End`
Move to right or left one character	`Right Arrow←`

Pages panel

Action	Hotkey
Base another master page on selected master	`⌥`+`-click`+`The`+`Master`+`You`+`Want`+`To`+`Base`+`The`+`Selected`+`Master`+`On`
Create master page	`⌘`+`-click`+`Create`+`New`+`Page`+`Button`
Apply master to selected page	`⌥`+`-click`+`Master`
Display Insert Pages dialog box	`⌥`+`-click`+`New`+`Page`+`Button`
Add new page after last page	`⇧`+`⌘`+`P`

Selecting and moving objects

Action	Hotkey
Select next object behind or in front	`Selection`+`Toolcommand`+`–clickSelection`+`Tooloption`+`⌘`+`–click`
Duplicate and offset selection	`⌥`+`←`+`,right Arrow,up,↓`+`Key`
Move selection	`←`+`,right Arrow,up,down`+`Arrow`+`Key`
Temporarily select Group Selection tool	`Direct`+`Selection`+`Tooloption`+`;Pen,Add`+`AnchPoint,⌫`+`AnchPoint`+`Tooloption`+`⌘`
Select first or last frame in story	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`Page`+`↓⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`Page`+`↑`
Move selection by 10 times	`⇧`+`←`+`,right Arrow,up,down`+`Key`
Select container of selected content	`⎋Double-click`
Move selection by 10th	`⌘`+`⇧`+`←`+`,right Arrow,up,down`+`Key`
Duplicate selection	`Selection,Direct`+`Selection,Group`+`Selection`+`Tool`+`⌥`+`–drag`
Temporarily select Selection or Direct Selection tool (last used)	`Any`+`Tool`+`(except`+`Selection`+`Tools)`+`⌘`
Add to or subtract from a selection of multiple objects	`Selection,Direct`+`Selection,Group`+`Selection`+`Toolshift`+`–click`+`(to`+`Deselect,click`+`Center`+`Point)`
Select master page item from document page	`SelectionDirect`+`Selection`+`Tool`+`⌘`+`⇧`+`–click`
Duplicate and offset selection by 10 times	`⌥`+`⇧`+`←`+`,right Arrow,up,down`+`Key`
Select content of selected container	`⇧`+`⎋Double-click`
Select next or previous frame in story	`⌥`+`⌘`+`Page`+`↓⌥`+`⌘`+`Page`+`↑`

Separations Preview panel

Action	Hotkey
Show Black plate	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`4`
Turn on Overprint preview	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`Y`
Show 3rd Spot plate	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`7`
Show Magenta plate	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`2`
Show Yellow plate	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`3`
Show 1st Spot plate	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`5`
Show Cyan plate	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`1`
Show all plates	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`~`+`[tilde]`
Show 2nd Spot plate	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`6`

Swatches panel

Action	Hotkey
Create spot color swatch based on the current swatch	`⌥`+`⌘`+`-click`+`New`+`Swatch`+`Button`
Create new swatch based on the current swatch	`⌥`+`-click`+`New`+`Swatch`+`Button`
Change options without applying swatch	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`-double-click`+`Swatch`

Tables

Action	Hotkey
Start row on next frame	`⇧`+`↩`+`(numeric`+`Keypad)`
Move up/down one cell	`↑↓`+`Arrow`
Toggle between text selection and cell selection	`⎋`
Resize rows or columns without changing the size of the table	`⇧`+`–drag`+`InteriRowColumn`+`BDer`
Move to first/last row in frame	`Page`+`↑Page`+`↓`
Insert or delete rows or columns while dragging	`Begin`+`Dragging`+`RowColumn`+`BDer,and`+`Then`+`Hold`+`↓`+`⌥`+`As`+`You`+`Drag`
Start row on next column	`↩`+`(numeric`+`Keypad)`
Resize rows or columns proportionally	`⇧`+`–drag`+`→Bottom`+`Table`+`BDer`
Move to next/previous cell	`⇥⇧`+`⇥`
Move to first/last cell in column	`⌥`+`Page`+`↑⌥`+`Page`+`↓`
Move left/right one cell	`←Right Arrow`
Move to first/last cell in row	`⌥`+`Home⌥`+`End`
Select cell above/below the current cell	`⇧`+`↑⇧`+`↓`+`Arrow`
Select cell to the right/left of the current cell	`⇧`+`Right Arrow⇧`+`←`

Tabs panel

Action	Hotkey
Activate Tabs panel	`⇧`+`⌘`+`T`
Switch between alignment options	`⌥`+`-click`+`⇥`

Tools

Action	Hotkey
Add Anchor Point tool	`=`
Temporarily selects Zoom In tool	`⌘`+`Spacebar`
Rectangle tool	`M`
Selection tool	`V,Esc`
Apply No Color
Apply Color	`,[comma]`
Gap tool	`U`
Switch between Normal View and Preview Mode	`W`
Eyedropper tool	`I`
Line tool	`\`
Convert Direction Point tool	`⇧`+`C`
Zoom tool	`Z`
Measure tool	`K`
Frame Grid tool (vertical)	`Q`
Frame Grid tool (horizontal)	`Y`
Toggle Fill and Stroke	`X`
Type On A Path tool	`⇧`+`T`
Scale tool	`S`
Delete Anchor Point tool	`-`
Gradient tool	`G`
Toggle between Formatting Affects Container and Formatting Affects Text	`J`
Swap Fill and Stroke	`⇧`+`X`
Shear tool	`O`
Pencil tool (Note tool)	`N`
Scissors tool	`C`
Toggle Selection and Direct Selection tool	`⌘`+`⌃`+`⇥`
Direct Selection tool	`A`
Free Transform tool	`E`
Gradient Feather tool	`⇧`+`G`
Apply Gradient	`.`+`[period]`
Temporarily selects Hand tool	`Spacebar`+`(Layout`+`Mode),option`+`(Text`+`Mode),⌥`+`Spacebar`+`(both)`
Type tool	`T`
Pen tool	`P`
Rotate tool	`R`
Rectangle Frame tool	`F`
Page tool	`⇧`+`P`
Hand tool	`H`
Ellipse tool	`L`

Transform panel

Action	Hotkey
Apply width, height, or scale value proportionally	`⌘`+`↩`
Apply value and copy object	`⌥`+`↩`

Transforming objects

Action	Hotkey
Switch image from High Quality Display to Fast Display	`⌘`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`Z`
Display Transform tool dialog box	`Select`+`Objectdouble-click`+`Scale`+`Tool,Rotate`+`Tool,Shear`+`Tool`+`In`+`Toolbox`
Increase scale by 1%	`⌘`+`.`
Decrease scale by 5%	`⌘`+`⌥`+`,`
Constrain proportion	`Ellipse`+`Tool,Polygon`+`Tool,Rectangle`+`Toolshift`+`–drag`
Duplicate and transform selection	`TransfMation`+`Tooloption`+`–drag`
Resize frame and content proportionately	`Selection`+`Toolshift`+`⌘`+`–drag`
Resize frame and content	`Selection`+`Toolcommand`+`–drag`
Decrease scale by 1%	`⌘`+`,`
Increase scale by 5%	`⌘`+`⌥`+`.`

Type panels and dialog boxes

Action	Hotkey
Open Paragraph Rules dialog box	`⌥`+`⌘`+`J`
Open Keep options dialog box	`⌥`+`⌘`+`K`
Activate Character panel	`⌘`+`T`
Activate Paragraph panel	`⌘`+`⌥`+`T`
Open Justification dialog box	`⌥`+`⌘`+`⇧`+`J`

Viewing documents and document workspaces

Action	Hotkey
Lock or unlock zero point	`⌃`+`–click`+`Zero`+`Point`+`And`+`Choose`+`An`+`⌥`
Select all guides	`⌥`+`⌘`+`G`
Temporarily select Zoom In tool	`⌘`+`Spacebar`
Temporarily select Hand tool	`Spacebar`+`(with`+`No`+`Text`+`Insertion`+`Point),option`+`–drag`+`(with`+`Text`+`Insertion`+`Point),⌥`+`Spacebar`+`(in`+`Both`+`Text`+`And`+`Nontext`+`Modes)`
Snap guide to ruler increments	`⇧`+`–drag`+`Guide`
Switch between current and previous zoom levels	`⌥`+`⌘`+`2`
Cycle through units of measurement	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`U`
Activate the Go To command	`⌘`+`J`
Switch between page and spread guides (creation only)	`⌘`+`–drag`+`Guide`
Go to previous/next spread	`⌥`+`Page`+`↑⌥`+`Page`+`↓`
Go to master page while \ panel is closed	`⌘`+`J,type`+`Prefix`+`Of`+`Master,press`+`↩`
Show information on installed plug‑ins and InDesign components	`⌘`+`InDesign`+`Menu>`+`About`+`InDesign`
Fit selection in window	`⌘`+`⌥`+`()`+`[plus`+`Sign]`
Open new default document	`⌘`+`⌥`+`N`
Temporarily turn on/off snap to	`⌃`+`-drag`+`Object`
Scroll up/down one screen	`Page`+`↑Page`+`↓`
Create vertical and horizontal ruler guides for the spread	`⌘`+`–drag`+`From`+`Zero`+`Point`
Fit spread in window	`Double-click`+`Hand`+`Tool`
Switch to next/previous document window	`⌘`+`F6⌘`+`~`+`[tilde]⌘`+`⇧`+`~`+`[tilde]`
Use current magnification for view threshold of new guide	`⌥`+`–drag`+`Guide`
Go back/forward to last-viewed page	`⌘`+`Page`+`↑⌘`+`Page`+`↓`
Select buttons in alert dialog boxes	`Press`+`First`+`Letter`+`Of`+`Button`+`Name`
Display the entire object	`⌘`+`⌥`+`()`+`[plus`+`Sign]`
Redraw screen	`⇧`+`F5`
Temporarily select Zoom Out tool	`⌥`+`⌘`+`Spacebar⌥`+`Zoom`+`Intool`
Zoom to 50%, 200%, or 400%	`⌘`+`5,2,4`

Working with type

Action	Hotkey
All caps (on/off)	`⇧`+`⌘`+`K`
Increase or decrease baseline shift by five times (horizontal text)	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`↑⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`↓`+`Arrow`
Align both ends or equal spacing	`⇧`+`⌘`+`F`+`(align`+`Both`+`Ends)J`+`(equal`+`Spacing)`
Auto-hyphenate (on/off)	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`H`
Increase or decrease leading (horizontal text)	`⌥`+`↑⌥`+`↓`+`Arrow`
Clear all manual kerning and reset tracking to 0	`⌥`+`⌘`+`Q`
Insert current page number	`⌥`+`⌘`+`N`
Increase or decrease kerning and tracking by five times (horizontal text)	`⌥`+`⌘`+`←⌥`+`⌘`+`Right Arrow`
Auto leading	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`A`
Increase or decrease leading by five times (horizontal text)	`⌥`+`⌘`+`↑⌥`+`⌘`+`↓`+`Arrow`
Increase or decrease kerning and tracking by five times (vertical text)	`⌥`+`⌘`+`↑⌥`+`⌘`+`↓`+`Arrow`
Basic letter group setting or detail setting	`⇧`+`⌘`+`X⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`X`
Recompose all stories	`⌥`+`⌘`
Strikethrough	`⌃`+`⇧`+`⌘`
Subscript	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`()`+`[plus`+`Sign]`
Tate-chu-yoko setting	`⇧`+`⌘`+`H`
Underline	`⇧`+`⌘`+`U`
Justify all lines	`⇧`+`⌘`+`F`+`(all`+`Lines)J`+`(all`+`But`+`Last`+`Line)`
Increase or decrease kerning and tracking (horizontal text)	`⌥`+`←⌥`+`Right Arrow`
Increase or decrease leading by five times (vertical text)	`⌥`+`⌘`+`Right Arrow⌥`+`⌘`+`←`
Small caps (on/off)	`⇧`+`⌘`+`H`
Italic (only for fonts with italic face)	`⇧`+`⌘`+`I`
Automatically flow story	`⇧`+`–click`+`Loaded`+`Text`+`Icon`
Increase or decrease baseline shift by five times (vertical text)	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`Right ArrowHiftoption`+`⌘`+`←`
Increase or decrease leading (vertical text)	`⌥`+`Right Arrow⌥`+`←`
Asian language hyphenation	`⇧`+`⌘`+`K`
Align left, right, or center	`⇧`+`⌘`+`L,R,C`
Reset horizontal or vertical scale to 100%	`⇧`+`⌘`+`X⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`X`
Bold (only for fonts with bold face)	`⇧`+`⌘`+`B`
Align to grid (on/off)	`⇧`+`⌥`+`⌘`+`G`
Increase or decrease kerning and tracking (vertical text)	`⌥`+`↑⌥`+`↓`+`Arrow`
Normal	`⇧`+`⌘`+`Y`
Increase or decrease point size	`⇧`+`⌘`+`><`
Semi-automatically flow story	`⌥`+`–click`+`Loaded`+`Text`+`Icon`
Increase or decrease point size by five times	`⇧`+`⌘`+`⌥`+`><`
Increase or decrease baseline shift (vertical text)	`⇧`+`⌥`+`Right Arrow⇧`+`⌥`+`←`
Increase kerning between words	`⌥`+`⌘`+`\`
Superscript	`⇧`+`⌘`+`()`+`[plus`+`Sign]`
Increase or decrease baseline shift (horizontal text)	`⇧`+`⌥`+`↑Hiftoption`+`↓`+`Arrow`
Decrease kerning between words	`⌥`+`⌘`+`⌫`

Character and paragraph styles6

Color panel3

Control panel18

Editing paths and frames6

Finding and changing text5

Layers panel6

Navigating through and selecting text20

Pages panel5

Selecting and moving objects15

Separations Preview panel9

Swatches panel3

Tables14

Tabs panel2

Tools38

Transform panel2

Transforming objects10

Type panels and dialog boxes5

Viewing documents and document workspaces26

Working with type40

Character and paragraph styles6

Color panel3

Control panel18

Editing paths and frames6

Finding and changing text5

Layers panel6

Navigating through and selecting text20

Pages panel5

Selecting and moving objects15

Separations Preview panel9

Swatches panel3

Tables14

Tabs panel2

Tools38

Transform panel2

Transforming objects10

Type panels and dialog boxes5

Viewing documents and document workspaces26

Working with type40

InDesign Hotkeys

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this shortcuts page cover?

With 467 shortcuts across 19 categories, where should I actually start?

Are there differences between the Mac and Windows shortcuts?

Is it realistic to learn all 467 shortcuts?

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Character and paragraph styles

Color panel

Control panel

Editing paths and frames

Finding and changing text

Layers panel

Navigating through and selecting text

Pages panel

Selecting and moving objects

Separations Preview panel

Swatches panel

Tables

Tabs panel

Tools

Transform panel

Transforming objects

Type panels and dialog boxes

Viewing documents and document workspaces

Working with type

Character and paragraph styles

Color panel

Control panel

Editing paths and frames

Finding and changing text

Layers panel

Navigating through and selecting text

Pages panel

Selecting and moving objects

Separations Preview panel

Swatches panel

Tables

Tabs panel

Tools

Transform panel

Transforming objects

Type panels and dialog boxes

Viewing documents and document workspaces

Working with type