What is this page about?

This page lists keyboard shortcuts for PureRef, a tool for collecting and organizing reference images on a canvas. The 292 shortcuts here cover five areas: Actions, Controls, Draw, Note, and System.

Which sections should I focus on first?

Start with Controls and Actions - those handle how you move, scale, and interact with images on the canvas, which is what you will do most often. Draw and Note are useful once you are comfortable with the basics.

Do the shortcuts differ between Mac and Windows?

Yes. PureRef runs on both MacOS and Windows, and modifier keys differ - Mac uses Cmd where Windows typically uses Ctrl. Check the Mac or Windows tab on this page to see the version that applies to your setup.

Which sections are worth memorizing versus just keeping as reference?

Controls and Actions are worth learning by hand since you trigger them constantly while working. Draw, Note, and System shortcuts are more occasional - bookmark this page and look them up as needed.

PureRef Hotkeys and Keyboard Shortcuts

Actions

Action	Hotkey
Comment	`⌥`+`C`
Decrease application opacity	`⇧`+`⌘`
Preset Custom2	`⌥`+`5`
Transparent to mouse	`⌘`+`T`
Close	`⌘`+`Q`
Preset Custom3	`⌥`+`6`
Export selected images	`⇧`+`⌘`+`I`
Paste	`⌘`+`V`
Increase application opacity	`⇧`+`⌘`+`+`
Always on top	`⇧`+`⌘`+`A`
Reset cropping	`⇧`+`⌘`+`C`
Ungroup	`⇧`+`⌘`+`G`
Toggle bilinear sampling	`⌥`+`T`
Copy	`⌘`+`C`
Preset Dark	`⌥`+`1`
Distribute vertical	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`↓`
Reset transform	`⇧`+`⌘`+`T`
Pack all and optimize	`⌥`+`⌘`+`P`
Arrange by name	`⌥`+`⌘`+`N`
Command palette	`⇧`+`⌘`+`P`
Toggle locked	`⌥`+`L`
Clear selection	`⎋`
Always on bottom	`⇧`+`⌘`+`B`
Preset Custom4	`⌥`+`7`
Open	`⌘`+`L`
Hierarchy	`⌘`+`J`
Open images	`⌘`+`I`
Crop image	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`C`
Align top	`⌘`+`↑`
Cancel progress	`⎋`
Relink missing images	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`R`
Increase application opacity	`⇧`+`⌘`+`=`
Overlay selection	`⌘`+`Y`
Group	`⌘`+`G`
Resize to selection	`⇧`+`⌘`+`R`
Normalize height	`⌥`+`⌘`+`←`
Note	`⌘`+`N`
Arrange optimal	`⌘`+`P`
Optimize canvas	`⌘`+`O`
Settings	`⌘`+`U`
Toggle grayscale	`⌥`+`G`
Undo	`⌘`+`Z`
New window	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`N`
Export selected as scene	`⇧`+`⌘`+`E`
Save as	`⇧`+`⌘`+`S`
Always on top of...	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`A`
Draw	`⌘`+`D`
Redo	`⇧`+`⌘`+`Z`
Align bottom	`⌘`+`↓`
Normalize width	`⌥`+`⌘`+`→`
Help	`⌃`+`H`
Normalize size	`⌥`+`⌘`+`↑`
Open source	`⇧`+`⌘`+`O`
Maximize	`⌘`+`F`
Distribute horizontal	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`↑`
Align right	`⌘`+`→`
Export all images	`⌥`+`⌘`+`I`
Preset Light	`⌥`+`2`
Export scene	`⌘`+`E`
Lock window	`⌘`+`W`
Cut	`⌘`+`X`
Normalize scale	`⌥`+`⌘`+`↓`
New scene	`⌘`+`K`
Preset Custom1	`⌥`+`4`
Open most recent	`⇧`+`⌘`+`L`
Minimize	`⌘`+`M`
Arrange by addition	`⌥`+`⌘`+`A`
Arrange by order	`⌥`+`⌘`+`O`
Lock canvas	`⌘`+`R`
Preset Glass	`⌥`+`3`
Save	`⌘`+`S`
Stack	`⌥`+`⌘`+`S`
Align left	`⌘`+`←`
Arrange by path	`⌥`+`⌘`+`D`

Controls

Action	Hotkey
Snapped rotate	`Left mb`+`⇧`+`⌘`
Scale	`Left mb`+`⌥`+`⌘`
Pan	`Middle mb`
Pan (while locked)	`Left mb`
Slideshow selection	`⌥`+`S`
Focus next image	`→`
Reset camera zoom	`⌘`+`0`
Focus previous image	`←`
Pan (while maximized)	`Right mb`
Flip image vertically	`⌥`+`⇧`+`V`
Axis snapped move item	`Left mb`+`⇧`
Zoom	`Left mb`+`Z`
Show image coordinates	`Left mb`+`D`
Neighbor snapped move item	`Left mb`+`⇧`+`Space`
Grayscale canvas	`⌥`+`⌘`+`G`
Rotate	`Left mb`+`⌘`
Zoom in	`⌘`+`+`
Send to back	`↓`
Select items	`Left mb`
Focus canvas	`⌘`+`Space`
Move item	`Left mb`
Zoom cropping	`Left mb`+`⇧`+`V`
Change opacity	`Left mb`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`
Select all	`⌘`+`A`
Zoom out	`⌘`+`-`
Pan	`Left mb`+`⌥`
Send to front	`↑`
Show color code	`Left mb`+`S`
Continuous select	`Left mb`+`⇧`
Crop selection	`Left mb`+`C`
Flip	`Left mb`+`⌥`+`⇧`
Delete	`⌫`
Flip image horizontally	`⌥`+`⇧`+`H`
Pan cropping	`Left mb`+`V`
Focus image	`Space`

Draw

Action	Hotkey
Pen style solid	`1`
Pen style dotted	`2`
Pen style arrow	`3`
Select eraser tool	`E`
Cancel drawing	`⎋`
Select pen tool	`D`
Pen color	`⌘`+`T`

Note

Action	Hotkey
Text color	`⌘`+`T`
Text background color	`⇧`+`⌘`+`T`
Toggle bulleted list	`⇧`+`⌘`+`B`
Select previous font	`⌥`+`⌘`+`,`
Insert link	`⌘`+`K`
Toggle bold text	`⌘`+`B`
Copy text formatting	`⌥`+`⌘`+`C`
Align text justify	`⇧`+`⌘`+`J`
Select next font	`⌥`+`⌘`+`.`
Align text left	`⇧`+`⌘`+`L`
Align text right	`⇧`+`⌘`+`R`
Finish editing note	`⎋`
Toggle note auto size	`⇧`+`⌘`+`A`
Clear text formatting	`⌘`+`\`
Decrease font size	`⇧`+`⌘`+`,`
Text highlight color	`⌘`+`H`
Paste text formatting	`⌥`+`⌘`+`V`
Increase font size	`⇧`+`⌘`+`.`
Toggle italic text	`⌘`+`I`
Align text center	`⇧`+`⌘`+`E`
Toggle text underline	`⌘`+`U`
Paste without formatting	`⇧`+`⌘`+`V`
Decrease indentation	`⇧`+`⌘`+`⇥`
Increase indentation	`⌘`+`⇥`
Toggle checklist	`⇧`+`⌘`+`C`
Toggle text strikethrough	`⌥`+`⌘`+`S`
Toggle numbered list	`⇧`+`⌘`+`N`

System

Action	Hotkey
Resize window	`Left mb`
Move window	`Right mb`
Open context menu	`Right mb`

Actions

Action	Hotkey
Comment	`⌥`+`C`
Decrease application opacity	`⇧`+`⌘`
Preset Custom2	`⌥`+`5`
Transparent to mouse	`⌘`+`T`
Close	`⌘`+`Q`
Preset Custom3	`⌥`+`6`
Export selected images	`⇧`+`⌘`+`I`
Paste	`⌘`+`V`
Increase application opacity	`⇧`+`⌘`+`+`
Always on top	`⇧`+`⌘`+`A`
Reset cropping	`⇧`+`⌘`+`C`
Ungroup	`⇧`+`⌘`+`G`
Toggle bilinear sampling	`⌥`+`T`
Copy	`⌘`+`C`
Preset Dark	`⌥`+`1`
Distribute vertical	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`↓`
Reset transform	`⇧`+`⌘`+`T`
Pack all and optimize	`⌥`+`⌘`+`P`
Arrange by name	`⌥`+`⌘`+`N`
Command palette	`⇧`+`⌘`+`P`
Toggle locked	`⌥`+`L`
Clear selection	`⎋`
Always on bottom	`⇧`+`⌘`+`B`
Preset Custom4	`⌥`+`7`
Open	`⌘`+`L`
Hierarchy	`⌘`+`J`
Open images	`⌘`+`I`
Crop image	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`C`
Align top	`⌘`+`↑`
Cancel progress	`⎋`
Relink missing images	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`R`
Increase application opacity	`⇧`+`⌘`+`=`
Overlay selection	`⌘`+`Y`
Group	`⌘`+`G`
Resize to selection	`⇧`+`⌘`+`R`
Normalize height	`⌥`+`⌘`+`←`
Note	`⌘`+`N`
Arrange optimal	`⌘`+`P`
Optimize canvas	`⌘`+`O`
Settings	`⌘`+`U`
Toggle grayscale	`⌥`+`G`
Undo	`⌘`+`Z`
New window	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`N`
Export selected as scene	`⇧`+`⌘`+`E`
Save as	`⇧`+`⌘`+`S`
Always on top of...	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`A`
Draw	`⌘`+`D`
Redo	`⇧`+`⌘`+`Z`
Align bottom	`⌘`+`↓`
Normalize width	`⌥`+`⌘`+`→`
Help	`⌃`+`H`
Normalize size	`⌥`+`⌘`+`↑`
Open source	`⇧`+`⌘`+`O`
Maximize	`⌘`+`F`
Distribute horizontal	`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`+`↑`
Align right	`⌘`+`→`
Export all images	`⌥`+`⌘`+`I`
Preset Light	`⌥`+`2`
Export scene	`⌘`+`E`
Lock window	`⌘`+`W`
Cut	`⌘`+`X`
Normalize scale	`⌥`+`⌘`+`↓`
New scene	`⌘`+`K`
Preset Custom1	`⌥`+`4`
Open most recent	`⇧`+`⌘`+`L`
Minimize	`⌘`+`M`
Arrange by addition	`⌥`+`⌘`+`A`
Arrange by order	`⌥`+`⌘`+`O`
Lock canvas	`⌘`+`R`
Preset Glass	`⌥`+`3`
Save	`⌘`+`S`
Stack	`⌥`+`⌘`+`S`
Align left	`⌘`+`←`
Arrange by path	`⌥`+`⌘`+`D`

Controls

Action	Hotkey
Snapped rotate	`Left mb`+`⇧`+`⌘`
Scale	`Left mb`+`⌥`+`⌘`
Pan	`Middle mb`
Pan (while locked)	`Left mb`
Slideshow selection	`⌥`+`S`
Focus next image	`→`
Reset camera zoom	`⌘`+`0`
Focus previous image	`←`
Pan (while maximized)	`Right mb`
Flip image vertically	`⌥`+`⇧`+`V`
Axis snapped move item	`Left mb`+`⇧`
Zoom	`Left mb`+`Z`
Show image coordinates	`Left mb`+`D`
Neighbor snapped move item	`Left mb`+`⇧`+`Space`
Grayscale canvas	`⌥`+`⌘`+`G`
Rotate	`Left mb`+`⌘`
Zoom in	`⌘`+`+`
Send to back	`↓`
Select items	`Left mb`
Focus canvas	`⌘`+`Space`
Move item	`Left mb`
Zoom cropping	`Left mb`+`⇧`+`V`
Change opacity	`Left mb`+`⌥`+`⇧`+`⌘`
Select all	`⌘`+`A`
Zoom out	`⌘`+`-`
Pan	`Left mb`+`⌥`
Send to front	`↑`
Show color code	`Left mb`+`S`
Continuous select	`Left mb`+`⇧`
Crop selection	`Left mb`+`C`
Flip	`Left mb`+`⌥`+`⇧`
Delete	`⌫`
Flip image horizontally	`⌥`+`⇧`+`H`
Pan cropping	`Left mb`+`V`
Focus image	`Space`

Action

Hotkey

Pen style solid

1

Pen style dotted

2

Pen style arrow

3

Select eraser tool

E

Cancel drawing

⎋

Select pen tool

D

Pen color

⌘+T

Note

Action	Hotkey
Text color	`⌘`+`T`
Text background color	`⇧`+`⌘`+`T`
Toggle bulleted list	`⇧`+`⌘`+`B`
Select previous font	`⌥`+`⌘`+`,`
Insert link	`⌘`+`K`
Toggle bold text	`⌘`+`B`
Copy text formatting	`⌥`+`⌘`+`C`
Align text justify	`⇧`+`⌘`+`J`
Select next font	`⌥`+`⌘`+`.`
Align text left	`⇧`+`⌘`+`L`
Align text right	`⇧`+`⌘`+`R`
Finish editing note	`⎋`
Toggle note auto size	`⇧`+`⌘`+`A`
Clear text formatting	`⌘`+`\`
Decrease font size	`⇧`+`⌘`+`,`
Text highlight color	`⌘`+`H`
Paste text formatting	`⌥`+`⌘`+`V`
Increase font size	`⇧`+`⌘`+`.`
Toggle italic text	`⌘`+`I`
Align text center	`⇧`+`⌘`+`E`
Toggle text underline	`⌘`+`U`
Paste without formatting	`⇧`+`⌘`+`V`
Decrease indentation	`⇧`+`⌘`+`⇥`
Increase indentation	`⌘`+`⇥`
Toggle checklist	`⇧`+`⌘`+`C`
Toggle text strikethrough	`⌥`+`⌘`+`S`
Toggle numbered list	`⇧`+`⌘`+`N`

Action

Hotkey

Resize window

Left mb

Move window

Right mb

Open context menu

Right mb

Actions

Controls

Draw

Note

System

Actions

Controls

Draw

Note

System

PureRef Hotkeys

Frequently Asked Questions

PhotoShop

Illustrator

AutoCAD

InDesign

Affinity Photo

Inkscape

Actions74

Controls35

Draw7

Note27

System3

Actions74

Controls35

Draw7

Note27

System3

PureRef Hotkeys

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this page about?

Which sections should I focus on first?

Do the shortcuts differ between Mac and Windows?

Which sections are worth memorizing versus just keeping as reference?

Related Apps

PhotoShop

Illustrator

AutoCAD

InDesign

Affinity Photo

Inkscape

Actions

Controls

Draw

Note

System

Actions

Controls

Draw

Note

System