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

Controls

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

Draw

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

Note

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

System

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

Actions

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

Controls

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

Action

Hotkey

Select eraser tool

E

Pen style dotted

2

Pen color

Ctrl+T

Select pen tool

D

Pen style arrow

3

Cancel drawing

Esc

Pen style solid

1

Note

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

Action

Hotkey

Open context menu

Right mb

Move window

Right mb

Resize window

Left 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