For professionals, saving a few seconds on each task can translate into hours saved over the course of a project. Here are some must-know shortcuts that can supercharge your workflow in Photoshop.
Hand Tool (H): Hold the Spacebar to temporarily access the Hand Tool for panning around your canvas.
Zoom In/Out: Use Ctrl + Space (Windows) or Cmd + Space (Mac) to zoom in. Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) along with Space to zoom out.
Fit to Screen: Press Ctrl + 0 (Windows) or Cmd + 0 (Mac) to fit your entire canvas to the screen.
Actual Pixels: Use Ctrl + 1 (Windows) or Cmd + 1 (Mac) to view your image at 100% zoom.
New Layer: Press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + N (Mac) to create a new layer quickly.
Duplicate Layer: Use Ctrl + J (Windows) or Cmd + J (Mac) to duplicate the selected layer or selection.
Merge Layers: Press Ctrl + E (Windows) or Cmd + E (Mac) to merge selected layers.
Group Layers: Select multiple layers and press Ctrl + G (Windows) or Cmd + G (Mac) to group them.
Ungroup Layers: Use Ctrl + Shift + G (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + G (Mac) to ungroup layers.
Deselect: Use Ctrl + D (Windows) or Cmd + D (Mac) to deselect an active selection.
Reselect: Press Ctrl + Shift + D (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + D (Mac) to reselect the last selection.
Inverse Selection: Use Shift + Ctrl + I (Windows) or Shift + Cmd + I (Mac) to invert your selection.
Feather Selection: Access the Feather option with Shift + F6 to smooth the edges of your selection.
Free Transform: Use Ctrl + T (Windows) or Cmd + T (Mac) to activate Free Transform mode.
Constrain Proportions: Hold Shift while transforming to maintain proportions.
Rotate Canvas: Press R to activate the Rotate View Tool and spin the canvas without altering your artwork.
Undo/Redo: Use Ctrl + Z (Windows) or Cmd + Z (Mac) to undo, and press it again to redo.
Step Backward: Press Ctrl + Alt + Z (Windows) or Cmd + Option + Z (Mac) for multi-step undo.
Brush Size Adjustment: Use the [ and ] keys to decrease or increase brush size.
Brush Hardness Adjustment: Hold Shift while pressing [ or ] to adjust brush hardness.
Switch Brushes: Use ,< or >. to toggle between brushes in your set.
Sample Colors: Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) while using the Brush Tool to quickly sample a color from your canvas.
Default Colors: Press D to reset foreground and background colors to black and white.
Swap Colors: Use X to switch the foreground and background colors.
Fill Selection: Use Alt + Backspace (Windows) or Option + Delete (Mac) to fill with the foreground color.
Gradient Tool: Press G to activate the Gradient Tool, and toggle between gradient types with the dropdown in the options bar.
Photoshop allows you to create custom shortcuts to match your workflow. Go to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts to:
Reassign existing shortcuts.
Create shortcuts for frequently used actions.
Save and export your custom keyboard layouts.
Toggle Screen Modes: Press F to switch between Standard, Full Screen with Menu Bar, and Full Screen modes.
Quick Save: Use Ctrl + S (Windows) or Cmd + S (Mac) to save your project instantly.
Quick Export: Use Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S (Windows) or Cmd + Option + Shift + S (Mac) for the Save for Web dialog.
Hide Extras: Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Cmd + H (Mac) to toggle the visibility of guides, selections, and other non-image elements.
Mastering Photoshop shortcuts is a game-changer for professionals who juggle complex projects and tight deadlines. By incorporating these shortcuts into your daily workflow, you can save time, reduce repetitive tasks, and focus more on the creative aspects of your work. Start practicing these shortcuts today and watch your efficiency soar!
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