Looking for some Photoshop shortcuts to help you speed up your post-production?
Working with Photoshop, whether you’re a newbie or an experienced editor, may take a long time. That’s why, in this post, we’ll show you how to use the top 18 shortcut keys to quickly change tools, layers, and more.
It’s worth noting that we start with simple shortcuts; they are often utilized and straightforward to execute. After that, we go on to intermediate and advanced shortcuts, which demand a little more dexterity but are still worthwhile to master!
Are you ready to increase the pace of your Photoshop workflow? Let’s get this party started!
1. Click on the Hand tool.
- The H key is the shortcut.
You may pan around a zoomed-in image with the Hand tool. Check for defects, assess sharpness, and go from one end of the shot to the other with it.
2. Click on the Zoom tool.
- The Z key is used as a shortcut.
You may zoom in with a single click using the Zoom tool. Use it to examine your file for quality concerns and to ensure that composited sections are placed realistically.
3. Fit to screen
- Ctrl/Cmd+0 is the shortcut.
This quick-and-dirty function resizes your photo to suit the screen, allowing you to see the entire image and track your editing progress.
4. Pick up the Brush tool.
- The B key is used as a shortcut.
Dodge and burn, create false color, and mask-out modifications are all possible using the Brush tool. When you need to make a selective adjustment to an area of your shot, this is the tool to use.
5. Undo an edit
- Ctrl/Cmd+Z is the shortcut.
We’re all prone to making little blunders. Use the Undo command to undo mistakes like a missed brush stroke or a botched clone job.
6. Hide and show palettes
- The shortcut is to use the Tab key.
The Photoshop interface may seem crowded at times. To conceal all palettes, use the Tab key; this allows you to focus on the picture you’re editing. Plus, you’ll have more space to work with!
7. Reduce the size of the Brush
- The [ key is a shortcut.
When using the Brush tool, you’ll frequently need to work in closed spaces. Tap the [key as many times as necessary to gradually reduce the Brush size.
8. Increase the Brush size
- The ] key is a shortcut.
This is the polar opposite of the previous Photoshop shortcut. If you need to increase the size of the Brush, press the] key. Then, with the Brush, paint huge swaths of your image.
9. Decrease the Brush softness
- Shift+[ is the shortcut.
For masking along delicate edges, you’ll need a stronger brush. Use this command to increase the hardness of your Brush edge by 25%.
10. Increase the Brush softness
- Shift+] is the shortcut.
Use a soft brush if you’re masking around rougher edges. This command will boost softness by 25% right away.
11. Adjust tool opacity
- 0 to 1 is the shortcut (the numerical keys)
You can change the opacity of the Brush and Clone Stamp tools to create subtle (or not-so-subtle) effects. To change the opacity, simply hit the number keys between 1 and 100. Note that pushing one number gives you a multiple of 10 (for example, 4 for 40% opacity), but pressing two digits in fast succession gives you an exact value (so hit 4 then 3 to set the opacity of 43 percent ).
12. Adjust tool flow
- Shift+0 to 1 is the shortcut (the numerical keys)
This operates in the same way as the opacity shortcut, but with the Shift key pressed. Use it to paint a light mask, dodge and burn, and more.
13. On a Curves graph, choose the next point.
- Ctrl/Cmd+Tab is the shortcut.
You can set many points and alter them as needed when working on a Curves graph (using the Up and Down arrow keys). If you want to alter an already-placed point, however, you may find it difficult to click without accidentally shifting the point. This shortcut allows you to jump to the next point, make arrow key modifications, and so on.
14. Make a new layer in Photoshop (with the dialog box)
- Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+N is the shortcut.
Do you need to make a new layer quickly? This shortcut will open the New Layer dialog box and add a new layer on top of your current layer, allowing you to configure the layer to your satisfaction.
15. Make a new layer in Photoshop (without the dialog box)
- Ctrl/Cmd+Alt/Opt+Shift+N is the shortcut.
Utilize this command to put a new layer immediately on top of the active layer if you don’t want to use the layer creation dialog box.
16. Copy the merged layers
- Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+C is the shortcut.
Simply hit these keys if you’re working with several layers and need to copy the complete project to your clipboard. A merged copy of the file will be copied to your clipboard, which you may paste into a new layer or file.
The command will only function if you first select the image (use Ctrl/Cmd+A to select all); otherwise, you will receive a duplicate of nothing.
17. Stamp all visible layers
- Ctrl/Cmd+Alt/Opt+Shift+E is the shortcut.
This command copies all visible layers merges them and adds them to your layer stack as a new layer. It’s similar to the copy-merge command (described above), except that the copy is placed directly in the layer stack.
18. Show all Photoshop keyboard shortcuts
- Ctrl/Cmd+Alt/Opt+Shift+K is the shortcut.
Are you afraid you’ll forget one of these shortcuts? Don’t be that way! This easy command will always bring up the keyboard shortcut Help dialog, which lists every shortcut Photoshop has to offer.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you found at least a few of these shortcuts useful! So memorize them — and put them into your daily routine.
