Shortcuts

You can use keyboard shortcuts in Sketch to help speed up your design process.

To use a keyboard shortcut, press all the keys listed at the same time. Some commands are only enabled depending on what you are doing, or what you have selected, so we’ve split the commands into various sections.

General Shortcuts

`⌘` `C`	Copy
`⌘` `X`	Cut
`⌘` `V`	Paste
`⇧` `⌘` `V`	Paste over selection
`Space` -drag	Pan Canvas
`⇧` `⌘` `N`	New page
`fn` `↑`	Previous page
`fn` `↓`	Next page
`⌘` `+`	Zoom in
`⌘` `-`	Zoom out
`⌃` `R`	Show/hide rulers
`⌃` `P`	Show/hide pixels
`⌃` `X`	Show/hide pixel grid
`⌃` `G`	Show/hide grid
`⌃` `L`	Show/hide layout
`⌃` `E`	Show/hide slices
`⌃` `F`	Show/hide prototyping
`⌘` `F`	Filter in Layer List
`⌃` `⌘` `K`	Run custom plugin
`⌘` `Z`	Undo
`⇧` `⌘` `Z`	Redo
`⌘` `N`	New document*
`⌘` `⇧` `N`	New Cloud document*
`⌘` `O`	Open document*
`⌘` `⇧` `O`	Open Cloud document*
`⌘` `W`	Close window
`⌘` `S`	Save document
`⇧` `⌘` `S`	Duplicate document
`⌥` `⇧` `⌘` `S`	Save document as…
`⇧` `⌘` `P`	Page setup
`⌘` `,`	Open Preferences window
`⌘` `H`	Hide Sketch
`⌘` `Q`	Quit Sketch
`⇧` `⌘` `?`	Open the Help menu
`⌘` `P`	Open Preview window

*These shortcuts work in reverse if you’ve enabled document saving to Sketch Cloud by default.

Inserting Layers

Select a shape type or tool, and click and drag in the Canvas to insert it.

`R`	Rectangle
`O`	Oval
`L`	Line
`U`	Rounded rectangle
`V`	Vector tool
`P`	Pencil tool
`T`	Text tool
`A`	Artboard tool
`S`	Slice tool
`H`	Hotspot tool
`⌥`-drag	When inserting a layer, draw shape from center
`⇧`-drag	When inserting a layer, lock ratio of shape
`Space` -drag	Place newly drawn layer before confirming it

Selecting Layers

Click	Select layer
Click-and-drag	Select multiple layers
`⌥`-drag	Selects layer within drag bounds
Double-click layer	Select grouped layer
`⌘`-click layer	Select any layer
`⌥`-click layer	Select an obscured layer
`⌘` `A`	Select all
`⇧` `⌘` `A`	Select all Artboards
`⇧`-click	Add layer to selection/deselect layer in Canvas
`⇧` `⌘`-click	Add layer from group to selection in Canvas
`⌘`-click	Add layer to selection/deselect layer in Layer List
`⇧`-click	Select a range of layers in Layer List
`fn` `→`	Select next Artboard
`fn` `←`	Select previous Artboard
`⇧` `⌘` `J`	Reveal selection in Layer List

Moving and Resizing Layers

As you move or resize layers, smart guides and distance parameters are automatically visible.

`⌥`-hover	Display distance between other layers
`⌘` `D`	Duplicate
`⌥`-drag	Duplicate
`⇧`-drag	Move layer along X/Y axis
`⌘`-drag	Move layer ignoring smart guides
`⌥` `⌘`-drag	Move an obscured layer
Arrow keys	Nudge layer any direction by 1 px*
`⇧`-Arrow keys	Nudge layer any direction by 10 px*
`⌘` `K`	Scale layer
`⌥` and resize	Resize layer from center
`⇧` and resize	Preserve layer ratio
`⌘` `→` or `↓`	Expand by 1 px
`⌘` `←` or `↑`	Contract by 1 px
`⇧` `⌘` `→` or `↓`	Expand by 10 px
`⇧` `⌘` `←` or `↑`	Contract by 10 px
`Ctrl` `⌥`-hover	Show distance to baseline/cap height on text layers

*This value can be changed in the application preferences.

Editing Layers

When you’ve a layer selected you can use the following shortcuts:

`Enter`	Edit layer
`Escape`	Finish editing
`⌥` `Tab`	Focus X position input field in the Inspector
`⌫`	Delete layer
`⌥` `⌘` `C`	Copy style
`⌥` `⌘` `V`	Paste style
`⌃` `S`	Sync shared style
`⌥` `⌃` `S`	Reset shared style
`W`	Add link to Artboard
`F`	Toggle fill
`B`	Toggle border
`⌃` `C`	Pick color
`0` to `9`	Edit layer opacity
`⇧` `⌘` `T`	Transform shape
`⇧` `⌘` `R`	Rotate layer
`⌃` `⌘` `M`	Use as mask
`⌘` `Escape`	Return to instance
`⌥` `⌘` `U`	Union multiple layers
`⌥` `⌘` `S`	Subtract multiple layers
`⌥` `⌘` `I`	Intersect multiple layers
`⌥` `⌘` `X`	Difference multiple layers

Vector Editing

`⌥` `⌘` `O`	Open/close path
`Tab`	Selects next point
`⌥`	Show all handle control points
`1`	Straight point type
`2`	Mirrored point type
`3`	Disconnected point type
`4`	Asymmetric point type
Double-click vector point	Toggle point between Straight and Mirrored
`⇧`-drag vector point	Move point along X/Y axis
`⌘`-drag handle control point	Converts selected point to Disconnected
`⇧`-click (when inserting points)	Place new point at a 45º angle
`⇧`-click path segment	Place new point between existing points

Text Editing

`⌥` `⇧` `⌘` `V`	Paste as rich text
`⌘` `T`	Change typeface
`⌘` `B`	Bold
`⌘` `I`	Italic
`⌘` `U`	Underline
`⌥` `⌘` `+`	Increase font size
`⌥` `⌘` `-`	Decrease font size
`⌃` `⌥` `L`	Increase character spacing
`⌃` `⌥` `T`	Decrease character spacing
`⇧` `⌘` `{`	Align left
`⇧` `⌘` `\|`	Align center
`⇧` `⌘` `}`	Align right
`⌥` `⌘` `Space`	Emoji & symbols
`⌥` `⌘` `O`	Convert to outlines
`⇧` `Return`	Insert a line break

Arranging Layers

These shortcuts and commands can be used to help you organize your document in the Layer List.

`⌘` `G`	Group
`⇧` `⌘` `G`	Ungroup
`⌘` `R`	Rename layer
`Tab`	Select next layer in group
`⇧` `Tab`	Select previous layer in group
`Enter`	Selects layer inside group
`Escape`	Selects parent group
Click-and-drag layer	Adjust layer hierarchy
`⌘` `]`	Bring forward
`⌘` `⌥` `]`	Bring to front
`⌘` `[`	Send backward
`⌘` `⌥` `[`	Send to back
`⌥` `⇧` `⌘` `↑`	Move up (out of group/Artboard)
`⌃` `⌘` `H`	Distribute horizontally
`⌃` `⌘` `V`	Distribute vertically
`⌥`-click Align buttons	Align layer to Artboard
`⇧` `⌘` `H`	Hide/show layer
`⇧` `⌘` `L`	Lock/unlock layer

Exporting Layers

`⇧` `⌘` `E`	Export
`⌘` `E`	Export selected layer(s)
Drag a layer/thumbnail to Desktop	Export asset
Drag a layer/thumbnail to Canvas	Insert flattened duplicate
`/` in layer name	Includes folder in export

Zoom and Focus

`⌘` `0`	Zoom to 100%
`⌘` `1`	Zoom to all elements on Canvas
`⌘` `2`	Zoom to selected layer(s)
`⌘` `3`	Center selected layer(s) in the Canvas
`Z`-drag	Zoom to area
`Z`-click	Zoom in
`⌥` `Z`-click	Zoom out
`~` (`§` on some keyboards)	Temporarily zoom out to 100%
`⌃` `⌘` `F`	Toggle full screen
`⌥` `⌘` `1`	Show/hide Layer List
`⌥` `⌘` `2`	Show/hide Inspector
`⌘` `.`	Enter presentation mode
`⌥` `⌘` `T`	Show/hide Toolbar

Text Fields

Some handy shortcuts you can perform when you’re in a numerical field in the Inspector:

`⌥` `Tab`	Focus Inspector
`Tab`	Select next field
`⇧` `Tab`	Select previous field
`Enter`	Confirm change
`Escape`	Clear change
`↑`	Increase value by 1
`↓`	Decrease value by 1
`⇧` `↑`	Increase value by 10
`⇧` `↓`	Decrease value by 10
`⌥` `↑`	Increase value by 0.1
`⌥` `↓`	Decrease value by 0.1
`⇧`click and drag label	Adjust value in increments of 10
`⌥`click and drag label	Adjust value in increments of 0.1

Size Fields

When adjusting the height or width of a layer, enter the following character after your value to resize from that position. Press the Enter key to confirm:

`L`	Scale from the left (default)
`R`	Scale from the right
`T`	Scale from the top (default)
`B`	Scale from the bottom
`C` / `M`	Scale from the center / middle

Math Operators

You can perform math in all numerical inputs of the Inspector. Just apply an operator between two values and press the Enter key to confirm:

`+`	Add
`-`	Subtract
`*`	Multiply
`/`	Divide
`%`	Resize layer to a percentage of its parent group or Artboard

Multiple Radiuses

With a rectangle selected, in the radius input field you can specify a different value for each corner.

`;`	Value spacer. Eg, `40;0;40;0`

Export Fields

In the Scale field, enter the following character after a number to get different results.

`X`	Scale multiplier. Eg, `2x` will export at twice the size
`H`	Exports layer at the specified height. Eg, `512h`
`W`	Exports layer at the specified width. Eg, `512w`

Miscellaneous

Here are the remainder of shortcuts available in Sketch that don’t fit into any of the above sections. These shortcuts are dependant on which tool you’re in, or what action you’re doing.

`⇧` on startup	Launch Sketch with all plugins disabled
`⌃` `⌘` `D`	Detach from Symbol
`⌃` `⌥` `⌘` `D`	Detach all contents from Symbol
`⇧` `⌘` `D`	Refresh Data
`⌃` `⌘` `R`	Run last-used plugin again
`⌘`-drag selection handle	Rotate layer
`⇧`-drag when rotating	Snap rotation to 15º increments
`0`-`9`	With a gradient stop selected, position it between 0% and 100%
`=`	Position selected gradient stop directly between two existing stops

Custom Shortcuts

Custom shortcuts can be created via macOS System Preferences. To add your own custom shortcut, open the System Preferences and navigate to Keyboard › Shortcuts › App Shortcuts and click the add button. In the pop-up menu, select Sketch under Application. You will now be able to define your custom shortcut.

Last modified on Aug 09, 2019

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