Keyboard shortcuts
Every key below is the default. You can change any of them; see Change keyboard shortcuts. On a Mac, Ctrl is Command.
A command works only where its column says. Everywhere means in every view. A command with no key here has none by default; you can give it one. Help › Keyboard Shortcuts… (Ctrl+/) opens Preferences on the Shortcuts page, which lists every key in the app.
| Command | Key | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| Open Catalog… | Ctrl+O | Everywhere |
| Import… | Ctrl+Shift+I | Everywhere |
| Export… | Ctrl+Shift+E | Everywhere |
| Export Again | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E | Everywhere |
| Preferences… | Ctrl+, | Everywhere |
| Quit | Ctrl+Q | Everywhere |
| Command | Key | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| Undo | Ctrl+Z | Everywhere |
| Redo | Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z | Everywhere |
| Copy Edits | Ctrl+Shift+C | Loupe and Edit |
| Paste Edits | Ctrl+Shift+V | Loupe and Edit |
| Reset Edits | Ctrl+Shift+R | Loupe and Edit |
| Rotate Left | Ctrl+[ | Everywhere |
| Rotate Right | Ctrl+] | Everywhere |
| Create Virtual Copy | Shift+C | Everywhere |
| Select All | Ctrl+A | Grid |
| Select None | Ctrl+D | Grid |
| Rating: clear, 1 to 5 stars | 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | Everywhere |
| Quick Collection | B | Everywhere |
| Stack Selected | Ctrl+G | Everywhere |
| Unstack | Ctrl+Shift+G | Everywhere |
| Expand / Collapse Stack | S | Everywhere |
| Merge to HDR… | Ctrl+H | Everywhere |
| Merge to Panorama… | Ctrl+M | Everywhere |
| Rename… | F2 | Grid |
| Remove from Catalog… | Delete or Backspace | Grid |
The color labels, Add to Collection…, Open in Edit, Move to Folder…, Locate Missing Photo… and the remaining stack and merge commands have no key by default.
| Command | Key | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| Grid | G or Esc | Everywhere |
| Loupe | L | Everywhere |
| Survey | N | Everywhere |
| Compare | C | Everywhere |
| Edit | E | Everywhere |
| Swap Select and Candidate | X | Compare |
| Make Select | Shift+X | Compare |
| Cycle Compare Overlay | I | Compare |
| Full Screen | Alt+F | Everywhere |
| Search | Ctrl+F | Grid |
| Fit | F, Ctrl+0 or Alt+0 | Loupe and Edit |
| Toggle Zoom (Fit and 100%) | Z | Loupe and Edit |
| 100%, 200%, 300%, 400% | Alt+1, Alt+2, Alt+3, Alt+4 | Loupe and Edit |
| Zoom In | + or = | Loupe and Edit |
| Zoom Out | - | Loupe and Edit |
| Before / After | \ | Edit |
| Mask Overlay | O | Edit |
| White Balance Picker | W | Edit |
| Left Panel | F5 | Everywhere |
| Filmstrip | F6 | Edit |
| Right Panel | F7 | Everywhere |
| Console | F9 | Everywhere |
While the Color Adjust section is open, O shows its range overlay instead of the mask overlay.
| Command | Key | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard Shortcuts… | Ctrl+/ | Everywhere |
Tool keys
Section titled “Tool keys”These work only while their tool is active.
| Command | Key | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Turn the Crop | X | Crop |
| Larger Brush | ] | Brush |
| Smaller Brush | [ | Brush |
| Softer Brush | Shift+] or } | Brush |
| Harder Brush | Shift+[ or { | Brush |
Fixed keys
Section titled “Fixed keys”These belong to the control that handles them. You can’t give them to a command where that control is.
| Where | Key | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Crop | Enter / Esc | Apply the crop / cancel it |
| Brush | Space (hold) / Esc | Pan / cancel the stroke |
| Smart Select | Enter / Esc / Backspace | Accept / cancel / remove the last point |
| White Balance Picker | Click / Drag / Esc | Sample a cell / average a rectangle / drop the rectangle, and again to leave the tool |
| Layers list | Up, Down / Left, Right / F2 / Delete | Previous or next layer or mask / collapse or expand / rename / delete |
| Loupe, Edit and the filmstrip | Left, Right / Home, End | Previous or next photo / first or last photo |
| Full screen | Esc or Alt+F | Exit full screen |
| Grid | Ctrl+Wheel | Thumbnail size |
| Search field | Enter / Esc | Search now / clear the search, and again to hide the row |
| Console log | Ctrl+C / Ctrl+A | Copy the selected lines / select every shown line |