Master Adobe shortcuts with new interactive tool

Adobe applications feature keyboard shortcuts for just about every task imaginable. Unfortunately, very few designers realise just powerful these shortcuts can be. If you’re an avid user of Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign, you might already be familiar with the basics. We’re talking cut, copy, paste (CTRL + X/C/V respectively) – possibly even basic tool selection – but did you know that there are literally hundreds more shortcuts built into every Adobe application? Possibly not, as unfortunately, these often go unnoticed.

Introducing the Adobe Shortcut Visualizer

The Adobe Shortcut Visualizer is an interactive tool – lovingly created by FastPrint.co.uk – that aims to solve this problem. It displays well over 1,000 keyboard shortcuts for Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign on a virtual keyboard displayed in your web browser. Here’s how to use it:

01. Pick your application

Choose the application for which you would like view the keyboard shortcuts (Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign?).

02. Pick your operating system

Adobe applications behave differently depending upon the host operating system. Next up, choose your OS.

03. Modifier keys

04. Magnifying & searching for shortcuts

If you find that the text on the virtual keys is difficult to read, no problem, just hover over any key to magnify the shortcut. You’ll see this displayed in large type just below the keyboard.

05. Find a shortcut

If you have a specific keyboard shortcut in mind, but can’t seem to find it, you can use the in-built search function (this is displayed just below the virtual keyboard). Simply start typing and the shortcut visualizer will suggest some shortcuts for you.

Download the desktop wallpapers

If you want to keep a handy reference of the most commonly used keyboard shortcuts for Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign, you can also download one of the free, beautiful desktop wallpapers created by FastPrint. Unlike most of the wallpapers currently out there, these are available for Mac and PC keyboards (so no more CTRL/CMD fiasco!). They’re also available for just about every screen resolution imaginable (including iPad’s).