InDesign Keyboard Shortcuts
The InDesign layout shortcuts that speed up page work — Mac and Windows keys side by side, ready to copy.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selection tool | V or Esc | V or Esc | |
| Direct Selection tool | A | A | |
| Type tool | T | T | |
| Pen tool | P | P | |
| Line tool | backslash | \ | |
| Rectangle tool | M | M | |
| Ellipse tool | L | L | |
| Rectangle Frame tool | F | F | |
| Gap tool | U | U | |
| Eyedropper tool | I | I | |
| Zoom tool | Z | Z | |
| Hand tool | H | H | |
| Toggle Preview mode | W | W | |
| New document | ⌘N | Ctrl+N | |
| Place (import file) | ⌘D | Ctrl+D | |
| Group | ⌘G | Ctrl+G | |
| Ungroup | ⌘⇧G | Ctrl+Shift+G | |
| Fit content proportionally | ⌥⇧⌘E | Alt+Shift+Ctrl+E | |
| Fit frame to content | ⌥⌘C | Alt+Ctrl+C | |
| Center content | ⇧⌘E | Shift+Ctrl+E | |
| Bring to front | ⌘⇧] | Ctrl+Shift+] | |
| Send to back | ⌘⇧[ | Ctrl+Shift+[ | |
| Fit page in window | ⌘0 | Ctrl+0 | |
| Actual size (100%) | ⌘1 | Ctrl+1 | |
| Show/hide rulers | ⌘R | Ctrl+R | |
| Show/hide guides | ⌘; | Ctrl+; | |
| Increase font size | ⌘⇧> | Ctrl+Shift+> | |
| Decrease font size | ⌘⇧< | Ctrl+Shift+< | |
| Undo | ⌘Z | Ctrl+Z | |
| Redo | ⌘⇧Z | Ctrl+Shift+Z | |
| Save | ⌘S | Ctrl+S | |
| Check spelling | ⌘I | Ctrl+I | |
| Text frame options | ⌘B | Ctrl+B |
InDesign layout work revolves around frames. The Place command (⌘D / Ctrl+D) imports text and images into frames, and the fit commands — Fit Content Proportionally and Fit Frame to Content — size everything cleanly without dragging handles. Toggle Preview mode with W to hide frame edges and guides and see the finished page.
Tool shortcuts are single keys (V selection, T type, P pen) and are identical on Mac and Windows. Command shortcuts differ only in the modifier: Mac uses ⌘ and ⌥, Windows uses Ctrl and Alt.
FAQ
What is the shortcut to place a file in InDesign?
Press ⌘D (Mac) or Ctrl+D (Windows) to open the Place dialog and import text or images into a frame.
How do I toggle preview mode in InDesign?
Press W (with the Selection tool active, not while editing text) to switch between Normal and Preview mode, which hides frame edges, guides and grids.
How do I fit an image to its frame in InDesign?
Select the frame and press ⌥⇧⌘E (Mac) or Alt+Shift+Ctrl+E (Windows) to Fit Content Proportionally.