Adobe InDesign is a powerful desktop publishing software used by graphic designers, marketing professionals, and publishing experts to create stunning layouts, brochures, flyers, and digital publications.
As with any sophisticated tool, mastering InDesign’s shortcut keys can drastically improve your productivity and enhance your design workflow.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into the 152 most essential InDesign shortcut keys , breaking them down by category, so you can streamline your processes and save time while working on your design projects.
What Are InDesign Shortcut Keys and Why Do They Matter? InDesign shortcut keys are predefined keyboard combinations that enable users to perform specific functions without using a mouse or trackpad. These shortcuts allow users to access tools, commands, and options with a single keystroke or combination of keys.
Here’s why they matter:
Time Efficiency : They eliminate the need to click through menus and options.Ergonomics : Reducing excessive mouse movements can minimize strain.Consistency : Shortcuts allow you to execute the same tasks the same way every time, improving consistency in your work.Speed : Shortcuts streamline complex processes, making you a faster, more efficient designer.How InDesign Shortcuts Improve Productivity Mastering InDesign shortcuts doesn’t just make you quicker—it also opens up opportunities to explore more advanced techniques and design features. Whether you’re working on creating a magazine layout or a simple flyer, shortcuts help you:
Navigate more efficiently through your document. Alter text and object properties without interrupting your workflow. Organize and format content without disrupting your creative flow. Now that you understand why shortcut keys are important, let’s dive into the essential ones you should incorporate into your daily routine.
Also read: 50 Important Photoshop Shortcut Keys
44+ essential InDesign shortcut keys S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 New Document Ctrl + N Cmd + N 2 Open Document Ctrl + O Cmd + O 3 Save Document Ctrl + S Cmd + S 4 Close Document Ctrl + W Cmd + W 5 Print Ctrl + P Cmd + P 6 Undo Ctrl + Z Cmd + Z 7 Redo Ctrl + Shift + Z Cmd + Shift + Z 8 Cut Ctrl + X Cmd + X 9 Copy Ctrl + C Cmd + C 10 Paste Ctrl + V Cmd + V 11 Select All Ctrl + A Cmd + A 12 Deselect All Ctrl + Shift + A Cmd + Shift + A 13 Zoom In Ctrl + + Cmd + + 14 Zoom Out Ctrl + – Cmd + – 15 Fit Page in Window Ctrl + 0 Cmd + 0 16 Fit Spread in Window Ctrl + Alt + 0 Cmd + Option + 0 17 Hide/Show Rulers Ctrl + R Cmd + R 18 Show/Hide Guides Ctrl + ; Cmd + ; 19 Show/Hide Grid Ctrl + ‘ Cmd + ‘ 20 Show/Hide Baseline Grid Ctrl + Alt + ‘ Cmd + Option + ‘ 21 Group Objects Ctrl + G Cmd + G 22 Ungroup Objects Ctrl + Shift + G Cmd + Shift + G 23 Bring to Front Ctrl + Shift + ] Cmd + Shift + ] 24 Send to Back Ctrl + Shift + [ Cmd + Shift + [ 25 Duplicate Object Ctrl + D Cmd + D 26 Align Left Ctrl + Shift + L Cmd + Shift + L 27 Align Center Ctrl + Shift + C Cmd + Shift + C 28 Align Right Ctrl + Shift + R Cmd + Shift + R 29 Align Top Ctrl + Shift + T Cmd + Shift + T 30 Align Bottom Ctrl + Shift + B Cmd + Shift + B 31 Fit Text to Frame Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C Cmd + Option + Shift + C 32 Create New Page Ctrl + Shift + P Cmd + Shift + P 33 Go to Page Ctrl + J Cmd + J 34 Apply Paragraph Style Ctrl + Alt + Shift + N Cmd + Option + Shift + N 35 Open Paragraph Styles Panel Ctrl + Alt + T Cmd + Option + T 36 Open Layers Panel F7 F7 37 Open Color Panel F6 F6 38 Create New Layer Ctrl + Shift + L Cmd + Shift + L 39 Select Next Object Tab Tab 40 Lock Object Ctrl + L Cmd + L 41 Unlock All Objects Ctrl + Alt + L Cmd + Option + L 42 Show/Hide Control Panel Ctrl + Shift + F12 Cmd + Shift + F12 43 Show/Hide Transparency Panel Ctrl + Shift + F10 Cmd + Shift + F10 44 Quick Apply Ctrl + Enter Cmd + Enter
These 44+ essential InDesign shortcuts will help you speed up your workflow and make the most of the application’s core features.
Also read: 202+ Adobe Illustrator Shortcut keys
All Basic to Advanced InDesign shortcut keys 1. InDesign shortcut keys For File S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 New Document Ctrl + N Cmd + N 2 Open Document Ctrl + O Cmd + O 3 Close Document Ctrl + W Cmd + W 4 Save Ctrl + S Cmd + S 5 Save As Ctrl + Shift + S Cmd + Shift + S 6 Print Ctrl + P Cmd + P
2. InDesign shortcut keys For Edit S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Undo Ctrl + Z Cmd + Z 2 Redo Ctrl + Shift + Z Cmd + Shift + Z 3 Cut Ctrl + X Cmd + X 4 Copy Ctrl + C Cmd + C 5 Paste Ctrl + V Cmd + V 6 Paste in Place Ctrl + Shift + V Cmd + Shift + V 7 Select All Ctrl + A Cmd + A 8 Deselect All Ctrl + Shift + A Cmd + Shift + A 9 Find and Replace Ctrl + F Cmd + F
3. InDesign shortcut keys For View S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Zoom In Ctrl + + Cmd + + 2 Zoom Out Ctrl + – Cmd + – 3 Fit Page in Window Ctrl + 0 Cmd + 0 4 Actual Size Ctrl + Alt + 0 Cmd + Option + 0 5 Toggle Rulers Ctrl + R Cmd + R 6 Show/Hide Guides Ctrl + ; Cmd + ; 7 Show/Hide Grid Ctrl + ‘ Cmd + ‘
4. InDesign shortcut keys For Text & Typography S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Increase Font Size Ctrl + Shift + > Cmd + Shift + > 2 Decrease Font Size Ctrl + Shift + < Cmd + Shift + < 3 Bold Ctrl + Shift + B Cmd + Shift + B 4 Italics Ctrl + Shift + I Cmd + Shift + I 5 Underline Ctrl + Shift + U Cmd + Shift + U 6 Open/Close Character Panel Ctrl + T Cmd + T 7 Open/Close Paragraph Panel Ctrl + Alt + T Cmd + Option + T
5. InDesign shortcut keys For Object S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Group Ctrl + G Cmd + G 2 Ungroup Ctrl + Shift + G Cmd + Shift + G 3 Bring to Front Ctrl + Shift + ] Cmd + Shift + ] 4 Send to Back Ctrl + Shift + [ Cmd + Shift + [ 5 Lock Object Ctrl + L Cmd + L 6 Unlock All Objects Ctrl + Alt + L Cmd + Option + L
6. InDesign shortcut keys For Navigation S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Next Page Page Down Page Down 2 Previous Page Page Up Page Up 3 Next Spread Shift + Page Down Shift + Page Down 4 Previous Spread Shift + Page Up Shift + Page Up 5 Go to Page Ctrl + J Cmd + J
7. InDesign shortcut keys For Layout & Alignment S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Align Left Ctrl + Shift + L Cmd + Shift + L 2 Align Center Ctrl + Shift + C Cmd + Shift + C 3 Align Right Ctrl + Shift + R Cmd + Shift + R 4 Align Top Ctrl + Shift + T Cmd + Shift + T 5 Align Middle Ctrl + Shift + M Cmd + Shift + M 6 Align Bottom Ctrl + Shift + B Cmd + Shift + B
8. InDesign shortcut keys For Advanced UsesS.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Show/Hide Layers F7 F7 2 Quick Apply Ctrl + Enter Cmd + Enter 3 Display Preflight Ctrl + Alt + Shift + I Cmd + Option + Shift + I 4 Show/Hide Panels Tab Tab 5 Lock Guide Ctrl + Alt + 6 Cmd + Option + 6 6 Fit Content to Frame Ctrl + Alt + C Cmd + Option + C
9. InDesign shortcut keys For Window and Panel S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Toggle Layers Panel F7 F7 2 Toggle Color Panel F6 F6 3 Toggle Paragraph Styles Panel Ctrl + F11 Cmd + F11 4 Toggle Character Panel Ctrl + T Cmd + T 5 Toggle Swatches Panel F5 F5 6 Toggle Links Panel Ctrl + Shift + D Cmd + Shift + D 7 Toggle Stroke Panel Ctrl + F10 Cmd + F10 8 Toggle Navigator Panel Ctrl + Alt + F12 Cmd + Option + F12 9 Toggle Glyphs Panel Ctrl + Shift + F11 Cmd + Shift + F11
10. InDesign shortcut keys For Text Frame and Paragraph S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Fit Text to Frame Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C Cmd + Option + Shift + C 2 Create New Paragraph Style Ctrl + Alt + Shift + N Cmd + Option + Shift + N 3 Apply Last Style Ctrl + Alt + Shift + L Cmd + Option + Shift + L 4 Align Text Left Ctrl + Shift + L Cmd + Shift + L 5 Align Text Center Ctrl + Shift + C Cmd + Shift + C 6 Align Text Right Ctrl + Shift + R Cmd + Shift + R 7 Justify Text Ctrl + Shift + J Cmd + Shift + J 8 Indent Text Ctrl + ] Cmd + ] 9 Outdent Text Ctrl + [ Cmd + [
11. InDesign shortcut keys For Object and Frame S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Paste into Selection Ctrl + Alt + V Cmd + Option + V 2 Bring Forward Ctrl + ] Cmd + ] 3 Send Backward Ctrl + [ Cmd + [ 4 Duplicate Object Ctrl + D Cmd + D 5 Align to Selection Ctrl + Shift + E Cmd + Shift + E 6 Create Clipping Mask Ctrl + 7 Cmd + 7 7 Lock Frame Ctrl + L Cmd + L 8 Unlock All Frames Ctrl + Alt + L Cmd + Option + L 9 Group Objects Ctrl + G Cmd + G 10 Ungroup Objects Ctrl + Shift + G Cmd + Shift + G
12. InDesign shortcut keys For Color & Swatches S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Open Color Panel F6 F6 2 Open Swatches Panel F5 F5 3 New Color Swatch Ctrl + Shift + N Cmd + Shift + N 4 Show/Hide Color Panel Ctrl + F6 Cmd + F6 5 Apply Fill Color Shift + F5 Shift + F5 6 Apply Stroke Color Shift + F10 Shift + F10 7 Clear Color Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C Cmd + Option + Shift + C 8 Color Picker Ctrl + Shift + K Cmd + Shift + K
13. InDesign shortcut keys For Layers & Locking S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Open Layers Panel F7 F7 2 Create New Layer Ctrl + Shift + L Cmd + Shift + L 3 Lock Current Layer Ctrl + Alt + 3 Cmd + Option + 3 4 Unlock All Layers Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 3 Cmd + Option + Shift + 3 5 Show/Hide Layers Panel F7 F7 6 Move to the Previous Layer Alt + Up Arrow Option + Up Arrow 7 Move to Previous Layer Alt + Down Arrow Option + Down Arrow
14. InDesign shortcut keys For Grid and Guides Shortcuts S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Show/Hide Rulers Ctrl + R Cmd + R 2 Show/Hide Guides Ctrl + ; Cmd + ; 3 Snap to Grid Ctrl + Shift + ‘ Cmd + Shift + ‘ 4 Show/Hide Grid Ctrl + ‘ Cmd + ‘ 5 Show/Hide Baseline Grid Ctrl + Alt + ‘ Cmd + Option + ‘ 6 Create New Guide Ctrl + Alt + G Cmd + Option + G 7 Clear Guides Ctrl + Alt + Shift + G Cmd + Option + Shift + G
15. InDesign shortcut keys For Preflight and Packaging S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Preflight Panel Ctrl + Shift + Alt + P Cmd + Shift + Option + P 2 Package Document Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S Cmd + Shift + Option + S 3 Display Preflight Ctrl + Alt + Shift + I Cmd + Option + Shift + I
16. InDesign shortcut keys For Miscellaneous S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Open Find/Change Dialog Ctrl + F Cmd + F 2 Show/Hide Control Panel Ctrl + Shift + F12 Cmd + Shift + F12 3 Toggle Screen Mode (Normal/Preview) Ctrl + Alt + P Cmd + Option + P 4 Lock Position of Object Ctrl + Shift + L Cmd + Shift + L 5 Quick Apply (Apply last style) Ctrl + Enter Cmd + Enter
17. InDesign shortcut keys For Tools S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Selection Tool V V 2 Direct Selection Tool A A 3 Type Tool T T 4 Pen Tool P P 5 Line Tool \ (backslash) \ (backslash) 6 Rectangle Tool M M 7 Ellipse Tool L L 8 Scissors Tool C C 9 Eyedropper Tool I I 10 Hand Tool H H 11 Zoom Tool Z Z 12 Pencil Tool N N 13 Gradient Tool G G
18. InDesign shortcut keys For Table S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Insert Table Ctrl + Alt + Shift + T Cmd + Option + Shift + T 2 Add Row Above Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow Cmd + Option + Up Arrow 3 Add Row Below Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow Cmd + Option + Down Arrow 4 Add Column Left Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow Cmd + Option + Left Arrow 5 Add Column Right Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow Cmd + Option + Right Arrow 6 Select Table Ctrl + Alt + A Cmd + Option + A 7 Open Table Options Ctrl + Shift + T Cmd + Shift + T 8 Merge Cells Ctrl + Alt + M Cmd + Option + M 9 Split Cell Ctrl + Alt + Shift + M Cmd + Option + Shift + M 10 Convert Text to Table Ctrl + Shift + Enter Cmd + Shift + Enter
19. InDesign shortcut keys For Export and Output S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Export Ctrl + E Cmd + E 2 Export to PDF Ctrl + Shift + E Cmd + Shift + E 3 Package Document Ctrl + Shift + Alt + P Cmd + Shift + Option + P 4 Print Ctrl + P Cmd + P 5 Preflight Check Ctrl + Shift + Alt + I Cmd + Shift + Option + I 6 Interactive PDF Export Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E Cmd + Option + Shift + E 7 Save for Web Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S Cmd + Option + Shift + S
20. InDesign shortcut keys For Color & Effects S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Open Color Picker Ctrl + Shift + K Cmd + Shift + K 2 Apply Color to Fill Shift + F5 Shift + F5 3 Apply Color to Stroke Shift + F10 Shift + F10 4 Show/Hide Transparency Panel Ctrl + Shift + F10 Cmd + Shift + F10 5 Show/Hide Effects Panel Ctrl + Shift + F9 Cmd + Shift + F9 6 Open Stroke Panel Ctrl + F10 Cmd + F10 7 Open Effects Panel Ctrl + Shift + F7 Cmd + Shift + F7 8 Add a New Color Swatch Ctrl + Shift + N Cmd + Shift + N 9 Add New Gradient Ctrl + Shift + G Cmd + Shift + G 10 Apply Gradient Fill Shift + F7 Shift + F7
21. InDesign shortcut keys For Layers and Object Organization S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 New Layer Ctrl + Shift + L Cmd + Shift + L 2 Duplicate Layer Ctrl + Alt + L Cmd + Option + L 3 Delete Layer Ctrl + Shift + Alt + L Cmd + Shift + Option + L 4 Move Object Up Alt + Up Arrow Option + Up Arrow 5 Move Object Down Alt + Down Arrow Option + Down Arrow 6 Show/Hide Layers Panel F7 F7 7 Send Object to Back Ctrl + Shift + [ Cmd + Shift + [ 8 Bring the Object to the Front Ctrl + Shift + ] Cmd + Shift + ]
22. InDesign shortcut keys For Document Navigation and Page Setup S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Go to the Previous Page Page Down Page Down 2 Go to Previous Page Page Up Page Up 3 Go to Page Number Ctrl + J Cmd + J 4 New Page Ctrl + Shift + P Cmd + Shift + P 5 Delete Page Ctrl + Alt + Shift + D Cmd + Option + Shift + D 6 Fit Page in Window Ctrl + 0 Cmd + 0 7 Fit Spread in Window Ctrl + Alt + 0 Cmd + Option + 0 8 Toggle Master Page Ctrl + Shift + Alt + M Cmd + Shift + Option + M
23. InDesign shortcut keys For History and Workflow S.No Function Windows Shortcut Mac Shortcut 1 Show/Hide History Panel Ctrl + Shift + F10 Cmd + Shift + F10 2 Clear History Ctrl + Alt + Shift + H Cmd + Option + Shift + H 3 Toggle Workspace F10 F10 4 Save History Log Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S Cmd + Option + Shift + S 5 Switch Between Open Documents Ctrl + Tab Cmd + Tab 6 Open a Recent Document Ctrl + Alt + O Cmd + Option + O
Also Read: 51+ Important CorelDRAW Shortcut Keys
Customizing Your InDesign Shortcuts If the default InDesign shortcuts aren’t cutting it, you can customize them to fit your needs. Here’s how:
Go to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts . Select the shortcut set you want to customize or create a new one. Find the command you wish to change and assign a new key combination. By customizing your shortcuts, you can design your unique workflow and make InDesign even more efficient.
FAQs What is the Best InDesign Shortcut for Text Editing? The best shortcut for text editing in InDesign is Ctrl + Shift + > (or Cmd + Shift + > on Mac), which increases the text size quickly.
How Can I Speed Up My InDesign Workflow? To speed up your workflow, focus on mastering shortcut keys and regularly use them for basic tasks like moving objects, formatting text, and navigating your document.
How Do I Reset My InDesign Shortcuts to Default? To reset your InDesign shortcuts to default, go to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts , and select Reset All Settings .
Can I Use InDesign Shortcuts on a Mac and Windows PC? Yes, InDesign shortcuts work on both Mac and Windows.
