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 |
⌘ F | Filter in Layer List |
⌃ ⌘ K | Run custom plugin |
⌘ Z | Undo |
⇧ ⌘ Z | Redo |
⌘ N | New document |
⌘ O | Open 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 |
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 |
⌥-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 |
⌃ ⌥-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 |
⌫ | Delete layer |
⌥ ⌘ C | Copy style |
⌥ ⌘ V | Paste style |
⌃ S | Sync shared style |
⌥ ⌃ S | Reset shared style |
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 | Show Difference between 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 |
Constraints
Applying these commands to layers inside a group or Artboard will determine how they should behave when later resized.
⌃ W | Pin top |
⌃ A | Pin left |
⌃ S | Pin bottom |
⌃ D | Pin right |
⌃ J | Fix width |
⌃ K | Fix height |
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 |
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.
⌃ ⌘ 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 |
Double-click Rulers intersection | Reset Ruler co-ordinates |
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.