You can quickly access common tools using your hardware keyboard, if you've purchased one for your iPad.
Most of the keyboard shortcuts listed here can be customised in Affinity Designer's settings.
Show shortcuts for:
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Save Document | S |
| Save Document as Copy | S |
| Export Document | S |
| Print Document | P |
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Artistic Text Tool | T |
| Colour Picker Tool | I |
| Contour Tool | O |
| Corner Tool | C |
| Frame Text Tool | F |
| Gradient Tool | G |
| Knife Tool | K |
| Move Tool | V |
| Node Tool | A |
| Pen Tool | P |
| Pencil Tool | N |
| Shape Builder Tool | S |
| Vector Brush Tool | B |
| Vector Flood Fill Tool | R |
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Colour Picker Tool | I |
| Erase Brush Tool | E |
| Move Tool | V |
| Paint Brush Tool | P |
| Pixel Brush Tool | X |
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Undo | Z |
| Redo | Z |
| Copy | C |
| Cut | X |
| Paste | V |
| Paste Filter Effect | V |
| Paste Inside | V |
| Paste Style | V |
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Change opacity for selected layer | numeric keys (4=40%, 43=43%, etc.) |
| Duplicate Selection | J |
| Group | G |
| Ungroup | G |
| Move Back | [ |
| Move Forward | ] |
| Move To Back | [ |
| Move To Front | ] |
| Select Next | ] |
| Select Previous | [ |
| New Vector Layer | N |
| Nudge (Transform) Object1 | arrow keys |
| Nudge (Transform) Object by modified distance1 | -arrow keys |
1 Nudge distances are customisable by selecting Preferences from Affinity's Home screen and then selecting Tools.
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Picks up a new brush colour | -drag |
| Change selected layer content/brush tool's opacity | numeric keys (4=40%, 43=43%, etc.) |
| Decrease/increase brush width | [ ] |
| Rotate brush nozzle anti-clockwise/clockwise (Pixel Persona only) | |
| Decrease/increase brush width with on-screen readout | -drag (left/right) |
| Decrease/increase brush hardness with on-screen readout (Pixel Persona only) | -drag (up/down) |
| Paint a brush stroke along a straight line | Tap then -tap |
| Toggle brush properties (for width, hardness, shape/spacing or rotation, Pixel Persona only): | +tap |
| Setting brush properties on page (after setting above toggle, Pixel Persona only) |
For nozzle shape: +drag (left/right)
For nozzle spacing: +drag (up/down) For nozzle rotation: +drag (left/right) |
| Setting brush hardness and flow (Pixel Persona only) | For modifying hardness: +] and +[ to increase and decrease the setting in 10% increments, respectively
For modifying flow (hardware-connected keyboard only): +numeric keys to set percentage, press numeric keys in quick succession to set precise value |
| Setting Strength (Smudge Brush, Pixel Persona) | numeric keys (3=30%, 33=33%, etc.) |
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Bold | B |
| Italicise | I |
| Underline | U |
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Clip to Canvas | \ |
| Grid | ' |
| Guides | ; |
| Preview Mode | W |
| Zoom In | + |
| Zoom Out | - |
| Zoom to 100% | 1 |
| Zoom to 200% | 2 |
| Zoom to 400% | 3 |
| Zoom to 800% | 4 |
| Zoom to Actual Size | 8 |
| Zoom to Fit | 0 |
| Zoom to Pixel Size | 9 |
| Zoom to Selection | 0 (or double-tap Layers panel thumbnail) |
| Zoom to Width | 0 |
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Deselect | D |
| Invert Selection | I |
| Select All | A |
| Selection From Layer | O |
| Vector Select All | A |
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Next Blend Mode | = |
| Previous Blend Mode | - |
| Normal | N |
| Darken | K |
| Multiply | M |
| Colour Burn | B |
| Linear Burn | A |
| Lighten | G |
| Screen | S |
| Colour Dodge | D |
| Add | W |
| Overlay | O |
| Soft Light | F |
| Hard Light | H |
| Vivid Light | V |
| Linear Light | J |
| Pin Light | Z |
| Hard Mix | L |
| Difference | E |
| Exclusion | X |
| Hue | U |
| Saturation | T |
| Colour | C |
| Luminosity | Y |
Other blend modes do not have keyboard shortcuts by default but can be assigned them, if required.
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Minimise App | H |
| Minimise Document | W |