Keyboard shortcuts

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 customized in Affinity Designer's settings.

Show shortcuts for:

File shortcuts

Action Key
Save Document S
Save Document as Copy S
Export Document S
Print Document P

Tools shortcuts - Designer Persona

Action Key
Artistic Text Tool T
Color 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

Tools shortcuts - Pixel Persona

Action Key
Color Picker Tool I
Erase Brush Tool E
Move Tool V
Paint Brush Tool P
Pixel Brush Tool X

Edit shortcuts

Action Key
Undo Z
Redo Z
Copy C
Cut X
Paste V
Paste Filter Effect V
Paste Inside V
Paste Style V

Object control shortcuts

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 customizable by selecting Preferences from Affinity's Home screen and then selecting Tools.

Painting shortcuts

Action Key
Picks up a new brush color -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.)

Text shortcuts

Action Key
Bold B
Italicize I
Underline U

View shortcuts

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

Selection shortcuts

Action Key
Deselect D
Invert Selection I
Select All A
Selection From Layer O
Vector Select All A

Blend mode shortcuts

Action Key
Next Blend Mode =
Previous Blend Mode -
Normal N
Darken K
Multiply M
Color Burn B
Linear Burn A
Lighten G
Screen S
Color 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
Color C
Luminosity Y

Other blend modes do not have keyboard shortcuts by default but can be assigned them, if required.

Misc shortcuts

Action Key
Minimize App H
Minimize Document W

SEE ALSO: