Default keyboard shortcuts | Illustrator (2024)

Constrain a shape’s proportions or orientation to:

• equal height and width for rectangles, rounded rectangles, ellipses, and grids

• Increments of 45° for line and arc segments

• Original orientation for polygons, stars, and flares

Shift-drag

Shift-drag

Move a shape while drawing it

spacebar-drag

spacebar-drag

Draw from the center of a shape (except for polygons, stars, and flares)

Alt-drag

Option-drag

Increase or decrease polygon sides, star points, arc angle, spiral winds, or flare rays

Start dragging, then press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Start dragging, then press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Keep the inner radius of a star constant

Start dragging, then hold down Ctrl

Start dragging, then hold down Command

Keep the sides of a star straight

Alt-drag

Option-drag

Switch between an open and closed arc

Start dragging, then hold down C

Start dragging, then hold down C

Flip an arc, keeping the reference point constant

Start dragging, then hold down F

Start dragging, then hold down SF

Add or subtract winds from a spiral while increasing the length of the spiral

Start dragging, then Alt-drag

Start dragging then Option-drag

Change the decay rate of a spiral

Start dragging then Ctrl-drag

Start dragging then Command-drag

Add or remove horizontal lines from a rectangular grid or concentric lines from a polar grid

Start dragging, then press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Start dragging, then press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow

Add or remove vertical lines from a rectangular grid or radial lines from a polar grid

Start dragging, then press the Right Arrow or Left Arrow

Start dragging, then press the Right Arrow or Left Arrow

Decrease the skew value for horizontal dividers in a rectangular grid or radial dividers in a polar grid by 10%

Start dragging, then press F

Start dragging, then press F

Increase the skew value for horizontal dividers in a rectangular grid or radial dividers in a polar grid by 10%

Start dragging, then press V

Start dragging, then press V

Decrease the skew value for vertical dividers in a rectangular grid or concentric dividers in a polar grid by 10%

Start dragging, then press X

Start dragging, then press X

Increase the skew value for vertical dividers in a rectangular grid or concentric dividers in a polar grid by 10%

Start dragging, then press C

Start dragging, then press C

Increase size of Blob Brush

] (right square bracket)

] (right square bracket)

Decrease size of Blob Brush

[ (left square bracket)

[ (left square bracket)

Constrain Blob Brush path horizontally or vertically

Shift

Shift

Switch through drawing modes

Shift + D

Shift + D

Join two or more paths

Select the paths, then press Ctrl + J

Select the paths, then press Command + J

Create corner or smooth join

Select the paths, then press Shift + Ctrl + Alt + J

Select the anchor point, then press Shift + Command + Option + J