Figma's Shortcuts

Notes

Figma makes heavy use of modifier keys.

Modifiers are not used for “tools” like for R rectangle or P pen, except for ⇧ which can provide a related tool, like ⇧P pencil.

Related functions usually include the same modifier keys. For example, create component is ⇧⌘K and break component is ⇧⌘B.

It seems like some shortcuts were taken directly from Adobe products - a smart move. E.g. ⌘Y for outlines.

Important OS/Browser shortcuts seem to be avoided: ⌘W, ⌘Q, ⌘L (focus address field), ⌘N

Sometimes extra modifiers are added or used to avoid collisions. ⇧⌘L locks a layer without colliding with ⌘L. And ⇧H flips horizontally while avoiding ⌘H for hide. The inverse ⇧V flip vertically is grouped for semantic ease, also avoids ⌘V paste.

Figma provides a large number of shortcuts for fine control - things like font line height or object alignment.

Thoughtful controls for navigating the UI

Efficient use of keys - ⌥ 0 1 2 (nav) is totally different than ⇧ 0 1 2 (zoom) or 0 1 2 (opacity). And ⌘ 0 1 2 on the browser app is reserved for tab navigation, but the desktop app also has tabs, so it actually maps well.

I think they are following Apple’s guidelines sorta: Prefer ⌘ Command, then ⇧ Shift, then ⌥ Option though sparingly. Let’s take the case of number keys. First order actions get ⌘ - so ⌘0 1 2 control tabs, which matters most in a browser. Second order get ⇧ - ⇧0 1 2 control zoom, which is maybe most important to an editor. And third is ⌥ which controls navigation in the UI.

Organization

Essential

Tools

View

Zoom

Text

Shape

Selection

Cursor

Edit

Transform

Arrange

Components

Essential

Essential

Action

Shortcut

Description

Show/Hide UI

⌘\

Press it now to quickly hide the panes and focus on your work

Pick color

Grab a color from elsewhere without losing your flow

Quick actions...

⌘/

Search through menus, commands, and plugins

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Tools

Tools

Action

Shortcut

Move tool

Frame tool

Pen tool

Pencil tool

⇧P

Text tool

Rectangle Tool

Elipse tool

Line tool

Arrow tool

⇧L

Add comment

Pick color

Slice tool

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View

View

Action

Shortcut

Show/Hide UI

⌘\

Multiplayer cursors

⌥⌘\

Rulers

⇧R

Outlines

⌘Y

Pixel preview

Layout grids

Pixel grid

⌘’

Open layers panel

⌥1

Libraries

⌥2

Open design panel

⌥8

Open prototype panel

⌥9

Open inspect panel

⌥0

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Zoom

Zoom

Action

Shortcut

Pan

Space+drag

Zoom in

Zoom out

Zoom tp 100%

⇧0

Zoom to fit

⇧1

Zoom to selection

⇧2

Zoom to previous frame

⇧N

Zoom to next frame

Page Up

Page Down

Find previous frame

Home

Find next frame

End

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Text

Text

Action

Shortcut

Bold/Italic

⌘B and I

Underline

⌘U

Create link

⌘K

Strikethrough

⇧⌘X

Turn into a list

⇧⌘7 and 8

Text align left

⌥⌘L

Text align: center

⌥⌘T

Text align right

⌥⌘R

Text align justified

⌥⌘J

Adjust font size

⇧⌘< and >

Adjust font weight

⌥⌘< and >

Adjust letter spacing

⌥< and >

Adjust line height

⇧⌥< and >

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Shape

Shape

Action

Shortcut

Pen

Pencil

⇧P

While editing a shape...

Paint bucket:

Bend tool:

⌘

Remove fill

⌥/

Remove stroke

⇧/

Swap fill and stroke

⇧X

Outline stroke

⇧⌘O

Flatten selection

⌘E

After selecting points...

Join selection

⌘J

Smooth join selection

⇧⌘J

Delete and heal selection

⇧backspace

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Selection

Selection

Action

Shortcut

Select all

⌘A

Select inverse

⇧⌘A

Select none

Esc

Deep select

⌘Click

Select layer menu

⌘Right-Click

Select children:

Enter

Select parent

⇧Enter

Select next sibling

Tab

Select previous sibling

⇧Tab

Group selection

⌘G

Ungroup selection

⇧⌘G

Frame selection

⌥⌘G

Show/Hide selection

⇧⌘H

Lock/Unloack selection

⇧⌘L

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Cursor

Cursor

Action

Shortcut

While pointing...

Measure to selection

⌥

While moving...

Duplicate selection

⌥

While clicking...

Deep select

⌘Click

While dragging to select...

Deep select within rectangle

⌘drag

while resizing...

Resize from center

⌥

Resize proportionally

⇧

Move while resizing

Space

Ignore constraints (frames only)

⌘

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Edit

Edit

Action

Shortcut

Copy

⌘C

Cut

⌘X

Paste

⌘V

Paste over selection

⇧⌘V

Duplicate

⌘D

Rename selection

⌘R

Export

⇧⌘E

Copy properties

⌥⌘C

Paste properties

⌥⌘V

Copy as PNG

⇧⌘C

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Transform

Transform

Action

Shortcut

Flip horizontal

⇧H

Flip vertical

⇧V

Use as mask

^⌘M

Edit shape or image

Enter

Images

⇧⌘K

Crop image

⌥double-click

Set opacity to 10%

Set opacity to 50%

Set opacity to 100%

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Arrange

Arrange

Action

Shortcut

Bring forward

⌘[

Send backward

⌘]

Bring to front

]

Send to back

[

Align left/right

⌥A and D

Alight top/bottom

⌥W and S

Align centeres

⌥H and V

Distribute spacing

^⌥H and V

Tidy up

^⌥T

Add auto layout

⇧A

Remove auto layout

⌥⇧A

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Components

Components

Action

Shortcut

Show assets

⌥2

Team library

⌥⌘O

Create component

⌥⌘K

Detach instance

⌥⌘B

Insert component

⇧I

While inserting a component...

Swap comonent instance

⌥

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