Get all your Photoshop upgrade options and the best prices at the Adobe Store.
Buy. Download. Create. Get Photoshop CS3 now at the Adobe Store.
Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts - Tips & Resources
In this tutorial I'll show you how to use Photoshop CS and CS2 to change your keyboard shortcuts, how to save sets of customized keyboard shortcuts, and how to print out your customized sets. If you have an earlier version of Photoshop, at the end of the tutorial you'll find some helpful tips and a list of sites where you can download collections of Photoshop shortcuts in PDF form.
How To Change Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts (CS & CS2 Only)
To create your own shortcuts in Photoshop CS or CS2, go to the Edit Menu and select Keyboard Shortcuts. The Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box serves as a shortcut editor, and includes all the commands that support shortcuts.
To modify the keyboard shortcuts you'll have to create a new keyboard shortcut set by clicking on the New Keyboard Set button (the icon to be clicked is immediately to the left of the trash can icon). You'll then be asked to name and save your shortcut set. Now select a heading from the dropdown menu on the left that says Shortcuts For. This allows you to view all of the Photoshop commands in either the Application Menus, the Palette Menus, or the Tools.
Once you've selected a heading you can search through the contents to locate the command you’d like to change or create a shortcut for. Commands that already have shortcuts will be indicated in the menu. You can change these if you’d prefer by clicking on the shortcut, typing in a new shortcut, and pressing Accept at the top right side of the dialog box.
To make a totally new shortcut, click on the blank space beside the menu command and type in the shortcut you’d like to use. To save it click on the Add Shortcut button.
The hardest part here is finding a key combination that's not already taken. Even the Keyboard Shortcut command has a shortcut (it's Shift-Option-Command-K for Mac and Shift-Alt-Ctrl-K for Win).
How To Remove Shortcuts From A Command Or A Tool
Choose Edit> Keyboard Shortcuts. In the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box, select the command or the tool name whose shortcut you want to delete, and then click Delete Shortcut.
How To Delete A Set Of Shortcuts
Choose Edit> Keyboard Shortcuts. In the Set pop-up menu, choose the shortcut set that you want to delete. Then click the Delete icon (or the Delete Shortcut button), and OK to exit the dialog box.
Create Project-Specific Custom Workspaces (CS2 Only)
Photoshop lets you create custom workspaces that display just the palettes you need for a specific project, and in CS2 a new customized workspace can also include one of your keyboard shortcut sets.
Choose Window> Workspace> Save Workspace. The option is listed under Capture. Just click on Keyboard Shortcuts and the active set will be saved with the new customized worskspace.
Context-sensitive Menus (they live in your mouse...!)
In addition to using keyboard shortcuts, you can also access many commands using context-sensitive menus. Context-sensitive menus only display commands that are relevant to an active tool, a selection, or a palette. To display a context-sensitive menu, right-click (Win) or Control-click (Mac) in a document window or palette.
For example, when you have a file with layers, clicking on the document in this way will bring up a contextual menu filled with layer options. This saves you a trip to the palette flyout.
Save Them, Print Them, Learn Them
To print your keyboard shortcuts, go to Edit, Keyboard Shortcuts and click Summarize. Photoshop will then save your shortcuts to an html document that can be opened in any text editor or web browser. From there you can print a copy to keep as a reference. Sweet.
Photoshop 6 Shortcuts & Photoshop 7 Shortcuts
Although the option of creating your own shortcuts is only available in the latest versions, don't despair. In earlier versions many of the commands already have their own shortcuts set in the program. To learn more about these, go Help> Photoshop Help to launch the Photoshop Help pages.
In Photoshop 7 or lower, you can find the shortcut commands in the Help menu's table of contents on the left-hand side of the page. Just scroll down to the very bottom. Macintosh and Windows each have their own index, and offer slightly different shortcuts for the same commands. Click on any of the headings and you'll be given a list of available shortcuts.
Since the help pages are launched in a browser, you also have the option of printing these pages to use as a reference guide.
Get Your Free Photoshop Shortcuts PDFs...
Photoshop expert Trevor Morris offers an assortment of free Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts PDF files. You'll find the following:
Adobe Photoshop CS3
- Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet (July 6, 2007)
All keyboard shortcuts organized into four pages, by menu, as well as alphabetically by key.
- Keyboard Shortcuts Presets (June 23, 2007)
This keyboard shortcuts (KYS) file includes dozens of extra shortcuts for commonly used commands (all documented in the above cheat sheet). Installation instructions are included in the ZIP file.
Shortcuts For Photoshop CS2 - PDF
- Photoshop CS2 keyboard shortcuts organized into four pages, by menu commands and by key (alphabetically).
- Mac version of the above Photoshop CS2 keyboard shortcuts.
- Photoshop CS2 Keyboard Shortcuts (KYS), Menu Customization (MNU) and Workspace files, containing many additional shortcuts. 100% compatible with default keyboard shortcuts. All detailed in the above PDF.
Shortcuts For Photoshop CS - PDF
- Photoshop CS keyboard shortcuts organized into two pages (ideal for laminating as a two-sided reference). Page 1 organized by commands, page 2 by keys.
- Mac version of the above Photoshop CS keyboard shortcuts.
- Photoshop CS Keyboard Shortcuts (KYS) file containing many additional shortcuts. 100% compatible with default keyboard shortcuts. All shortcuts available in the above PDF.
Shortcuts For Photoshop 7 - PDF
- Photoshop 7 keyboard shortcuts organized into two pages (ideal for laminating as a double-sided reference). Page 1 is organized by commands, and page 2 is organized by keys.
- Mac version of the above Photoshop 7 keyboard shortcuts.
Shortcuts For Photoshop 6 - PDF
- Two page Photoshop 6 keyboard shortcuts.
- Two page Photoshop 6 keyboard shortcuts for the Mac.
Shortcuts For Photoshop 5 - PDF
- Photoshop 5.x keyboard shortcuts. Page 1 is organized by keys, and page 2 is organized by commands.
Free Default Tool Palette Chart With Keyboard Shortcuts (PS CS3)
Below you'll also find a graphic from Chapter 2 of Photoshop CS3 Channels And Masks Bible. This is the Photoshop CS3 Default Tool Palette (with all the flyouts showing - along with their keyboard shortcuts). Photoshop CS3's tool palette displays the icons for 22 different tools in a tall, vertical palette. Some of the tool icons expand to access tools that are not visible, bringing the entire number of tools to 58 plus paint swatches, Quick Mask icons, and the view modes. Click the small black arrow on the lower right of the tool icon to display the additional related tools in a flyout menu. Thanks to our friends at Wiley for the free chapter and the free tool palette chart. And here is a direct link to the graphic for the Photoshop CS3 Default Tool Palettes Chart, so you can print it out.
Shortcuts For Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw 3
The keyboard shortcuts for Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw 3 are available from PhotoshopNews (courtesy of Ian Lyons, Computer-Darkroom).
Power Shortcuts PDFs From The Adobe Evangelists Site
There are some free PDFs of Photoshop Shortcuts by Julieanne Kost & Daniel Brown that you can download from the Adobe Evangelists site. Look for:
Photoshop CS2 - Power Shortcuts
From the PDF: "In Photoshop CS2, many of the shortcuts for the application menus, palette menus and tools can be customized using the Keyboard Shortcuts editor. Although this document mentions some of the more common editable shortcuts, it also provides additional functionality only accessible through using keyboard modifiers which can't be changed through the Keyboard Shortcut editor."
To help organize the document, it is subdivided into the following 6 categories: The Tool Palette, Navigating the Work Area, Palette Shortcuts, Adobe Bridge, Camera Raw, and Grab Bag (everything else).
You'll also find Power Shortcuts for Photoshop CS and Photoshop 7, as well as some other really good goodies.
Time To Control-W (Mac: Command-W) This Tutorial
There are so many 'hidden' features in Photoshop that can only be accessed through the shortcuts that I think the software engineers purposely added them as little rewards to create a treasure hunt for those of us who take the time to dive deeper into this amazing program.
Now go and study the shortcuts, because, as Trevor Morris says, "Keyboard shortcuts can not only improve your efficiency in Photoshop, but they can even provide you with functionality that might not be available by any other means."
And make sure to create a shortcut for having fun. That's essential!
Photoshop CS3 Upgrade Options And Bundles From The Adobe Store
Photoshop CS3 Extended is ideal for film, video, and multimedia pros and for graphic and web designers using 3D and motion. Get the full version for US $999, or upgrade for US $349. The standard version of Photoshop CS3 is available for US $649, or as an upgrade for US $199.
Photoshop Extended is also available as part of Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium ($1,799/$440), which combines all-new CS3 versions of Photoshop, Flash Pro, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, InDesign and Acrobat 8 Pro. International options are available at Adobe's UK Store, Europe Store, and Australia Store.
Working With Layers In Photoshop CS2
Learn how to work with layers in Photoshop CS2, including how to select content on a layer, how to select multiple layers, and how to create Layer Groups.
Working With Type In Photoshop CS2
Learn how to change the size of font previews, work with the bounding box, and use smart guides to align type layers in Photoshop CS2.
Tips And Tricks For Beginners
These Photoshop beginner tips and tricks address some of the most common things you'll do in Photoshop, and learning them will save you lots of time down the road.
Working With Photoshop Scripts
This tutorial shows you how to install and work with Photoshop Scripts, and includes links to free Photoshop Scripts that you can download.
The Photoshop Blog offers the latest Photoshop and Digital Photography news and software updates, tips and tutorials, and random thoughts from graphic artist, digital photographer and Photoshop expert Jennifer Apple.
Special Offer - Fluid Mask - Photoshop Masking Plugin
Fluid Mask is based on breakthrough segmentation technology inspired by the way the eye, optic nerve and brain perform visual processing. When an image is loaded, Fluid Mask's segmentation engine analyses the distribution of colors, finding the natural groups within the image. Together with information calculated about edges, gradients and textures, a model is constructed which divides the images into objects.
Vertus Software is offering Fluid Mask at the special 'friends and partner' discounted rate. This is an exclusive offer to visitors of PhotoshopSupport.com. To qualify, visit the Fluid Mask Discount Price page. Find out more about Fluid Mask on our special Fluid Mask Page.
SiteGrinder Photoshop Plugin - Create Websites Instantly
There often seems to be a strict division of labor within the world of web design and development. Creative professionals tend to stick to the Photoshop domain, while those well-versed in scripting are left to the task of implementing their work. Indeed, the two realms are quite different from each other, to which any of us even vaguely familiar with either can easily attest.
Essentially, Photoshop is a no-holds-barred design studio, offering the artist a seemingly endless array of creative options. On the other hand, HTML, CSS, Java and the like follow strict rules of engagement, requiring the developer to take any number of esoteric concerns into consideration in order to ensure that designs are properly displayed on the web.
Turn Photoshop Into A Complete Web Design Tool
SiteGrinder seeks to bridge this gap between design and development. Basically, this program turns Photoshop into an easy-to-use and fully functional web design tool. With SiteGrinder, designers will now have the freedom to totally let their creativity loose and then, without skipping a beat, transfer their designs to the web. Bringing esthetic concerns together with more practical considerations, this program is an amazingly powerful tool that would make a fantastic addition to any web designer's bag of tricks.
Generate Your Web Pages Directly From Photoshop
By generating web pages directly from Photoshop, you'll be able to spend much more time on the creative end of the spectrum, since you'll know right off the bat how well particular designs will translate to the web. No more going back to the Photoshop drawing board after getting a phone call from your development team, telling you that what you had envisioned doesn't have a chance of being displayed on the web. You can immediately visually and interactively test your designs, which permits you to then make changes to either esthetics or functions while it's still relatively early on in the design process.
Pricing and Availability
Mac OS X and Windows versions of the SiteGrinder unlockable demo are available now via download. SiteGrinder can be ordered from Media Lab's online store.
Photoshop CS3 Book - CS3 Essential Skills - By Mark Galer And Philip Andrews
Brimming with beautiful pictures, Photoshop CS3 Essential Skills guides you through a project-based, progressive curriculum so that you can build all the essential skills to enhance photographs creatively and professionally with Photoshop CS3. If you are an aspiring professional, enthusiastic amateur photographer, or a student learning photography, digital imaging, art and design, or design graphics, you'll be amazed at the stunning results you can achieve. A DVD is included free.
The Essential Skills Photography Series from Focal Press uniquely offers a structured learning experience for photographers of all ages, with both the underlying theory and loads of invaluable 'how to' and real-life practice projects - all from the most talented photography practitioners/educators in the world.
Read 2 free sample chapters:
Adjusting Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw CS3
Photoshop CS3 Tutorial High Dynamic Range
Special book offer - save 24%
Photoshop CS3: Essential Skills (Amazon.com - $28.08 - save 24%)
Photoshop CS2 Book - Photoshop CS2: Essential Skills - By Mark Galer And Philip Andrews
An inspirational and user-friendly guide to creative image editing, Photoshop CS2: Essential Skills provides direction for photographers and designers alike who have ventured into the realm of the 'digital darkroom.' The book offers a progressive curriculum to guide you through Photoshop with a series of clear, step-by-step projects designed to place knowledge into a practical context.
Whether you simply want to retouch an image, create a glamour makeover or create a highly sophisticated montage - this book will give you the essential skills to complete the work to a professional standard.
Read 2 free sample chapters:
How To Sharpen An Image In Photoshop — Advanced Sharpening Techniques
Working With Shadows In Photoshop - Advanced Shadow Techniques
Special book offer - save 37%
Photoshop CS2: Essential Skills (Amazon.com - $20.76 - save 37%)
Exclusive 20% Discount On Select Total Training Products & Bundles
To redeem our exclusive discount coupon, use promotion code save20pss in your shopping cart. You could save hundreds of dollars. Use this special link to see the full offer.
Total Training for Adobe Photoshop
Learn Adobe Photoshop with 21 hours of interactive Adobe Photoshop tutorials. This is training for real-world situations and includes additional tips and techniques used by the pros.
View Sample Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Flash Pro Video Tutorials
Free Adobe Photoshop CS3 video tutorials
Free Adobe Photoshop CS2 video tutorials
Free Adobe Dreamweaver video tutorials
Free Adobe Flash Pro video tutorials
