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Blender keyboard shortcuts

Blender’s keyboard shortcuts enhance efficiency. Check next sections for detailed info. I collect most useful shortcuts.

General shortcuts

  • Toggle left toolbar: t
  • Properties (right side), useful to set dimensions, position, etc.: n
  • Add new object: S-a
  • Delete: x or del (single object deleting without confirmation)
  • Search for function, mode aware: F3
  • Initiate move, move along axis:
    g; then x, y, z move along axis or move using mmb hold with snapping to axis. Along local axis (rotate object first) - x,x/y,y/z,z. Alternative drag mmb while moving to snap/move object to axis. You can move object by Gizmo (local) in move mode (left toolbar) and white circle around object. To cancel move press esc or rmb.
  • Scale:
    s, along axis - x/y/z or scale using mmb hold with snapping to axis. Along local axis - x,x/y,y/z,z. Or scale button in left panel.
  • Rotate
    r, along axis - x/y/z or rotate using mmb hold with snapping to axis. Along local axis - X,X/Y,Y/Z,Z. Or rotate button in left panel.
  • Trackball Rotate: r, r
  • Precise movement
    S- (hold). Allow to drag/set value more precisely.
  • Incremental movement
    C-(*hold*). Allow to drag/set value incrementally or enable snapping.
  • Duplicate vertices/mesh.
    S-d, or Mesh -> Duplicate. lmb to confirm, esc to cancel. When you duplicate vertices, you can press p to separate them into a new mesh.
  • Duplicate Linked: M-d
  • Hide selection (geometry/vertices): h
  • Show All: M-h
  • Hide all Except Selected: S-h
  • Annotate: D (*hold*) + LMB (*drag*)
  • Erase Annotation: D (*hold*) + RMB (*drag*)
  • Open quick favorite’s menu: q
  • Rename object
    You can rename selected object by double-clicking on it in outliner. Or select object and press F2.
  • Shading Pie Menu
    z. You can also change/check current view-port shading in top right corner, layout mode
  • Toggle X-Ray (to select through mesh)
    M-z or button in top right (2 squares).
  • Pivot point pie menu TODO: what is pivot?: .
  • Snap pie menu: S-s
  • Orientation pie menu: ,
  • Maximise Area (but keep toolbar): C-space
  • Fullscreen Area: C-M-space
  • Quad view: C-M-q
  • Open popup menu for last action (Adjust Last Operation): F9

  • Orbit: mmb

  • Pan: S-mmb

  • Zoom In/Out: scroll or C-mmb

  • Smooth zoom: C-mmb (drag)

  • Fly: S-~. scroll to change speed.

  • Pie Menu: ~

  • Focus: .

  • Isolate: /

  • Fast View Switch: M-MMB (*drag*)

  • Camera: 0. Or press button in right toolbar (toggle the camera view).

  • Front: 1

  • Rotate Down: 2

  • Side: 3

  • Rotate Left: 4

  • Persp/Ortho: 5

  • Rotate Right: 6

  • Top: 7

  • Rotate Up: 8

  • Opposite: 9

  • Show All Objects: home

  • Zoom to region: S-b

Change Window type (under Cursor):

  • Assets: S-F1
  • Movie Clip: S-F2
  • Nodes: S-F3
  • Python Console: S-F4
  • 3d Viewport: S-F5
  • Graph: S-F6
  • Properties: S-F7
  • Video Sequencer: S-F8
  • Outliner: S-F9
  • UV/Image: S-F10
  • Text: S-F11
  • Dope Sheet: S-F12

Object mode shortcuts

  • Change Mode Pie Menu: C-tab
  • Edit/Object mode toggle: tab
  • Mirror: C-m then X/Y/Z (or mmb (drag))
  • Set Parent (to last selected): C-p
  • Clear Parent: M-p
  • Toggle Snapping: S-tab, or button in top right controls.
  • Clear Location: M-g
  • Clear Rotation: M-r
  • Clear Scale: M-s
  • Apply Menu - Location / Scale / Rotation: C-a
  • Join Selected Objects: C-j
  • Copy Attributes to New Objects TODO: what is this?: C-l
  • Add Subdivision level: C-0/1/2/3/4/5
  • Mask view to region / Clear mask: M-b
  • Center 3D cursor: S-c
  • Move active object to collection: m
  • Move Active Camera to view: C-M-numpad0
  • Set as Active Camera: C-numpad0

General selection shortcuts

  • Select: lmb

  • Select All: a

  • Deselect All: M-a

  • Marquee Box Select: b or LMB (*drag*)

  • Circle Select: c

  • Lasso Select: C-rmb

  • Invert Selection: C-i

  • Select Linked: S-l

  • Select Similar: S-g

  • Select from many TODO: what is this?: M-lmb

  • Select Connected Mesh: C-l, useful to restore selection.

  • Select Connected Mesh Under Cursor: l

  • Select Edge Loop: M-lmb

  • Select Edge Ring: C-M-rmb

  • Vertex Select Mode: 1

  • Edge Select Mode: 2

  • Face Select Mode: 3

  • Mirror current selection: C-S-m

  • Grow/Shrink Selection TODO: need to fix my keyboard: C-Num+/ C-nuM-

  • Edge Crease: C-e

  • Shrink/fatten: M-s

Edit mode shortcuts

Modelling:

  • Extrude: e, select at least few vertices, edges or faces.
  • Inset, TODO: how its working?: i
  • Bevel: C-b
  • Bevel Vertices: C-S-b
  • Loop cut, this is context-sensitive operation: C-r
  • Vertex/Edge Slide: G,G
  • Knife: k
  • Fill Face: F
  • Shear: C-S-M-s
  • Bend: S-w
  • Split: y
  • Rip: v
  • Rip Fill: M-v
  • Merge: m
  • Recalculate Normals: S-n
  • Flip Normals: TODO: what it does?: C-S-n
  • Proportional Editing On/Off: o
  • Proportional Falloff Type: S-o
  • Separate to new object: p

Curve Editing:

  • Add new handle: e or C-rmb
  • Change handle type: v
  • Delete but maintain connection: C-x
  • Close curve: M-c
  • Tilt, TODO: what is this?: C-t
  • Clear Tilt: M-t

Texturing:

  • TODO: need review
  • Unwrap: u
  • Mark Seam: C-e

UV Editor shortcuts

  • TODO: need review
  • Select Island: l (under cursor) or C-l
  • Stitch: v
  • Weld: S-w
  • Pin: p
  • Unpin: M-p
  • Select Pinned: S-p

Image editor shortcuts

View:

  • Properties, Scopes, Slots and Metadata: n
  • View at 100%: 1 (Numpad)
  • View to Fit: S-home
  • Next Render Slot: j
  • Previous Render Slot: M-j
  • Select Render Slot: 1-8
  • Save Image: M-s
  • Save Image As TODO: need compare with pdf cheatsheet: S-M-s

Paint:

  • Create New Blank Image: M-n
  • Open Image: M-o
  • Brush Properties: n
  • Brush Size: F
  • Brush Strength: S-F
  • Sample Color: s
  • Flip Color: x

Nodes shortcuts

TODO: need review

  • Cut Connection: C-rmb (drag)
  • Connect selected: F
  • Properties: n
  • Delete selected but maintain connection: C-x
  • Duplicate selected and maintain connection: C-S-d
  • Mute Selected: m
  • Group Selected: C-g
  • Ungroup Selected: C-M-g
  • Edit Group (Toggle): tab
  • Frame Selected Nodes: C-j
  • Show/Hide inactive node slots: C-h

Compositor:

TODO: need review

  • Move backdrop: M-mmb
  • Zoom backdrop: V / M-V
  • Properties and performance: n

Sculpting shortcuts

  • Inflate: i
  • Draw: x
  • Grab: g
  • Brush Selection: S-space
  • Change Brush Size: F
  • Change Brush Strength: S-F
  • Brush Angle: C-F
  • Angle Control: r
  • Stroke Control: e
  • Mask (box): b
  • Mask (brush): m
  • Mask (brush) erase mode: Hold C-, while you in mask mode (b).
  • Clear Mask: M-m
  • Invert Mask: C-i
  • Hide (box): h
  • Toggle Isolate mode: /
  • Temporary toggle smooth tool: S-

Rendering and animation shortcuts

  • Render: F12
  • Render Animation: C-F12
  • Playback rendered animation: C-F11
  • Set Render Region, TODO: how it working?: C-b
  • Clear Render Region: C-M-b

Animation general:

  • Play/Pause Playback: space
  • Reverse Play: C-S-space
  • Scroll through frames: M-scroll
  • Next/Previous Frame: Left/Right arrow
  • First/Last Frame: S-Left/Right arrow
  • Jump to Keyframe: Up/Down arrow
  • Add Keyframe on current frame: i
  • Delete Keyframe on current frame: M-i

Timeline / Dopesheet

  • Toggle Dopesheet: C-tab

  • Toggle Frames/Seconds: C-t

  • Zoom to fit active keyframes: home or . (Numpad)

  • Set Keyframe Interpolation: t

  • Set Keyframe Handle Type: v

  • Set Keyframe Extrapolation: S-e

  • Mirror Keyframes: C-m

  • Set Preview Range: p then lmb (drag)

  • Auto set preview range: C-M-p

  • Clear Preview: M-p

  • Marker: m

  • Rename Marker TODO: not working?: C-m

  • Bind Selected Camera to Selected Marker, TODO: what it do?: C-b

  • Select keyframes before/after current frame: [/]

  • Select all keyframes on current frame, TODO: what it do?: C-k

Graph Editor:

  • TODO: need review
  • Add Keyframe at Cursor: C-rmb
  • Properties and Modifiers: n
  • Lock Selected Channel: tab

Rigging (armatures)

  • Add new bone: e
  • Duplicate bone: S-d
  • Bone Settings: S-w
  • Roll: C-r
  • Clear Roll: M-r
  • Recalculate Roll: S-n
  • Align bone: C-M-a
  • Switch bone direction: M-F
  • Dissolve Bone: C-x
  • Dissolve bones: C-x
  • Split: y
  • Separate: p
  • Scroll Hierarchy: ] and [

Posing Mode:

  • TODO: need review

  • Add Keyframe: i

  • Clear Location: M-g

  • Clear Rotation: M-r

  • Clear Scale: M-s

  • Apply Pose: C-a

  • Propagate Pose: M-p

  • Push Pose from Breakdown: C-e

  • Relax Pose to Breakdown: M-e

  • Pose Breakdowner: S-e

  • Copy Pose: C-c

  • Paste Pose: C-v

  • Add IK: S-i

  • Add Pose to Library: S-l

  • Paste Pose Flipped: C-S-v

  • Add Constraint: C-S-c

More keybindings

Learn Blender with a poster infographic

Blender Hotkey Cheat Sheet

Backlinks

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