A keyboard shortcut is a short set of strokes you type on your computer keyboard to perform an action in a software. There are a TON of keyboard shortcuts in Silhouette Studio. Any action done with a shortcut can also be done in the dropdown lists, the panels opened by clicking the icons, or with right clicks. Keyboard shortcuts just make it quicker. Use the method you like best. I actually use a combination of all the different ways to make something happen in the software. (To start with Lesson 1 in this series, go here.)
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The shortcuts are all listed in the back of the User’s Manual. I’ve created a list here to rearrange them, list some misprints and add some notes and links to more information on each topic. If the action listed is in blue, there is a link. I’ll be adding more links in the future.
–When a “+” is shown, press the first key on your keyboard and hold it while you press the other(s) as well.
–“F” tells you to use the Function keys.
–Click means a left mouse click.
–Use lower case letters, not capitals. If your shift key is on, the command does work.
–The first letter of the “action” is often the letter used in the shortcut. For example, “m” turns on the registration marks; “g” shows the grid while CTRL+g groups the selected objects.
| ACTION | WINDOWS | MAC | NOTES |
| DOCUMENT | |||
| Start a new document/page | CTRL+n | CMD+n | |
| Open a previously saved file (from the hard drive) | CTRL+o | CMD+o | |
| Save file | CTRL+s | CMD+s | |
| Save as… | CTRL+SHIFT+s | CMD+SHIFT+s | |
| Save to library | CTRL+ALT+r | CTRL+CMD+r | |
| CTRL+p | CMD+p | ||
| Close document | CTRL+w | CMD+w | |
| Quit | CTRL+q | CMD+q | |
| PAGE SET UP | |||
| Open Page Setup Panel | CTRL+FN+F1 | CMD+FN+F1 | The Windows shortcut for this is misprinted in the User’s Manual. |
| Open the Registration Marks window | CTRL+FN+F3 | CMD+FN+F3 | The Windows shortcut for this is misprinted in the User’s Manual. |
| Turn registration marks on/off | m | m | |
| VIEW/ZOOM/APPEARANCE | |||
| Zoom in/out | ALT+mouse scroll wheel | ALT+mouse scroll wheel | Hold ALT key and use wheel on mouse to zoom in and out. |
| Scroll left/right | CTRL+mouse scroll wheel | CMD+mouse scroll wheel | Hold CTRL/CMD key and use wheel on mouse to scroll left and right. |
| Pan zoom | spacebar | spacebar | Hold the spacebar down while dragging mouse. |
| Drag zoom | z | z | Hold the spacebar down while dragging mouse to define zoom area. |
| Fit to window | CTRL+1 | CMD+1 | |
| Show Design Area | CTRL+SHIFT+d | CMD+SHIFT+d | |
| Go to Silhouette Design Store | CTRL+ALT+s | CMD+ALT+s | |
| Show Library | CTRL+ALT+l | CMD+ALT+l | |
| Show Send area | CTRL+FN+F2 | CMD+FN+F2 | The Windows shortcut for this is misprinted in the User’s Manual. |
| Show Media Layout View | CTRL+SHIFT+v | CMD+SHIFT+v | |
| Show/unshow grid | g | g | |
| Open Grid Settings panel | CTRL+FN+F4 | CMD+FN+F4 | The Windows shortcut for this is misprinted in the User’s Manual. |
| Turn rulers on/off | CTRL+r | CMD+r | Designer Edition and above only. |
| Turn crosshairs on/off | CTRL+h | CMD+h | Designer Edition and above only. |
| Show Center of Rotation | o | o | |
| Show/unshow cut border | CTRL+SHIFT+l | CMD+SHIFT+l | |
| Show/unshow print border | CTRL+SHIFT+p | CMD+SHIFT+p | |
| STANDARD EDITING | |||
| Cut | CTRL+x | CMD+x | |
| Copy | CTRL+c | CMD+c | |
| Paste | CTRL+v | CMD+v | |
| Paste in front | CTRL+f | CMD+f | |
| Undo | CTRL+z | CMD+z | THE BEST!!! |
| Redo | CTRL+SHIFT+z | CMD+SHIFT+z | |
| Spelling | FN+F7 | FN+F7 | The Windows shortcut for this is misprinted in the User’s Manual. |
| Open Preferences panel | CTRL+k | CMD+k | |
| ESC | This one isn’t listed in the chart, but is good to know. It gets you out of whatever mode you are in and back to Select. | ||
| DRAWING/TEXT TOOLS (Don’t need to hold it while creating — just to choose tool) | |||
| Draw a line | \ | \ | Hold SHIFT key while drawing to make an exact horizontal, vertical or 45° angle line |
| Draw a rectangle | r | r | Hold SHIFT key while drawing to make an exact square |
| Draw a rounded rectangle | SHIFT+r | SHIFT+r | Hold SHIFT key while drawing to make an exact rounded square |
| Draw an ellipse | e | e | Hold SHIFT key while drawing to make an exact circle |
| Draw a polygon shape | p | p | |
| Draw a curved polygon shape | c | c | |
| Draw a freehand shape | f | f | |
| Draw a smooth freehand shape | SHIFT+f | SHIFT+f | |
| Draw an arc | SHIFT+a | SHIFT+a | |
| Draw a regular polygon | SHIFT+p | SHIFT+p | |
| Add text | t | t | |
| IMAGE EDITING TOOLS | |||
| Point edit a shape | Quick double click on the shape | Quick double click on the shape | |
| Switch from select mode to point editing mode | a | a | |
| Switch from point editing mode to select mode | v | v | |
| Eraser | SHIFT+e | SHIFT+e | |
| Knife | k | k | |
| Eyedropper (transfer properties) | i
OR CTRL+click |
i
OR CMD+click |
Designer Edition and above only. |
| SELECTING | |||
| Select Mode | v | v | |
| Select all | CTRL+a | CMD+a | |
| Deselect all | CTRL+SHIFT+a | CMD+SHIFT+a | |
| REPLICATING | |||
| Duplicate (slightly right) | CTRL+d | CMD+d | |
| Duplicate left | CTRL+← | CMD+← | |
| Duplicate right | CTRL+→ | CMD+→ | |
| Duplicate above | CTRL+↑ | CMD+↑ | |
| Duplicate below | CTRL+↓ | CMD+↓ | |
| Mirror left | ALT+SHIFT+← | ALT+SHIFT+← | |
| Mirror right | ALT+SHIFT+→ | ALT+SHIFT+→ | |
| Mirror above | ALT+SHIFT+↑ | ALT+SHIFT+↑ | |
| Mirror below | ALT+SHIFT+↓ | ALT+SHIFT+↓ | |
| Rotate 1 copy | CTRL+SHIFT+F1
OR CTRL+SHIFT+FN+F1 |
CMD+SHIFT+FN+F1 | |
| Rotate 2 copies | CTRL+SHIFT+FN+F2 | CMD+SHIFT+FN+F2 | The Windows shortcut for this is misprinted in the User’s Manual. |
| Rotate 3 copies | CTRL+SHIFT+FN+F3 | CMD+SHIFT+FN+F3 | The PC shortcut for this is misprinted in the User’s Manual. |
| Rotate 5 copies | CTRL+SHIFT+FN+F5 | CMD+SHIFT+FN+F5 | The Windows shortcut for this is misprinted in the User’s Manual. |
| Make row of 3 | CTRL+SHIFT+→ | CMD+SHIFT+→ | |
| Make row of 4 | CTRL+ALT+→ | CMD+ALT+→ | Does not work correctly. |
| Make column of 3 | CTRL+SHIFT+↓ | CMD+SHIFT+↓ | |
| Make column of 4 | CTRL+ALT+↓ | CMD+ALT+↓ | Does not work correctly. |
| Fill page | CTRL+SHIFT+f | CMD+SHIFT+f | |
| GROUPING/MODIFYING | |||
| Group | CTRL+g | CMD+g | |
| Ungroup | CTRL+SHIFT+g | CMD+SHIFT+g | |
| Make compound path | CTRL+e | CMD+e | |
| Release compound path | CTRL+SHIFT+e | CMD+SHIFT+e | |
| Weld | CTRL+SHIFT+w | CMD+SHIFT+w | |
| ARRANGING THE ORDER | |||
| Bring forward | CTRL+] | CMD+] | |
| Bring to front | CTRL+SHIFT+] | CMD+SHIFT+] | |
| Send backward | CTRL+[ | CMD+[ | |
| Send to back | CTRL+SHIFT+[ | CMD+SHIFT+[ | |
| CUTTING | |||
| Make setting for selected shape “Cut” | CTRL+t | CMD+t | Only works while in Design Area (not in Send Area). |
| Make setting for selected shape “No Cut” | CTRL+SHIFT+t | CMD+SHIFT+t | Only works while in Design Area (not in Send Area). |
In the next lesson of the Software Basics series, Lesson 9, we’ll go over some miscellaneous ways to move around in the software.
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