Inkscape keys and mouse reference

Unless noted otherwise, keypad keys (such as arrows, Home, End, +, -, digits) are supposed to work the same as corresponding regular keys. If you have a new shortcut idea, please contact the developers (by writing to the devel mailing list or by submitting an RFE).

# Tools
F1, s | Selector
Space | Selector (temporary)
Space switches to the Selector tool temporarily; another Space switches back.
F2, n | Node tool
F3, z | Zoom tool
F4, r | Rectangle tool
F5, e | Ellipse/arc tool
F6, p | Freehand (Pencil) tool
Shift+F6, b | Bezier (Pen) tool
Ctrl+F6, c | Calligraphic tool
Ctrl+F1, g | Gradient tool
F7, d | Dropper tool
F8, t | Text tool
F9, i | Spiral tool
Shift+F9, * | Star tool
Ctrl+F2, o | Connector tool
Double click on the tool buttons opens the Preferences dialog showing the page of the corresponding tool.
# Dialogs
Shift+Ctrl+F | Fill and Stroke
Shift+Ctrl+W | Swatches
Shift+Ctrl+T | Text and Font
Shift+Ctrl+M | Transform
Shift+Ctrl+A | Align and Distribute
Shift+Ctrl+O | Object Properties
Shift+Ctrl+X | XML Editor
Shift+Ctrl+D | Document Preferences
Shift+Ctrl+P | Inkscape Preferences
Shift+Ctrl+E | Export to PNG
Ctrl+F | Find
Shift+Alt+B | Trace bitmap
These open a new dialog window if it wasn't open yet, otherwise the corresponding dialog gets focus.
#### Toggle visibility
F12 | toggle dialogs
This temporarily hides all open dialogs; another F12 shows them again.
#### Within a dialog
Esc | return to the canvas
Ctrl+F4, Ctrl+W | close the dialog
Tab | jump to next widget
Shift+Tab | jump to previous widget
Enter | set the new value
This accepts the new value you typed in a text field and returns focus to canvas.
Ctrl+Enter | in XML Editor, set the attr value
When editing an attribute value in XML Editor, this sets the new value (same as clicking the "Set attribute" button).
Space, Enter | activate current button or list
Ctrl+PgUp, Ctrl+PgDn | in a multi-tab dialog, switch tabs
# Controls bar
The Controls bar at the top of the document window provides different buttons and controls for each tool.
Alt+X | jump to the first editable field
Enter | accept the new value
This accepts the new value you typed in a text field and returns focus to canvas.
Esc | cancel changes, return to canvas
This cancels any changes you made in a text field and returns focus to canvas.
Ctrl+Z | cancel changes
This cancels any changes you made in a text field but you stay in the field.
Tab | jump to next field
Shift+Tab | jump to previous field
Use these to navigate between fields in the Controls bar (the value in the field you leave, if changed, is accepted).
#### Changing values
Up arrow, Down arrow | change value by 0.1
PgUp, PgDn | change value by 5.0
# Canvas
#### Zoom
=, + | zoom in
- | zoom out
The keypad +/- keys do zooming even when you are editing a text object, unless NumLock is on.
middle click, Ctrl+right click | zoom in
Shift+middle click, Shift+right click | zoom out
Ctrl+mouse wheel | zoom in or out
Shift+middle button drag | zoom into the area
Alt+Z | activate zoom field
The zoom field in the lower left corner of the window allows you to specify zoom level precisely.
#### Preset zooms
1 | zoom 1:1
2 | zoom 1:2
3 | zoom to selection
4 | zoom to drawing
5 | zoom to page
Ctrl+E, 6 | zoom to page width
#### Zoom history
` | (back quote) previous zoom
Shift+` | next zoom
With these keys, you can travel back and forth through the history of zooms in this session
#### Scrolling (panning)
Ctrl+arrows | scroll canvas
Scrolling by keys is accelerated, i.e. it speeds up when you press Ctrl+arrows in quick succession, or press and hold.
middle button drag | pan canvas
Shift+right button drag, Ctrl+right button drag | pan canvas
mouse wheel | scroll canvas vertically
Shift+mouse wheel | scroll canvas horizontally
#### Guides and grid
mouse drag | drag off a ruler to create guide
Drag off the horizontal or vertical ruler to create a new guideline. Drag a guideline onto the ruler to delete it.
|, Shift+\ | toggle guides and snapping to guides
If you want to have different values for guides visibility and snapping, set them via the Document Options dialog.
When you create a new guide by dragging off the ruler, guide visibility and snapping are turned on.
#, Shift+3 | toggle grid and snapping to grid
If you want to have different values for grid visibility and snapping, set them via the Document Options dialog.
Note that only the 3 key on the main keyboard works, not on the keypad.
# File
Ctrl+N | create new document
Ctrl+O | open an SVG document
Shift+Ctrl+E | export to PNG
Ctrl+I | import bitmap or SVG
Ctrl+P | print document
Ctrl+S | save document
Shift+Ctrl+S | save under a new name
Ctrl+Q | exit Inkscape
# Window
Ctrl+R | toggle rulers
Ctrl+B | toggle scrollbars
F11 | toggle fullscreen
F10 | main menu
Menus can also be activated by Alt with the letter underscored in the menu name.
Shift+F10, right click | drop-down (context) menu
Ctrl+F4, Ctrl+W | close document window
This shuts down Inkscape if it was the only document window open.
Ctrl+Tab | next document window
Shift+Ctrl+Tab | previous document window
These cycle through the active document windows forward and backward.
# Layers
Shift+PgUp | move to layer above
Shift+PgDn | move to layer below
These commands move the selected objects from one layer to another.
Shift+Ctrl+PgUp | raise layer
Shift+Ctrl+PgDn | lower layer
Shift+Ctrl+Home | raise layer to top
Shift+Ctrl+End | lower layer to bottom
These commands move the current layer among its siblings (normally other layers).
# Object
#### Undo/redo
Shift+Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+Z | undo
Shift+Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Y | redo
#### Clipboard
Ctrl+C | copy selection
This places a copy of the selection to the Inkscape clipboard. Text from text objects is also placed onto the system clipboard.
Ctrl+X | cut selection
This works the same as "copy selection" followed by deleting the selection.
Ctrl+V | paste clipboard
This places the clipboard objects at the mouse cursor, or at the center of the window if mouse is outside the canvas.
When editing text with the text tool, this pastes the text from the system clipboard into the current text object.
Ctrl+Alt+V | paste in place
This places the clipboard objects to the original location from which they were copied.
Shift+Ctrl+V | paste style
This applies the style of the (first of the) coped object(s) to the current selection.
If a gradient handle (in Gradient tool) or a text span (in Text tool) are selected, they get the style instead of the entire object.
#### Duplicate
Ctrl+D | duplicate selection
New object(s) are placed exactly over the original(s) and selected.
#### Clone
Alt+D | clone object
A clone can be moved/scaled/rotated/skewed independently, but it updates the path, fill, and stroke from its original.
The clone is placed exactly over the original object and is selected.
You can only clone one object at a time; if you want to clone several objects together, group them and clone the group.
Shift+Alt+D | unlink clone
Unlinking a clone cuts the link to the original, turning the clone into a plain copy.
Shift+D | select original
To find out which object this is a clone of, select the clone and give this command. The original will be selected.
#### Bitmaps
Alt+B | create a bitmap copy
This exports the selected object(s) (all other objects hidden) as PNG in the document's directory and imports it back.
The imported bitmap is placed over the original selection and is selected.
Shift+Alt+B | trace bitmap
This opens the Trace Bitmap dialog allowing you to convert a bitmap object to path(s).
#### Patterns
Alt+I | object(s) to pattern
This converts the selection to a rectangle with tiled pattern fill.
Shift+Alt+I | pattern to object(s)
Each selected object with pattern fill is broken into the same object without fill and a single pattern object.
#### Group
Shift+Ctrl+U, Ctrl+G | group selected objects
Use Ctrl+click to select objects within group.
Shift+Ctrl+G, Ctrl+U | ungroup selected group(s)
This removes only one level of grouping; press Ctrl+U repeatedly to ungroup nested groups.
#### Z-order
Home | raise selection to top
End | lower selection to bottom
PgUp | raise selection one step
PgDn | lower selection one step
# Path
#### Convert to path
Shift+Ctrl+C | convert selected object(s) to path
Ctrl+Alt+C | convert stroke to path
#### Booleans
Ctrl++ | union
Union combines any number of objects into a single path, removing overlaps.
Ctrl+- | difference
Difference works on 2 objects, extracting the top from the bottom.
Ctrl+* | intersection
Intersection creates a path representing the common (overlapping) area of all selected objects.
Ctrl+^ | exclusive OR (XOR)
XOR is similar to Union, except that it works on 2 objects and removes areas where the objects overlap.
Ctrl+/ | division (cut)
Division cuts the bottom object into pieces by the top object, preserving the fill and stroke of the bottom.
Ctrl+Alt+/ | cut path
Cut Path cuts the bottom object's stroke only where it is intersected by the top path, removing any fill from the result.
The result of Union, Difference, Intersection, and XOR inherits the id= attribute and therefore the clones of the bottom object.
Division and Cut path normally produce several objects; of them, a random one inherits the id= of the bottom source object.
#### Offsets
Ctrl+( | inset path (towards center)
Ctrl+) | outset path (away from center)
The default offset distance is 2 px (SVG pixel units, not screen pixels).
Alt+( | inset path by 1 pixel
Alt+) | outset path by 1 pixel
Shift+Alt+( | inset path by 10 pixels
Shift+Alt+) | outset path by 10 pixels
The actual distance for pixel offsets depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer adjustment.
All the (, ) commands convert the object to path, if necessary, and produce regular path.
Ctrl+J | create dynamic offset
Ctrl+Alt+J | create linked offset
These commands produce an offset object, editable by the node tool, standalone or linked to the original.
Shift+D | select source
Selecting a linked offset and giving this command will select the source path of the linked offset.
#### Combine
Ctrl+K | combine paths
This is different from grouping in that combined paths create one object.
This is different from Union in that overlapping areas are not affected.
Whether overlapping areas are filled is controlled by the Fill: winding/alternating switch on the Fill & Stroke dialog.
Shift+Ctrl+K | break paths apart
This attempts to break an object into constituent paths; it will fail if the object is one solid path.
#### Simplify
Ctrl+L | simplify
This command attempts to simplify selected path(s) by removing extra nodes. It converts all objects to paths first.
If you invoke this command several times in quick succession, it will act more and more aggressively.
Invoking Simplify again after a pause restores the default threshold (settable in the Inkscape Preferences dialog).
# Selector
#### Keyboard select
Tab | select next object
Shift+Tab | select previous object
These keys pick objects in their z-order (Tab cycles from bottom to top, Shift+Tab cycles from top to bottom).
Unless you did manual rearrangements, the last object you created is always on top.
As a result, if nothing is selected, pressing Shift+Tab once conveniently selects the object you created last.
This works on objects within the current layer (unless you change that in preferences).
Ctrl+A | select all (current layer)
This works on objects within the current layer (unless you change that in preferences).
Ctrl+Alt+A | select all (all layers)
This works on objects in all visible and unlocked layers.
! | invert selection (current layer)
This inverts selection (deselects what was selected and vice versa) in the current layer.
Alt+! | invert selection (all layers)
This inverts selection (deselects what was selected and vice versa) in visible and unlocked layers.
Esc | deselect
Backspace, Del | delete selection
#### Keyboard move
arrows | move selection by the nudge distance
Shift+arrows | move selection by 10x nudge distance
The default nudge distance is 2 px (SVG pixel units, not screen pixels).
Alt+arrows | move selection by 1 pixel
Alt+Shift+arrows | move selection by 10 pixels
The actual distance for pixel movements depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer movement.
#### Keyboard scale
., > | scale selection up by the scale step
,, < | scale selection down by the scale step
The default scale step is 2 px (SVG pixel units, not screen pixels).
Ctrl+., Ctrl+> | scale selection to 200%
Ctrl+,, Ctrl+< | scale selection to 50%
Alt+., Alt+> | scale selection up by 1 pixel
Alt+,, Alt+< | scale selection down by 1 pixel
The actual size increment for pixel scaling depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer scaling.
Scaling is uniform around the center, so that the size increment applies to the larger of the two dimensions.
#### Keyboard rotate
[, ] | rotate selection by the angle step
The default angle step is 15 degrees. ] rotates clockwise, [ rotates counterclockwise.
Ctrl+[, Ctrl+] | rotate selection by 90 degrees
Alt+[, Alt+] | rotate selection by 1 pixel
The actual angle for pixel rotation depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer movement.
#### Keyboard flip
h | flip selection horizontally
v | flip selection vertically
#### Mouse select
click | select an object
When you left-click on an object, previous selection is deselected.
Shift+click | toggle selection
Shift+click adds an object to the current selection if it was not selected, or deselects it otherwise.
clickclick | edit the object
For paths, double clicking switches to Node tool; for shapes, to corresponding shape tool; for text, to Text tool.
For groups, double clicking performs the "Enter group" command (the group becomes temporary layer).
#### Select within group, select under
Ctrl+click | select within group
Ctrl+click selects the object at click point disregarding any levels of grouping that this object might belong to.
Ctrl+Shift+click | toggle selection within group
Alt+click | select under
Alt+click selects the object at click point which is beneath (in z-order) the lowest selected object at click point.
If the bottom object is reached, Alt+click again selects the top object. So, several Alt+clicks cycle through z-order stack at point.
On Linux, Alt+click and Alt+drag may be reserved by the window manager. Reconfigure it so you can use them in Inkscape.
Shift+Alt+click | toggle under
Ctrl+Alt+click | select under, in groups
Shift+Ctrl+Alt+click | toggle under, in groups
#### Rubberband
mouse drag | select multiple objects
Dragging around objects does "rubberband" selection; previous selection is deselected.
Shift+mouse drag | add objects to selection
Normally, you need to start from an empty space to initiate a rubberband.
However, if you press Shift before dragging, Inkscape will do rubberband selection even if you start from an object.
#### Mouse move
mouse drag | select + move
Dragging an object selects it if it was not selected, then moves selection.
Alt+mouse drag | move selected
Alt+drag moves the current selection (without selecting what is under cursor), no matter where you start the drag.
On Linux, Alt+click and Alt+drag may be reserved by the window manager. Reconfigure it so you can use them in Inkscape.
Ctrl+mouse drag | restrict movement to horizontal or vertical
Shift+mouse drag | temporarily disable snapping
This temporaily disables snapping to grid or guides when you are dragging with grid or guides on.
mouse dragSpace | drop a copy
When dragging or transforming with mouse, each Space leaves a copy of the selected object.
You can press and hold Space while dragging for a nice "trail."
#### Mouse transform
click | toggle scale/rotation handles
mouse drag | scale (scale handles)
mouse drag | rotate or skew (rotation handles)
#### Scale handles
Ctrl+mouse drag | scale preserving aspect ratio
Shift+mouse drag | symmetric transformation
Holding Shift while transforming makes transformation symmetric around the center of the selection.
Alt+mouse drag | slow movement
Holding Alt while transforming makes transformation lag behind mouse movement, allowing finer changes.
#### Rotation handles
Ctrl+mouse drag | snap skew angle
Holding Ctrl when dragging a skew (non-corner) handle snaps the skew angle to angle steps (default 15 degrees).
Ctrl+mouse drag | snap rotation angle
Holding Ctrl when dragging a rotation (corner) handle snaps the rotation angle to angle steps (default 15 degrees).
#### Cancel
Esc | cancel rubberband, move, transformation
Press Esc while mouse button is still down to cancel rubberband selection, move, or transformation of any kind.
# Node tool
#### Keyboard select
Tab | select next node
Shift+Tab | select previous node
These keys select nodes within the selected path
Ctrl+A | select all nodes in subpath(s)
If the path has multiple subpaths and some nodes selected, this selects all only in subpaths with already selected nodes.
Ctrl+Alt+A | select all nodes in path
This selects all nodes in the entire path.
! | invert selection in subpath(s)
If the path has multiple subpaths and some nodes selected, this inverts selection only in subpaths with already selected nodes.
Alt+! | invert selection in path
This inverts selection (deselects what was selected and vice versa) in the entire path.
Esc | deselect all nodes
#### Keyboard move
arrows | move selected node(s) by the nudge distance
Shift+arrows | move selected node(s) by 10x nudge distance
The default nudge distance is 2 px (SVG pixel units, not screen pixels).
Alt+arrows | move selected node(s) by 1 pixel
Alt+Shift+arrows | move selected node(s) by 10 pixels
The actual distance for pixel movements depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer movement.
#### Keyboard handle scale (1 node selected)
<, > | contract/expand both handles by scale step
The default scale step is 2 px (SVG pixel units, not screen pixels). May apply to more than one node.
Left Ctrl+<, Left Ctrl+> | scale left handle by the scale step
Right Ctrl+<, Right Ctrl+> | scale right handle by the scale step
Left Alt+<, Left Alt+> | scale left handle by 1 pixel
Right Alt+<, Right Alt+> | scale right handle by 1 pixel
The actual size increment for pixel scaling depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer scaling.
Instead of the < and > keys, you can use the , (comma) and . (period) keys respectively.
#### Keyboard handle rotate (1 node selected)
[, ] | rotate both handles by the angle step
The default angle step is 15 degrees. ] rotates clockwise, [ rotates counterclockwise. May apply to more than one node.
Left Ctrl+[, Left Ctrl+] | rotate left handle by the angle step
Right Ctrl+[, Right Ctrl+] | rotate right handle by the angle step
Left Alt+[, Left Alt+] | rotate left handle by 1 pixel
Right Alt+[, Right Alt+] | rotate right handle by 1 pixel
#### Keyboard scale (>1 nodes selected)
These commands scale the selected nodes as if they were an "object", around the center of that object.
., > | scale nodes up by the scale step
,, < | scale nodes down by the scale step
The default scale step is 2 px (SVG pixel units, not screen pixels).
Alt+., Alt+> | scale nodes up by 1 pixel
Alt+,, Alt+< | scale nodes down by 1 pixel
The actual size increment for pixel scaling depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer scaling.
Scaling is uniform around the center, so that the size increment applies to the larger of the two dimensions.
#### Keyboard rotate (>1 nodes selected)
These commands rotate the selected nodes as if they were an "object", around the center of that object.
[, ] | rotate nodes by the angle step
The default angle step is 15 degrees. ] rotates clockwise, [ rotates counterclockwise.
Alt+[, Alt+] | rotate nodes by 1 pixel
The actual angle for pixel rotation depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer movement.
#### Keyboard flip (>1 nodes selected)
These commands flip the selected nodes as if they were an "object", around the center of that object.
h | flip nodes horizontally
v | flip nodes vertically
#### Change segment(s)
Shift+L | make line
Shift+U | make curve
These commands require that more than two adjacent nodes be selected.
#### Change node type
Shift+C | make cusp
Shift+S | make smooth
Shift+Y | make symmetric
Ctrl+click | toggle smooth/cusp/symmetric
#### Join/break
Shift+J | join selected nodes
This requires that exactly two end nodes within the path be selected.
Shift+B | break selected node(s)
After break, only one of each two new nodes is selected. May apply to more than one node.
#### Delete, create, duplicate
Backspace, Del | delete selected node(s)
Ctrl+Alt+click | create/delete node
Ctrl+Alt+click on a node deletes it; Ctrl+Alt+click on the path between nodes creates a new node in the click point.
clickclick | create node
Double clicking on the path between nodes creates a node in the click point.
Ins | insert new node(s)
This adds new node(s) in the middle(s) of selected segment(s), so it requires that more than two adjacent nodes be selected.
Shift+D | duplicate selected node(s)
New nodes are created on the same path; they are placed exactly over the old ones and are selected.
#### Mouse select: objects
click | click a non-selected object to select
Alt+click | select under
Shift+click | toggle selection
These work the same as in Selector. The nodes or handles of the single selected object become editable.
#### Mouse select: nodes
click | select a node
Clicking on a node selects it.
click | select two adjacent nodes
Clicking on a selected path between the nodes selects the two nodes closest to the click point.
Shift+click | toggle selection
This adds/removes a node (if clicked on node) or two nodes (if clicked on path) to/from the node selection.
click | deselect
Clicking in an empty space deselects all selected nodes. Next click will deselect the object.
#### Rubberband
mouse drag | select multiple nodes
Dragging around nodes does "rubberband" selection; previous node selection is deselected.
Shift+mouse drag | add nodes to selection
Normally, you need to start from a point not over a path or a node to initiate a rubberband.
However, if you press Shift before dragging, Inkscape will do rubberband selection even if you start over the path.
#### Node move (mouse)
mouse drag | move selected nodes
Ctrl+mouse drag | restrict movement to horizontal or vertical
Ctrl+Alt+mouse drag | move along handles
This restricts movement to the directions of the node's handles, their continuations and perpendiculars (total 8 snaps).
If the node has straight lines on one or both sides, this will snap it to these lines' directions and perpendiculars instead.
Shift+mouse drag | temporarily disable snapping
Snapping nodes is enabled in Document Preferences. By default, only bounding box of objects snaps to grid/guides.
Shift+mouse drag | drag out handle
If a node has a retracted handle, dragging with Shift lets you drag it out of the node.
mouse dragSpace | drop a copy
When dragging nodes with mouse, each Space leaves a copy of the selected object.
You can press and hold Space while dragging for a nice "trail."
#### Node handles
mouse drag | move a node handle
Ctrl+mouse drag | snap the handle to angle steps
The default angle step is 15 degrees. This also snaps to the handle's original angle, its continuation and perpendiculars.
Shift+mouse drag | rotate both handles
Alt+mouse drag | lock the handle length
Ctrl, Shift, Alt can be combined when dragging handles.
Ctrl+click | retract the handle
Retracted handle is zero length; use Shift+drag to drag it back out.
#### Reversing
Shift+r | reverse path direction
#### Editing shapes
Node tool can also drag the handles of shapes (rectangles, ellipses, stars, spirals). Click on a shape to select it.
See the corresponding shape tools for their editing shortcuts, all of which also work in node tool.
#### Cancel
Esc | cancel rubberband or move
Press Esc while mouse button is still down to cancel rubberband selection, node move, handle move, or handle move.
# Rectangle tool
#### Drawing
mouse drag | draw a rectangle
Ctrl+mouse drag | make a square or integer-ratio rectangle
This restricts rectangle so its height/width ratio is a whole number.
Shift+mouse drag | draw around the starting point
This creates a rectangle symmetric around the starting point of the mouse drag.
#### Editing
click | click an object to select
Alt+click | select under
Shift+click | toggle selection
mouse drag | drag a handle to resize or round corners
Initially, the two rounding handles are in the top right corner; two resize handles are in top left and bottom right corners.
Ctrl+mouse drag | lock width, height, or ratio (resize handles)
Ctrl+mouse drag | lock the corner circular (rounding handles)
Resize handles change the width and height of the rectangle in its own coordinate system, before any transforms are applied.
When rounding corners, dragging only one rounding handle (with the other at the corner) keeps the corner circular.
You can drag both handles for an elliptic rounded corner, or drag one with Ctrl to make sure the other one is synchronized.
Esc | deselect
# Ellipse tool
#### Drawing
mouse drag | draw an ellipse
Ctrl+mouse drag | make circle or integer-ratio ellipse
This restricts ellipse so its height/width ratio is a whole number.
Shift+mouse drag | draw around the starting point
This creates an ellipse symmetric around the starting point of the mouse drag.
#### Editing
click | click an object to select
Alt+click | select under
Shift+click | toggle selection
mouse drag | drag a handle to resize, make arc or segment
Initially, the two arc/segment handles are in the rightmost point; two resize handles are at the topmost and leftmost points.
Ctrl+mouse drag | lock circle (resize handles)
Ctrl+mouse drag | snap to angle steps (arc/segment handles)
Resize handles change the width and height of the ellipse in its own coordinate system, before any transforms are applied.
The default angle step is 15 degrees.
Esc | deselect
# Star tool
#### Drawing
mouse drag | draw a star
Ctrl+mouse drag | snap star to angle steps
The default angle step is 15 degrees.
#### Editing
click | click an object to select
Alt+click | select under
Shift+click | toggle selection
mouse drag | drag a handle to vary the star shape
Ctrl+mouse drag | keep star rays radial (no skew)
Shift+mouse drag | round the star
Shift+click | remove rounding
Alt+mouse drag | randomize the star
Alt+click | remove randomization
Esc | deselect
# Spiral tool
#### Drawing
mouse drag | draw a spiral
Ctrl+mouse drag | snap spiral to angle steps
The default angle step is 15 degrees.
#### Editing
click | click an object to select
Alt+click | select under
Shift+click | toggle selection
mouse drag | roll/unroll from inside (inner handle)
Dragging the inner handle adjusts the "inner radius" parameter.
Alt+mouse drag | converge/diverge (inner handle)
Alt+click | reset divergence (inner handle)
Vertical Alt+drag of the inner handle adjusts the "divergence" parameter, Alt+click resets it to 1.
Shift+click | zero inner radius (inner handle)
Shift+click on inner handle makes the spiral start from the center.
mouse drag | roll/unroll from outside (outer handle)
Dragging the outer handle adjusts the "turns" parameter. Use Shift+Alt+drag to roll/unroll without changing radius.
Shift+mouse drag | scale/rotate (outer handle)
Use Shift+Alt to rotate only (locks the radius of the spiral).
Ctrl+mouse drag | snap handles to angle steps
The default angle step is 15 degrees. This works for both handles.
Esc | deselect
# Zoom tool
click | zoom in
Shift+click | zoom out
mouse drag | zoom into the area
# Freehand tool
mouse drag | draw a freehand line
Shift+mouse drag | add to selected path
If a path is selected, Shift+dragging anywhere creates a new subpath instead of a new independent path.
Shift+mouse drag | temporarily disable snapping
Shift also temporaily disables snapping to grid or guides when you are drawing with grid or guides on.
# Bezier (Pen) tool
#### Create nodes
click | create a sharp node
If no path is being created, this starts a new path.
Shift+click | add to selected path
If a path is selected, Shift+clicking anywhere starts a new subpath instead of a new independent path.
mouse drag | create a bezier node with two handles
Shift+mouse drag | move only one handle
This moves only one handle (instead of both) to create a cusp node.
Ctrl+mouse drag | snap the handle to angle steps
The default angle step is 15 degrees.
#### Create segments
Ctrl+ | snap the segment to angle steps
This snaps the new node's angle, relative to the previous node, to angle steps (default 15 degrees).
#### Finish
Enter | finish current line
right click | finish current line
clickclick | finish current line
Enter, right click, or double left click finish the current line, discarding the last unfinished (red) segment.
#### Keyboard
Esc | cancel current line
Backspace, Del | erase last segment of current line
# Calligraphy
mouse drag | draw a calligraphic line
Left arrow, Right arrow | adjust pen width
Up arrow, Down arrow | adjust pen angle
Width and angle can be adjusted while drawing.
# Gradient tool
#### Creating gradients
mouse drag | create gradient
This creates gradient on selected objects. The Controls bar lets you select linear/radial and fill/stroke for the new gradient.
clickclick | create default gradient
This creates default (horizontal edge-to-edge for linear, centered edge-to-edge-to-edge for radial) gradient on clicked object.
#### Handles
Tab | select next handle
Shift+Tab | select previous handle
arrows | move selected handle by the nudge distance
Shift+arrows | move selected handle by 10x nudge distance
The default nudge distance is 2 px (SVG pixel units, not screen pixels).
Alt+arrows | move selected handle by 1 pixel
Alt+Shift+arrows | move selected handle by 10 pixels
The actual distance for pixel movements depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer movement.
Esc | deselect handle
clickclick | open gradient editor
Double clicking a gradient handle opens the Gradient Editor with that gradient and the clicked handle chosen in the stops list.
#### Reversing
Shift+r | reverse gradient definition
This mirrors the stop positions of the current gradient without moving the gradient handles.
#### Mouse select
click | click an object to select
Alt+click | select under
Shift+click | toggle selection
# Dropper tool
click | pick fill color
Shift+click | pick stroke color
mouse drag | average fill color
Shift+mouse drag | average stroke color
Click applies the color under cursor to the current selection. Dragging a radius calculates the average color of a circular area.
If a gradient handle (in Gradient tool) is selected, it gets the color instead of the entire object.
Alt+click, Alt+mouse drag | pick inverse color
If Alt is pressed, picking color (with or without Shift, by click or by drag) picks the inverse of the color.
Ctrl+C | copy color
This copies the color under cursor to the system clipboard, as text in RRGGBBAA format (8 hex digits).
# Text tool
#### Selecting/creating
click | create/select a text object
Clicking in an empty space or on a non-text creates a text object; now you can type your text.
Clicking on a text object selects it; cursor is placed near the click point.
Esc | deselect the text object
#### Text navigation
arrows | move cursor by one character
Ctrl+Left arrow, Ctrl+Right arrow | move cursor by one word
Ctrl+Up arrow, Ctrl+Down arrow | move cursor by one paragraph
Home, End | go to beginning/end of line
Ctrl+Home, Ctrl+End | go to beginning/end of text
All these commands cancel current text selection, if any.
#### Flowed text (internal frame)
mouse drag | create flowed text
Clicking and dragging in an empty space or on a non-text creates a flowed text object with internal frame.
mouse drag | adjust frame size
Dragging the handle in the lower right corner of the selected flowed text changes width/height of the frame.
Ctrl+mouse drag | lock width, height, or ratio of frame
Dragging the corner handle with Ctrl resizes the frame preserving either width, or height, or ratio.
#### Flowed text (external frame)
Alt+W | flow text into frame
With a text object and a shape/path selected, this flows text into the shape/path.
Both remain separate objects, but are linked; editing the shape/path causes the text to reflow.
Alt+Shift+W | unflow text from frame
This cuts the flowed text's link to the shape/path, producing a single-line regular text object.
Shift+D | select external frame
To find out which object is the frame of this flowed text, select it and press Shift+D. The frame will be selected.
#### Text on path
Shift+D | select path
To find out which path this text is put on, select it and press Shift+D. The path will be selected.
#### Editing text
To type + and - characters, use the main keyboard; keypad + and - are reserved for zoom (unless NumLock is on).
Enter | start a new line or paragraph
Enter in regular text creates new line; in flowed text it creates a new paragraph
Ctrl+U | toggle Unicode entry
To insert an arbitrary Unicode character, type Ctrl+U, then the hexadecimal code point, then Enter.
For example, Ctrl+U 2 0 1 4 Enter inserts an em-dash.
To stay in Unicode mode after inserting the character, press Space instead of Enter.
Press Esc or another Ctrl+U to cancel Unicode mode without inserting the character.
Ctrl+Space | insert no-break space
A no-break space is visible even in a text object without xml:space="preserve".
#### Selecting text
mouse drag | select text
Left-dragging over a text object selects a text span.
Shift+arrows | select text by character
Ctrl+Shift+arrows | select text by word
Shift+Home, Shift+End | select to beginning/end of line
Ctrl+Shift+Home, Ctrl+Shift+End | select to beginning/end of text
clickclick | select word
clickclickclick | select line
Ctrl+A | select all text
This selects the entire text of the current text object.
#### Styling selection
Ctrl+B | make selection bold
Ctrl+I | make selection italic
Also, you can use the Text&Font or Fill&Stroke dialogs to assign any style to text selection.
#### Letter spacing
Alt+> | expand line/paragraph by 1 pixel
Shift+Alt+> | expand line/paragraph by 10 pixels
Alt+< | contract line/paragraph by 1 pixel
Shift+Alt+< | contract line/paragraph by 10 pixels
These commands (only when editing text) adjust letter spacing in the current line (regular text) or paragraph (flowed text).
The actual adjustment for pixel movements depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer adjustment.
#### Line spacing
Ctrl+Alt+> | make the text object taller by 1 pixel
Shift+Ctrl+Alt+> | make the text object taller by 10 pixels
Ctrl+Alt+< | make the text object shorter by 1 pixel
Shift+Ctrl+Alt+< | make the text object shorter by 10 pixels
These commands (only when editing text) adjust line spacing in the entire text object (regular or flowed).
The actual adjustment for pixel movements depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer adjustment.
#### Kerning and shifting
Alt+arrows | shift characters by 1 pixel
Shift+Alt+arrows | shift characters by 10 pixels
These commands work when editing a regular text object. Kerning does not work in flowed text.
With no selection, they shift (horizontally or vertically) the characters after the cursor until the end of line.
With selection, they shift the selection relative to the rest of text (by inserting opposite kerns at both ends of selection).
The actual adjustment for pixel movements depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer adjustment.
#### Rotating
Ctrl+[, Ctrl+] | rotate character(s) by 90 degrees
Alt+[, Alt+] | rotate character(s) by 1 pixel
These commands rotate the next character (without selection) or all characters in the selection (with selection).
Rotation only works in regular text (not flowed text).
The actual angle for pixel rotation depends on zoom level. Zoom in for finer movement.