InDesign CS2 Shortcuts: Mac

Keyboard Shortcuts

Here are many keyboard shortcuts for InDesign CS2, including lesser known and hidden keystrokes!

Adjust Font Size
Increase by Increment Cmd-Shift->
Decrease by Increment Cmd-Shift-<
(add Option to the above keystrokes to make them Increment x 5)
Adjust Leading
Increase by Increment Option-down arrow
Decrease by Increment Option-up arrow
(add Cmd to the above keystrokes to make them Increment x 5)
Revert to Auto Leading Cmd-Option-Shift-A
Adjust Kerning / Tracking & Word Spacing
Increase by Increment Option-right arrow
Decrease by Increment Option-left arrow
Increase by Increment x 5 Cmd-Option-right arrow
Decrease by Increment x 5 Cmd-Option-left arrow
Increase between words Cmd-Option-Shift-\
Decrease between words Cmd-Option-Shift-Delete
Clear all manual kerning and reset tracking to 0 Cmd-Option-Q
Adjust Baseline Shift
Move Up by Increment Option-Shift-up arrow
Move Down by Increment Option-Shift-down arrow
(add Cmd to the above keystrokes to make them Increment x 5)
Scaling Picture & Text Frames
(picture content is scaled with the frame, but text content is not scaled with the frame)
Scale 5% Bigger Cmd-Opt->
Scale 5% Smaller Cmd-Opt-<
Scale 1% Bigger Cmd->
Scale 1% Smaller Cmd-<
Fitting Content & Pictures
Fit Content Proportionally Cmd-Opt-Shift-E
Fit Content to Frame Cmd-Opt-E
Center Content Cmd-Shift-E
Fit Frame to Content Cmd-Opt-C
Nudging Objects
Move by Increment Any arrow key
Move by Increment x 10 Shift-any arrow key
Move by Increment x 1/10 Cmd-Shift-any arrow key
Flowing Text
Semi-autoflow (keeps text in cursor so you can continue flowing) Option-click
Multi-Page Autoflow (creates additional pages) Shift-click
Single-Page Autoflow (does not create additional pages) Shift-Option-click
Styling Text
Bold Cmd-Shift-B
Italic Cmd-Shift-I
Normal Cmd-Shift-Y
All Caps Cmd-Shift-K
Edit Style Sheet without Applying it Cmd-Option-Shift-Double click style
Working with Paragraph Styles
To remove local formatting (non Style changes) Opt-click Style Name
To remove local formatting and Character Styles Opt-Shift-click Style Name
Working with Styles
Quick Apply a Style Cmd-Return (start typing the style name, hit Return to apply)
Redefine a Paragraph Style Cmd-Opt-Shift-R
Redefine a Character Style Cmd-Opt-Shift-C
Working with Master Pages
Select a master page object (that is on a document page) Cmd-Shift-click
Insert Special characters
Indent to Here Cmd-\
Right Indent Tab Shift-Tab
Discretionary Hyphen Cmd-Shift-hyphen (-)
Nonbreaking Hyphen Cmd-Opt-hyphen (-)
Insert Automatic Page Number
Auto Page Number Of the Current page Cmd-Opt-Shift-N
Insert White Space
Em space Cmd-Shift-M
En space Cmd-Shift-N
Nonbreaking space Cmd-Opt-X
Thin space Cmd-Opt-Shift-M
Insert Break Characters
Column Break Enter (on keypad)
Frame Break Shift-Enter (on keypad)
Page Break Cmd-Enter (on keypad)
Forced Line Break (or “soft return”) Shift-Return
Moving Text Cursor
Move cursor to beginning or end of line Home or End
Move cursor one word to the left/right Cmd-Left/right arrow
Move cursor to Previous paragraph Cmd-Up Arrow
Move cursor to Next paragraph Cmd-Down Arrow
Selecting Text
Select from cursor to beginning or end of line Shift-Home or Shift-End
Select from cursor to end of story Cmd-Shift-End
Select from cursor to beginning of story Cmd-Shift-Home
Select whole word Double-click
Select line Cmd-Shift-\ (or Triple-click)
Select one word to the left/right Cmd-Shift-Left/Right arrow
Navigating & Scrolling Through Documents
Scroll using Hand tool Option-Spacebar
Go to the First Page Cmd-Shift-Page Up
Go to the Last Page Cmd-Shift-Page Down
Access page number box (so you can enter a page to go to) Cmd-J
Switch between open Documents Cmd-tilde(~)
Zooming
Get the Zoom in tool without selecting it Hold Cmd then Space
Get the Zoom out tool without selecting it Hold Cmd then Space and Option
Zoom In or Out Cmd-plus(+) or Cmd-minus(-)
Fit Page in Window Cmd-0 (zero)
Fit Spread in Window Cmd-Option-0 (zero)
Access zoom percentage box (so you can enter a zoom level) Cmd-Opt-5
Toggle between current and previous zoom levels Cmd-Opt-2
Find / Change
Insert selected text into Find What box Cmd-F1
Insert selected text into Find What box and then Find Next instance Shift-F1
Find the next occurrence of Find What text Shift-F2 or Cmd-Option-F
Insert selected text into Change To box Cmd-F2
Replace selected text with Change To text Cmd-F3
Replace selected text with Change To text and Find Next Shift-F3
Working with Palettes
Highlight the first option in the Control palette Cmd-6
Toggle Control palette between Character and Paragraph options Cmd-Opt-7
Apply a value but keep it highlighted in palette Shift-Return
Show/Hide all Panels including Toolbar Tab (while not in a text frame)
Show/Hide all Panels except the Toolbar Shift-Tab (while not in a text frame)
Create new (style, swatches, etc) & display options dialog Opt-click New button
Close/Open all docked palettes on 1 side on the screen Option-click palette tab
Dock/Undock a group of palettes Hold Option while dragging a palette’s tab
Working with Dialog Boxes
Rotate down through section of options displayed on the left Page Down
Rotate up through section of options displayed on the left Page Up
Jump to section of options displayed on the left Cmd-1 for 1st, Cmd-2 for 2nd, etc.
Cancel Esc (or Cmd-period)
Choose Yes or No Y or N
Miscellaneous Good Stuff
Increase/decrease a value in a field Click in field, press up/down arrow
Toggle Typographer’s Quotes preference Cmd-Opt-Shift-’
Select frame hidden behind another Hold Cmd and keep clicking frame stack
Tabs palette: Move Left Indent (triangle) without moving First Line Indent Hold Shift while dragging the (bottom) triangle
Select all Guides Cmd-Opt-G
Sort Menus Alphabetically Hold Cmd-Opt-Shift and click on Menu
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