InDesign CS3 Shortcuts: Mac

Keyboard Shortcuts

Here are many keyboard shortcuts for InDesign CS3, including lesser known and hidden keystrokes!

Adjust Font Size
Increase by Increment (set in Preferences) Cmd-Shift->
Decrease by Increment Cmd-Shift-<
(add Option to the above keystrokes to make them Increment x 5)
Adjust Leading
Increase by Increment (set in Preferences) 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 (set in Preferences) Option-right arrow
Decrease by Increment Option-left arrow
(add Cmd to the above keystrokes to make them Increment x 5)
Increase between words Cmd-Option-Shift-\
Decrease between words Cmd-Option-Shift-Delete
Clear all manual kerning, tracking, and word spacing Cmd-Option-Q
Adjust Baseline Shift
Move Up by Increment (set in Preferences) 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 Pictures
Make sure the picture content is selected (not the frame that it’s inside).
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
Fill Frame Proportionally Cmd-Opt-Shift-C
Center Content Cmd-Shift-E
Fit Frame to Content Cmd-Opt-C
Nudging Objects
Move by Increment (set in Preferences) 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
Multi-Page Autoflow (creates additional pages) Shift-click
Semi-autoflow (keeps text in cursor so you can continue flowing) Option-click
Fixed-Page Autoflow (does not create additional pages) Shift-Option-click
Styling Text & Working with Styles
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
Redefine a Paragraph Style Cmd-Opt-Shift-R
Redefine a Character Style Cmd-Opt-Shift-C
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 Master Pages
Override a single master page item on a document page Cmd-Shift-click it
Override several master page items Cmd-Shift-drag a marquee over them
Override all master page items on pages selected in Pages panel Cmd-Opt-Shift-L
Insert Special Characters
Indent to Here Cmd-\
Right Indent Tab Shift-Tab
Discretionary Hyphen Cmd-Shift-hyphen (-)
Nonbreaking Hyphen Cmd-Opt-hyphen (-)
Type in Single Straight Quote (Foot Mark) Ctrl-'
Type in Double Straight Quote (Inch Mark) Ctrl-Shift-'
Current Page Number (Auto Page Numbering) 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 & Working with Text
Leave Text Frame and switch to Selection tool Esc
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-Drag
Go to the First Page Cmd-Shift-Page Up
Go to the Last Page Cmd-Shift-Page Down
Go to Page (then type in page number) 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 Panels
Highlight the first option in the Control panel Cmd-6
Toggle Control panel between Character & Paragraph options Cmd-Opt-7
Apply a value but keep it highlighted in panel Shift-Return
Show/Hide all Panels including Toolbox Tab (while not in a text frame)
Show/Hide all Panels except the Toolbox Shift-Tab (while not in a text frame)
Expand/Collapse Panel Stacks Cmd-Opt-Tab (while not in a text frame)
Create new (style, swatches, etc) & display options dialog Opt-click New button
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.
Choose Yes, No, Don’t Save, or Save Y, N, D, or S
Miscellaneous Good Stuff
Select frame hidden behind another Hold Cmd and keep clicking frame stack
Increase/decrease a value in a field Click in field, press up/down arrow
Tabs panel: Move Left Indent (triangle) without moving First Line Indent Hold Shift while dragging the (bottom) triangle
Select all Guides Cmd-Opt-G
Select an Individual Table Cell With Type tool, click in cell and hit Esc
Quick Apply Press Cmd-Return. Then start typing a style name, menu item, text variable, etc. Then press Return to apply.
Sort Menus Alphabetically Hold Cmd-Opt-Shift and click on Menu
Toggle Typographer’s Quotes preference Cmd-Opt-Shift-'
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