InDesign shortcut keys centre on frames and pages. Ctrl + D places an image or text file into the selected frame, W switches between the working view and a clean preview, and Ctrl + J jumps to any page number. Tools are single letters, such as V for Selection and T for Type.
Fitting images is where shortcuts save the most time: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E fits content proportionally inside a frame, and Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C fills the frame. Every Ctrl key here becomes Command on a Mac keyboard, while Alt turns into Option.
Quick facts
Place
Ctrl + DPreview mode
WGo to page
Ctrl + JFit proportionally
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + EFill frame
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + CPage number marker
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + NExport
Ctrl + E
InDesign shortcut keys for tools
| Key | Tool |
|---|---|
| V | Selection |
| A | Direct Selection (content inside a frame) |
| T | Type |
| F | Rectangle Frame |
| M | Rectangle |
| L | Ellipse |
| P | Pen |
| H | Hand |
| Z | Zoom |
| I | Eyedropper |
While typing in a text frame, letters type text instead of switching tools, so press Esc first. Holding Space gives the Hand tool for a moment, and in text Alt plus Space does the same.
Pages, views and guides
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + J | Go to page |
| Ctrl + Shift + P | Add a page |
| Ctrl + 0 | Fit page in window |
| Ctrl + Alt + 0 | Fit spread in window |
| Ctrl + 1 | Actual size |
| Ctrl + R | Rulers |
| Ctrl + ; | Show or hide guides |
| W | Preview mode |
For automatic page numbers, draw a text frame on the parent page and press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + N; every page shows its own number. Parent pages, called master pages in older versions, hold headers, footers and logos that repeat across the document.
Text formatting keys
Ctrl + T opens the Character panel and Ctrl + Alt + T the Paragraph panel. With text selected, Ctrl + Shift + . increases the size and Ctrl + Shift + , decreases it. Alt + Up and Alt + Down change leading, the space between lines, and Alt + Left or Alt + Right adjust tracking or kerning. Ctrl + Y opens the Story Editor, a plain text view that makes long edits much easier.
Images and frames
| Keys | Effect |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + D | Place a file |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E | Fit content proportionally |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C | Fill frame proportionally |
| Ctrl + Alt + E | Fit content to frame (may stretch) |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Center content |
| Ctrl + E | Export to PDF and other formats |
Placing several images at once loads them into the cursor; click each frame in turn to drop them in order. The Links panel shows any image that has moved or changed since placing, which avoids blurry or missing pictures at the printer.
PageMaker shortcut keys and InDesign
PageMaker is no longer developed, and its files can be opened only in older InDesign versions. Users moving across will find familiar keys: Ctrl + D places a file in both, Ctrl + 0 fits the page, and Ctrl + A selects all. Typing and text styles work much like before, with paragraph styles replacing PageMaker style sheets. DTP institutes in India still teach both, so the shared keys are worth learning first.
When InDesign keys do not work
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Letters type into the document | You are in a text frame; press Esc |
| Image looks pixelated | View is set to fast display; change display performance |
| Page number shows a letter | That is how the marker looks on parent pages |
| Shortcut set looks different | Edit, Keyboard Shortcuts lets you load the default set |
Frequently asked questions
What are the most used InDesign shortcut keys?
Ctrl + D place, W preview, Ctrl + J go to page and V Selection.
How do I fit an image to a frame in InDesign?
How do I add page numbers?
Use Ctrl + Alt + Shift + N in a text frame on the parent page.
How do I add a page?
Do PageMaker shortcut keys work in InDesign?
Several do, such as Ctrl + D to place.