Converting Photoshop Mac and Window Commands

The computer labs at my school use Windows, so I write my instructions using the commands that my students use in our class. I have started using Mac commands in my newer tutorials to make it easier for users teaching in a Mac lab.

Until my older tutorials are converted, here are some tips to help you convert the commands on your own:

Windows	Mac
Control/CTRL	Command/Cmd
ALT	Option
Backspace	Delete
Right-Click	Ctrl

I urge users to use key commands when possible. Users will find that it greatly increases efficiency. Now that certification exams are available in-app, shortcuts will work on the test. Here is a list of the common key commands that I teach first when introducing Photoshop to new users:

COMMAND	ACTION		COMMAND	ACTION
CTRL Z	Undo		CTRL X	Cut
CTRL 0	Fit on Screen		CTRL C	Copy
CTRL D	Deselect		CTRL V	Paste
CTRL N	New Doc		F7	Layers Panel
CTRL S	Save		F5	Brushes Panel
[	Smaller Brush		]	Larger Brush
SHIFT CTRL S	Save as		CTRL 1	View 100%
CTRL T	Free Transform		CTRL H	Hides Extras (like marquees)
CTRL R	Rulers		CTRL +	Zoom in
CTRL J	Layer via copy		CTRL –	Zoom out
CTRL I	Invert colors		CTRL A	Select All
SHIFT CTRL I	Invert Selection		SHIFT F5	Fill
CTRL O	Open Doc		CTRL L	Levels
CTRL W	Close Doc		CTRL M	Curves
ALT BACKSPACE	Fill w/ foreground		CTRL E	Merge Down
CTRL BACKSPACE	Fill w/ background		CTRL G	Group layers

TOOL SHORTCUTS

I also encourage users to know the key commands to activate the most often used tools. Learning Photoshop can be a bit overwhelming, but associating the key that matches the tool will help users to switch between tools quickly. As new users select a tool, Photoshop will offer the key shortcut when the tool name is listed.

KEY	TOOL
V	Move
M	Marquees
W	Wands (Quick Select/Magic Wand)
B	Brushes
D	Default Colors
X	Switch Colors (Foreground/Background)
I	Eyedropper
T	Type
L	Lasso
C	Crop
J	Healing tools
S	Stamp
E	Eraser
G	Gradients
O	Dodge
P	Pen
A	Path Selection
Z	Zoom
H	Hand
Adding the Shift key to these single keys will toggle through the tools hidden under the top tool. You don’t have to learn all of the tool keys. In fact, I did not list all of them here. This is the order that I teach them in.