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.