Customizing keyboard shortcuts for efficient work in Adobe Illustrator

In Adobe Illustrator, you can significantly optimize your workflow by customizing the keyboard shortcuts, also called shortcuts, to suit your needs. These customizations allow you to work faster and more efficiently by accessing frequently used functions directly via the keyboard. In this guide, you will learn how to set up and customize keyboard shortcuts in Adobe Illustrator to improve your workflow.

Key Takeaways

• Keyboard shortcuts help you perform common actions more quickly.
• You can customize and save shortcuts according to your needs.
• Multiple users can set up different shortcuts on the same computer without affecting each other.

Step-by-Step Guide

You can easily customize your shortcuts through the menu in Adobe Illustrator. Let's get started.

To edit the keyboard commands, first navigate to the menu settings by clicking on "Edit" at the top and then selecting "Keyboard Shortcuts." Here you will see a list of current shortcuts.

If you want to select a specific command, such as the Direct Selection tool, click on it. Next to each tool, you will see the assigned shortcut, in this case, an "A" for the Direct Selection tool. This directly shows you that you can access this tool by pressing the A key.

If you wish to change the shortcut for a tool, simply click on the corresponding command in the list. Let's say you want a different key for the Direct Selection tool, like the K key. Click on the entry, delete the old shortcut, and then press K to set it.

If the K key is already assigned to another command, you will be asked if you want to replace the old shortcut. Click on "Conflict" to apply the change. You can then set a new shortcut for the other command that you want to remove the K key from, or simply leave it blank.

In addition to editing tool shortcuts, there are a variety of menu commands that you can also customize. Activate the section for menu commands and explore the different options. You can even use key combinations to set a shortcut for a function. For example, if you want to link the "Export" menu with "Ctrl + J," simply click on the command and enter the key combination.

By customizing your shortcuts, you can simplify your workflow. It's often helpful to memorize the shortcuts for functions you regularly use in Adobe Illustrator – this saves you valuable time.

There is also the option to manage shortcuts for multiple users if you are working on a shared computer. Each person can set up and save their own set of shortcuts independently. The system allows you to create different profiles with different shortcuts so that each user has their optimal setup.

To save your key combinations, simply go to the top right field and give your set of shortcuts a name. This allows you to easily switch between different shortcut settings in the future.

Summary

Customizing keyboard shortcuts in Adobe Illustrator is a simple and effective way to increase your productivity. By accessing frequently used functions directly through the keyboard, you can work significantly faster and more efficiently on your projects.