Adobe Acrobat Reader keyboard shortcuts

Adobe documents one desktop keyboard map for Acrobat Reader and Acrobat. This Reader reference keeps the viewing, commenting, form-entry, search, portfolio, navigation, and accessibility commands, while leaving Acrobat-only authoring tools on the Acrobat Pro page.

Windows, macOS · 134 shortcuts

Tools pane navigation

These keys move focus through Acrobat's global toolbar and All tools pane without selecting a tool by pointer.

ActionWindowsmacOS
Move focus to the next tool in the global toolbarTabTab
Move focus to the previous tool in the global toolbarShiftTabShiftTab
Expand the focused toolSpaceorEnterSpaceorEnter
Close the open tool when its close button has focusSpaceorEnterSpaceorEnter
Move focus to View more in All toolsTabTab
Move to the next touchpoint in All toolsDownDown
Move to the previous touchpoint in All toolsUpUp
Open the focused All tools itemSpaceorEnterSpaceorEnter
Expand or collapse View moreSpaceorEnterSpaceorEnter
Expand or collapse View lessSpaceorEnterSpaceorEnter
Close the All tools paneEscEsc

Document and editing tools

Reader includes the viewing tool accelerators from Adobe's shared Acrobat keymap. Authoring and paid editing tools are intentionally excluded here.

ActionWindowsmacOS
Temporarily use the Hand toolSpaceSpace
Select the Hand toolHH
Select the Select toolVV
Select the Marquee Zoom toolZZ
Cycle through Marquee Zoom, Dynamic Zoom, and LoupeShiftZShiftZ
Temporarily use Dynamic Zoom while Marquee Zoom is selectedShiftShift
Temporarily zoom out while Marquee Zoom is selectedCtrlOption
Temporarily use the Zoom In toolCtrlSpaceCmdSpace
Select the 3D toolMM

Task panes

Task-pane shortcuts depend on keyboard focus. F6 reaches the pane region before Tab and arrow keys move inside it.

ActionWindowsmacOS
Move focus to the next document, task, message, or navigation paneF6F6
Move focus to the previous document, task, message, or navigation paneShiftF6ShiftF6
Move focus to the next panel in the Task paneCtrlTabOptionTab
Move focus to the previous panel in the Task paneCtrlShiftTabCmdShiftTab
Move to the next control in an open Task paneTabTab
Move to the previous control in an open Task paneShiftTabShiftTab
Move to the next command button in a panelDownDown
Move to the previous command button in a panelUpUp
Expand or collapse the focused panelSpaceorEnterSpaceorEnter
Open or close the Task paneShiftF4ShiftF4
Open the focused command's menuSpaceorEnterSpaceorEnter
Return focus to the parent commandEscEsc
Run the focused commandSpaceorEnterSpaceorEnter

Comments and markups

Single-letter comment tools use the same accelerator preference as the document tools. Tab navigation applies when comments or form fields can receive focus.

ActionWindowsmacOS
Select the Add a comment toolSS
Select the Add a stamp toolKorJKorJ
Select the current highlighting toolUU
Cycle through Highlight, Underline, and StrikethroughShiftUShiftU
Select the current drawing markup toolDD
Cycle through drawing markup toolsShiftDShiftD
Select the Cloud toolQQ
Select the Add text comment toolXX
Cycle through Stamp, Attach file, and Sound RecorderShiftJShiftJ
Move focus to the next comment or form fieldTabTab
Move focus to the previous comment or form fieldShiftTabShiftTab
Add a checkmark to the selected commentShiftKShiftK
Open the focused comment pop-up or Comments list text fieldEnterReturn
Reply to the focused commentRR
Close the focused comment pop-up or text fieldEscEsc

Pages, scrolling, and zoom

Page keys follow the current PDF view. Arrow keys may scroll instead of changing pages when the document is not in a page-by-page layout.

ActionWindowsmacOS
Go to the previous screenPage UporShiftEnterPage UporShiftReturn
Go to the next screenPage DownorEnterPage DownorReturn
Go to the first pageHomeorCtrlShiftPage UporCtrlShiftUpHomeorCmdShiftUp
Go to the last pageEndorCtrlShiftPage DownorCtrlShiftDownEndorCmdShiftDown
Go to the previous pageLeftorCtrlPage UpLeftorCmdPage Up
Go to the next pageRightorCtrlPage DownRightorCmdPage Down
Open Go to pageCtrlShiftNCmdShiftN
Scroll upUpUp
Scroll downDownDown
Scroll while the Hand tool is selectedSpaceSpace
Zoom inCtrl=Cmd=
Zoom outCtrl-Cmd-

PDF portfolios

Portfolio commands apply while focus is in the file list or on its folder controls.

ActionWindowsmacOS
Move to the previous or next portfolio file rowUporDownUporDown
Move up one folder from the portfolio file listBackspaceDelete
Activate the focused Go Back buttonEnterorSpaceEnterorSpace
Open the focused subfolder or attachmentEnterEnter
Move to the first or last portfolio file rowHomeorEndHomeorEnd
Move through the portfolio file list one screen at a timePage DownorPage UpPage DownorPage Up
Select or deselect all portfolio filesCtrlAorCtrlShiftACmdAorCmdShiftA
Extend the portfolio selection by one rowShiftUporShiftDownShiftUporShiftDown
Toggle whether the focused portfolio row is selectedCtrlSpaceCmdSpace
Move portfolio row focus without changing the selectionCtrlUporCtrlDownCmdUporCmdDown

Accessibility and Read Out Loud

These commands change the tagged-PDF view or control Acrobat's built-in Read Out Loud playback.

ActionWindowsmacOS
Edit the selected tagF2F2
Change reading settings for the current documentCtrlShift5CmdShift5
Toggle reflow for a tagged PDFCtrl4Cmd4
Activate or deactivate Read Out LoudCtrlShiftYCmdShiftY
Read the current page out loudCtrlShiftVCmdShiftV
Read the whole document out loudCtrlShiftBCmdShiftB
Pause Read Out LoudCtrlShiftCCmdShiftC
Stop Read Out LoudCtrlShiftECmdShiftE

Filling forms

Form-entry keys apply while a PDF form field has focus. Enter behaves differently in single-line and multiline text fields.

ActionWindowsmacOS
Accept typing and move to the next form fieldTabTab
Accept typing and move to the previous form fieldShiftTabShiftTab
Select the previous radio button in a groupUporLeftUporLeft
Select the next radio button in a groupDownorRightDownorRight
Reject the entry and deselect the form fieldEscEsc
Exit full-screen modeAdobe notes that full-screen mode can require pressing Esc twice.EscEsc
Accept a single-line text entry and deselect the fieldEnterReturn
Insert a paragraph return in a multiline text fieldEnterReturn
Toggle the focused checkboxEnterReturn
Accept typing and deselect the current fieldNumpad EnterNumpad Enter
Insert a tab character into a text fieldCtrlTabCmdTab

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