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 shortcutsTools pane navigation
These keys move focus through Acrobat's global toolbar and All tools pane without selecting a tool by pointer.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Move focus to the next tool in the global toolbar | Tab | Tab |
| Move focus to the previous tool in the global toolbar | ShiftTab | ShiftTab |
| Expand the focused tool | SpaceorEnter | SpaceorEnter |
| Close the open tool when its close button has focus | SpaceorEnter | SpaceorEnter |
| Move focus to View more in All tools | Tab | Tab |
| Move to the next touchpoint in All tools | Down | Down |
| Move to the previous touchpoint in All tools | Up | Up |
| Open the focused All tools item | SpaceorEnter | SpaceorEnter |
| Expand or collapse View more | SpaceorEnter | SpaceorEnter |
| Expand or collapse View less | SpaceorEnter | SpaceorEnter |
| Close the All tools pane | Esc | Esc |
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.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Temporarily use the Hand tool | Space | Space |
| Select the Hand tool | H | H |
| Select the Select tool | V | V |
| Select the Marquee Zoom tool | Z | Z |
| Cycle through Marquee Zoom, Dynamic Zoom, and Loupe | ShiftZ | ShiftZ |
| Temporarily use Dynamic Zoom while Marquee Zoom is selected | Shift | Shift |
| Temporarily zoom out while Marquee Zoom is selected | Ctrl | Option |
| Temporarily use the Zoom In tool | CtrlSpace | CmdSpace |
| Select the 3D tool | M | M |
Task panes
Task-pane shortcuts depend on keyboard focus. F6 reaches the pane region before Tab and arrow keys move inside it.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Move focus to the next document, task, message, or navigation pane | F6 | F6 |
| Move focus to the previous document, task, message, or navigation pane | ShiftF6 | ShiftF6 |
| Move focus to the next panel in the Task pane | CtrlTab | OptionTab |
| Move focus to the previous panel in the Task pane | CtrlShiftTab | CmdShiftTab |
| Move to the next control in an open Task pane | Tab | Tab |
| Move to the previous control in an open Task pane | ShiftTab | ShiftTab |
| Move to the next command button in a panel | Down | Down |
| Move to the previous command button in a panel | Up | Up |
| Expand or collapse the focused panel | SpaceorEnter | SpaceorEnter |
| Open or close the Task pane | ShiftF4 | ShiftF4 |
| Open the focused command's menu | SpaceorEnter | SpaceorEnter |
| Return focus to the parent command | Esc | Esc |
| Run the focused command | SpaceorEnter | SpaceorEnter |
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.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Select the Add a comment tool | S | S |
| Select the Add a stamp tool | KorJ | KorJ |
| Select the current highlighting tool | U | U |
| Cycle through Highlight, Underline, and Strikethrough | ShiftU | ShiftU |
| Select the current drawing markup tool | D | D |
| Cycle through drawing markup tools | ShiftD | ShiftD |
| Select the Cloud tool | Q | Q |
| Select the Add text comment tool | X | X |
| Cycle through Stamp, Attach file, and Sound Recorder | ShiftJ | ShiftJ |
| Move focus to the next comment or form field | Tab | Tab |
| Move focus to the previous comment or form field | ShiftTab | ShiftTab |
| Add a checkmark to the selected comment | ShiftK | ShiftK |
| Open the focused comment pop-up or Comments list text field | Enter | Return |
| Close the focused comment pop-up or text field | Esc | Esc |
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.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Go to the previous screen | Page UporShiftEnter | Page UporShiftReturn |
| Go to the next screen | Page DownorEnter | Page DownorReturn |
| Go to the first page | HomeorCtrlShiftPage UporCtrlShiftUp | HomeorCmdShiftUp |
| Go to the last page | EndorCtrlShiftPage DownorCtrlShiftDown | EndorCmdShiftDown |
| Go to the previous page | LeftorCtrlPage Up | LeftorCmdPage Up |
| Go to the next page | RightorCtrlPage Down | RightorCmdPage Down |
| Open Go to page | CtrlShiftN | CmdShiftN |
| Scroll up | Up | Up |
| Scroll down | Down | Down |
| Scroll while the Hand tool is selected | Space | Space |
| Zoom in | Ctrl= | Cmd= |
| Zoom out | Ctrl- | Cmd- |
PDF portfolios
Portfolio commands apply while focus is in the file list or on its folder controls.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Move to the previous or next portfolio file row | UporDown | UporDown |
| Move up one folder from the portfolio file list | Backspace | Delete |
| Activate the focused Go Back button | EnterorSpace | EnterorSpace |
| Open the focused subfolder or attachment | Enter | Enter |
| Move to the first or last portfolio file row | HomeorEnd | HomeorEnd |
| Move through the portfolio file list one screen at a time | Page DownorPage Up | Page DownorPage Up |
| Select or deselect all portfolio files | CtrlAorCtrlShiftA | CmdAorCmdShiftA |
| Extend the portfolio selection by one row | ShiftUporShiftDown | ShiftUporShiftDown |
| Toggle whether the focused portfolio row is selected | CtrlSpace | CmdSpace |
| Move portfolio row focus without changing the selection | CtrlUporCtrlDown | CmdUporCmdDown |
Documents and search
These bindings switch document tabs and windows, move focus into the PDF, and step through search results.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Move focus to the toolbar or Home view | ShiftF8 | ShiftF8 |
| Move to the next open document tab | CtrlTab | ControlTab |
| Move to the previous open document tab | CtrlShiftTab | ControlShiftTab |
| Move to the previous open document window | CtrlF6 | CmdF6 |
| Move to the next open document window | CtrlShiftF6 | CmdShiftF6 |
| Close the current document | CtrlF4 | CmdF4 |
| Open the focused hamburger menu | SpaceorEnter | Not documented |
| Hide other applications | Not documented | OptionCmdT |
| Close all open documents | Not documented | CmdOptionW |
| Move among Home, Tools, and Document controls in the top bar | RightorLeftorTaborShiftTab | RightorLeftorTaborShiftTab |
| Activate the highlighted top-bar control | EnterorSpace | ReturnorSpace |
| Move to the next comment, link, or form field in the document | Tab | Tab |
| Move focus to the document pane | F5 | F5 |
| Move to the previous comment, link, or form field in the document | ShiftTab | ShiftTab |
| Activate the focused tool, item, or command | SpaceorEnter | SpaceorReturn |
| Open the context menu for the focused itemOn Windows, press Tab first to move focus to the target menu. | ShiftF10 | ControlClick |
| Close the context menu | F10 | Esc |
| Return to the Hand or Select tool | Esc | Esc |
| Move to the next tab in a tabbed dialog | CtrlTab | Not documented |
| Find in the document | CtrlF | CmdF |
| Move to and highlight the next search result | F3orCtrlG | CmdG |
| Search the previous document in multi-file results | AltShiftLeft | CmdShiftLeft |
| Search the next document in multi-file results | AltShiftRight | CmdShiftRight |
| Extend the text selection | ShiftArrow keys | ShiftArrow keys |
| Select the next word or deselect the previous word | CtrlShiftRightorCtrlShiftLeft | Not documented |
| Increase or decrease the focused slider value | RightorLeft | ControlOptionRightorControlOptionLeft |
Accessibility and Read Out Loud
These commands change the tagged-PDF view or control Acrobat's built-in Read Out Loud playback.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Edit the selected tag | F2 | F2 |
| Change reading settings for the current document | CtrlShift5 | CmdShift5 |
| Toggle reflow for a tagged PDF | Ctrl4 | Cmd4 |
| Activate or deactivate Read Out Loud | CtrlShiftY | CmdShiftY |
| Read the current page out loud | CtrlShiftV | CmdShiftV |
| Read the whole document out loud | CtrlShiftB | CmdShiftB |
| Pause Read Out Loud | CtrlShiftC | CmdShiftC |
| Stop Read Out Loud | CtrlShiftE | CmdShiftE |
Filling forms
Form-entry keys apply while a PDF form field has focus. Enter behaves differently in single-line and multiline text fields.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Accept typing and move to the next form field | Tab | Tab |
| Accept typing and move to the previous form field | ShiftTab | ShiftTab |
| Select the previous radio button in a group | UporLeft | UporLeft |
| Select the next radio button in a group | DownorRight | DownorRight |
| Reject the entry and deselect the form field | Esc | Esc |
| Exit full-screen modeAdobe notes that full-screen mode can require pressing Esc twice. | Esc | Esc |
| Accept a single-line text entry and deselect the field | Enter | Return |
| Insert a paragraph return in a multiline text field | Enter | Return |
| Toggle the focused checkbox | Enter | Return |
| Accept typing and deselect the current field | Numpad Enter | Numpad Enter |
| Insert a tab character into a text field | CtrlTab | CmdTab |