Canva keyboard shortcuts
Canva's editor uses shortcuts for creating elements, arranging and resizing selections, formatting text, changing page views, and handling comments. Desktop-app window and tab commands are separate from shortcuts that act inside a design.
Windows, macOS · 123 shortcutsBasic editing and navigation
These commands apply across Canva's desktop editor. Quick actions can be opened with a single slash or the platform modifier chord.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Undo | CtrlZ | CmdZ |
| Redo | CtrlYorCtrlShiftZ | CmdY |
| Save | CtrlS | CmdS |
| Select all | CtrlA | CmdA |
| Show or hide the sidebar | Ctrl/ | Cmd/ |
| Add text | T | T |
| Add a rectangle | R | R |
| Add a line | L | L |
| Add a curved line | Shift\ | Not documented |
| Add a circle | C | C |
| Add a link | CtrlK | CmdK |
| Add a sticky note | S | Not documented |
| Add an emoji in Canva Docs or comments | Win; | Shift; |
| Add an empty page | CtrlEnter | CmdReturn |
| Delete an empty page | CtrlBackspace | CmdDelete |
| Move focus to the toolbar | CtrlF1 | CmdF1 |
| Skip focus to the canvas | CtrlF2 | CmdF2 |
| Open Quick actions | /orCtrlE | /orCmdE |
| Show Layers | Alt1 | Not documented |
| Lock guides | AltCtrl; | Not documented |
| Go to the comment on the selected element | AltCtrlJ | Not documented |
| Go to a page | AltCtrlG | Not documented |
| Add a page break | CtrlEnter | Not documented |
| Toggle duration | AltD | Not documented |
| CtrlP | Not documented | |
| Move to the next editor surface | CtrlF6 | Not documented |
| Move to the previous editor surface | ShiftCtrlF6 | Not documented |
| Move focus to the side panel | CtrlF3 | Not documented |
Elements
Selection movement and resizing use arrows for small steps and Shift-arrows for large steps. Rotation uses platform-specific punctuation modifiers.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Delete selected elements | BackspaceorDelete | Delete |
| Duplicate selected elements | CtrlD | Not documented |
| Group selected elements | CtrlG | CmdG |
| Ungroup selected elements | CtrlShiftG | CmdShiftG |
| Lock the selected element | AltShiftL | OptionShiftL |
| Justify elements at the same level | CtrlShiftJ | CmdShiftJ |
| Move selected elements forward | Ctrl] | Cmd] |
| Move selected elements backward | Ctrl[ | Cmd[ |
| Move selected elements to the front | AltCtrl] | OptionCmd] |
| Move selected elements to the back | AltCtrl[ | OptionCmd[ |
| Tidy up selected elements | AltShiftT | ShiftCmdT |
| Select the next element | Tab | Tab |
| Select the previous element | ShiftTab | ShiftTab |
| Move selected elements left by a small step | Left | Left |
| Move selected elements right by a small step | Right | Right |
| Move selected elements up by a small step | Up | Up |
| Move selected elements down by a small step | Down | Down |
| Move selected elements left by a large step | ShiftLeft | ShiftLeft |
| Move selected elements right by a large step | ShiftRight | ShiftRight |
| Move selected elements up by a large step | ShiftUp | ShiftUp |
| Move selected elements down by a large step | ShiftDown | ShiftDown |
| Rotate selected elements left by a small step | Alt, | , |
| Rotate selected elements right by a small step | Alt. | . |
| Rotate selected elements left by a large step | AltShift, | Shift, |
| Rotate selected elements right by a large step | AltShift. | Shift. |
| Resize selected elements left by a small step | CtrlLeft | CmdLeft |
| Resize selected elements right by a small step | CtrlRight | CmdRight |
| Resize selected elements up by a small step | CtrlUp | CmdUp |
| Resize selected elements down by a small step | CtrlDown | CmdDown |
| Resize selected elements left by a large step | ShiftCtrlLeft | ShiftCmdLeft |
| Resize selected elements right by a large step | ShiftCtrlRight | ShiftCmdRight |
| Resize selected elements up by a large step | ShiftCtrlUp | ShiftCmdUp |
| Resize selected elements down by a large step | ShiftCtrlDown | ShiftCmdDown |
Text
Text commands require an active text box or selection. Body and heading style number shortcuts are limited to Canva Docs.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Open the font menu | ShiftCtrlF | ShiftCmdF |
| Find and replace | CtrlF | CmdF |
| Bold text | CtrlB | CmdB |
| Italicize text | CtrlI | CmdI |
| Underline text | CtrlU | CmdU |
| Strikethrough text | ShiftCtrlS | Not documented |
| Apply subscript | Ctrl, | Not documented |
| Apply superscript | Ctrl. | Not documented |
| Change text to uppercase | ShiftCtrlK | ShiftCmdK |
| Align text left | ShiftCtrlL | ShiftCmdL |
| Align text center | ShiftCtrlC | ShiftCmdC |
| Align text right | ShiftCtrlR | ShiftCmdR |
| Decrease font size by one | ShiftCtrl, | ShiftCmd, |
| Increase font size by one | ShiftCtrl. | ShiftCmd. |
| Decrease line spacing | AltCtrlDown | OptionCmdDown |
| Increase line spacing | AltCtrlUp | OptionCmdUp |
| Decrease letter spacing | AltCtrl, | OptionCmd, |
| Increase letter spacing | AltCtrl. | OptionCmd. |
| Anchor text to the top | CtrlShiftH | CmdShiftH |
| Anchor text to the middle | CtrlShiftM | CmdShiftM |
| Anchor text to the bottom | CtrlShiftB | CmdShiftB |
| Create a numbered list | CtrlShift7 | CmdShift7 |
| Create a bulleted list | CtrlShift8 | CmdShift8 |
| Create a checklist | CtrlShift9 | Not documented |
| Copy text style | AltCtrlC | OptionCmdC |
| Paste text style | AltCtrlV | OptionCmdV |
| Apply Body text style in Canva Docs | CtrlShift0 | Not documented |
| Apply Title style in Canva Docs | CtrlShift1 | Not documented |
| Apply Subtitle style in Canva Docs | CtrlShift2 | Not documented |
Video, zoom, and page view
Playback keys act on video. Zoom changes the design canvas, while the numbered view commands switch among scrolling, thumbnail, and grid layouts.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Play or pause video | Space | Space |
| Mute or unmute video | M | M |
| Loop video | Not documented | OptionCmdL |
| Zoom in | Ctrl+ | Cmd+ |
| Zoom out | Ctrl- | Cmd- |
| Zoom to actual size | Ctrl0 | Cmd0 |
| Zoom to fit | AltCtrl0 | OptionCmd0 |
| Zoom to fill | ShiftCtrl0 | ShiftCmd0 |
| Show rulers and guides | ShiftR | ShiftR |
| Use scrolling view | AltCtrl1 | OptionCmd1 |
| Use thumbnail view | AltCtrl2 | OptionCmd2 |
| Use grid view | AltCtrl3 | OptionCmd3 |
| Enter presentation mode | AltCtrlP | OptionCmdP |
Comments
Comment commands require focus in the comment composer, except Add comment, which opens a new comment on the current design context.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Add a comment | AltCtrlN | OptionCmdN |
| Add an emoji to a comment | Shift; | Shift; |
| Start a new line in a comment | EnterorShiftEnter | EnterorShiftEnter |
| Submit a comment | Not documented | CmdReturn |
Canva desktop app for Mac
These commands control native Canva app windows, design tabs, or interface scaling rather than the open design canvas.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Quit the Canva app | Not documented | CmdQ |
| Reload the Canva app | Not documented | CmdR |
| Enter full-screen mode | Not documented | CtrlCmdF |
| Close the current tab | Not documented | CmdW |
| Select the next tab | Not documented | OptionCmdRight |
| Select the previous tab | Not documented | OptionCmdLeft |
| Reopen the last closed tab | Not documented | CmdShiftT |
| Create a new design | Not documented | CmdT |
| Switch to design tab 1 through 8 | Not documented | Cmd1-8 |
| Switch to the last tab | Not documented | Cmd9 |
| Open Settings | Not documented | Cmd, |
| Open the Home page | Not documented | CmdShiftH |
| Zoom in the app interface | Not documented | CmdShift+ |
| Zoom out the app interface | Not documented | CmdShift- |
| Reset app interface scaling | Not documented | ShiftCmd0 |
| Close the current window | Not documented | ShiftCmdW |