Excalidraw keyboard shortcuts
Excalidraw is a free, open source whiteboard in your browser for quick diagrams and sketches you can share. Its keys save and export drawings, copy and paste shapes and styles, arrange layers and groups, change canvas modes and zoom, and pick tools.
Windows, macOS, Linux · 38 shortcutsFile and command actions
Save, load, clear, export, or open the command palette from the canvas.
| Action | Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| Save the drawing | Windows / LinuxCtrl + S macOSCmd + S |
| Open a drawing | Windows / LinuxCtrl + O macOSCmd + O |
| Clear the canvas | Windows / LinuxCtrl + Delete macOSCmd + Delete |
| Export the drawing as an image | Windows / LinuxCtrl + Shift + E macOSCmd + Shift + E |
| Open the command palette | Windows / LinuxCtrl + /orCtrl + Shift + P macOSCmd + /orCmd + Shift + P |
| Show the keyboard shortcuts | Windows / macOS / Linux? |
| Search the menu | Windows / LinuxCtrl + F macOSCmd + F |
Clipboard and selection
Clipboard and selection commands work on the focused canvas selection.
| Action | Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| Cut the selection | Windows / LinuxCtrl + X macOSCmd + X |
| Copy the selection | Windows / LinuxCtrl + C macOSCmd + C |
| Paste | Windows / LinuxCtrl + V macOSCmd + V |
| Copy styles | Windows / LinuxCtrl + Alt + C macOSCmd + Option + C |
| Paste styles | Windows / LinuxCtrl + Alt + V macOSCmd + Option + V |
| Select all elements | Windows / LinuxCtrl + A macOSCmd + A |
| Delete the selected elements | Windows / macOS / LinuxDelete |
| Duplicate the selection | Windows / LinuxCtrl + D macOSCmd + D |
Layers and grouping
Change stacking order, grouping, and locking for selected elements.
| Action | Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| Send the selection backward | Windows / LinuxCtrl + [ macOSCmd + [ |
| Bring the selection forward | Windows / LinuxCtrl + ] macOSCmd + ] |
| Send the selection to the back | Windows / LinuxCtrl + Shift + [ macOSCmd + Option + [ |
| Bring the selection to the front | Windows / LinuxCtrl + Shift + ] macOSCmd + Option + ] |
| Group the selection | Windows / LinuxCtrl + G macOSCmd + G |
| Ungroup the selection | Windows / LinuxCtrl + Shift + G macOSCmd + Shift + G |
| Lock or unlock the selection | Windows / LinuxCtrl + Shift + L macOSCmd + Shift + L |
Canvas modes and view
Toggle canvas modes, change the view, and fit the drawing without changing its elements.
| Action | Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| Toggle the theme | Windows / LinuxShift + Alt + D macOSShift + Option + D |
| Toggle grid mode | Windows / LinuxCtrl + ' macOSCmd + ' |
| Toggle zen mode | Windows / LinuxAlt + Z macOSOption + Z |
| Toggle snap mode | Windows / LinuxAlt + S macOSOption + S |
| Toggle statistics | Windows / LinuxAlt + / macOSOption + / |
| Toggle view mode | Windows / LinuxAlt + R macOSOption + R |
| Flip the selection horizontally | Windows / macOS / LinuxShift + H |
| Flip the selection vertically | Windows / macOS / LinuxShift + V |
| Reset zoom | Windows / LinuxCtrl + 0 macOSCmd + 0 |
| Zoom out | Windows / LinuxCtrl + - macOSCmd + - |
| Zoom in | Windows / LinuxCtrl + + macOSCmd + + |
| Fit the selection to the viewport | Windows / macOS / LinuxShift + 3 |
| Fit all elements to the viewport | Windows / macOS / LinuxShift + 1 |
| Center the selection in the viewport | Windows / macOS / LinuxShift + 2 |
Tools
Lock a drawing tool or add a hyperlink to the selected element.
| Action | Shortcuts |
|---|---|
| Add or edit a hyperlink | Windows / LinuxCtrl + K macOSCmd + K |
| Lock the active tool | Windows / macOS / LinuxQ |
Source
Excalidraw shortcut map · Checked
The current Excalidraw shortcut map in the official repository was checked September 1, 2026. Excalidraw can be embedded in other products, where host shortcuts or browser behavior may take precedence.