Shortcuts

You can use keyboard shortcuts in Sketch to help speed up your design process.

To use a keyboard shortcut, press all the keys listed at the same time. Some commands are only enabled depending on what you are doing, or what you have selected, so we’ve split the commands into various sections.

General Shortcuts

Inserting Layers

Select a shape type or tool, and click and drag in the Canvas to insert it.

Selecting Layers

Moving and Resizing Layers

As you move or resize layers, smart guides and distance parameters are automatically visible.

*This value can be changed in the application preferences.

Editing Layers

When you’ve a layer selected you can use the following shortcuts:

Vector Editing

Text Editing

Arranging Layers

These shortcuts and commands can be used to help you organize your document in the Layer List.

Constraints

Applying these commands to layers inside a group or Artboard will determine how they should behave when later resized.

Exporting Layers

Zoom and Focus

Text Fields

Some handy shortcuts you can perform when you’re in a numerical field in the Inspector:

Size Fields

When adjusting the height or width of a layer, enter the following character after your value to resize from that position. Press the Enter key to confirm:

Math Operators

You can perform math in all numerical inputs of the Inspector. Just apply an operator between two values and press the Enter key to confirm:

Multiple Radiuses

With a rectangle selected, in the radius input field you can specify a different value for each corner.

Export Fields

In the Scale field, enter the following character after a number to get different results.

Miscellaneous

Here are the remainder of shortcuts available in Sketch that don’t fit into any of the above sections. These shortcuts are dependant on which tool you’re in, or what action you’re doing.

Custom Shortcuts

Custom shortcuts can be created via macOS System Preferences. To add your own custom shortcut, open the System Preferences and navigate to Keyboard › Shortcuts › App Shortcuts and click the add button. In the pop-up menu, select Sketch under Application. You will now be able to define your custom shortcut.