# Keyboard shortcuts

> All keyboard shortcuts and modifier keys of the template editor, for Mac and Windows.

Source: https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/keyboard-shortcuts  
Language: en  
Category: design-elements-and-tools  
Last updated: 2026-10-15

In the template editor, the keyboard gets many actions done faster, without a trip to the toolbar or the layers panel. This page lists every shortcut and modifier key there is, for Mac and Windows. There are no others, for example no shortcut to save, to cut or to zoom with the keyboard.

Shortcuts don't work while you type in an input field, for example in the properties panel. Click the element on the canvas or in the layers panel first. While you edit the points of a path, the shortcuts in the Path editing section below apply.

## Selection and editing

| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Select all elements, including those in groups | **Cmd + A** | **Ctrl + A** |
| Delete the selected elements | **Delete (⌫)** | **Backspace** |
| Duplicate | **Cmd + D** | **Ctrl + D** |
| Copy | **Cmd + C** | **Ctrl + C** |
| Paste | **Cmd + V** | **Ctrl + V** |
| Move the selection by 1 pixel | **Arrow keys** | **Arrow keys** |

- On Windows, only **Backspace** deletes elements, not **Delete**.
- **Copy** only copies elements if no text is highlighted on the page. Otherwise it copies the highlighted text.
- **Paste** puts the elements behind the first selected element. If nothing is selected, they go to the bottom of the layers panel.
- The arrow keys always move by exactly 1 pixel, also with **Shift**. They ignore grid lines and snapping. Elements in a **Column** or **Row** layout don't move with them.

![Two elements selected in the layers panel and the ⋮ menu open with Remove, Copy, Paste, Duplicate, Bring to front, Bring up, Send down, Send to back, Group and Mask.](https://imagedelivery.net/mudX-CmAqIANL8bxoNCToA/help/KB-keyboard-shortcuts-01/public){width="303"}

## Select with the mouse

| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Add an element to the selection | **Shift + click** | **Shift + click** |
| Add all elements in a frame to the selection | **Shift + drag** on an empty spot | **Shift + drag** on an empty spot |
| Select an element inside a group directly | **Cmd + click** | not available |
| Step one level into a group | **Double-click** | **Double-click** |
| Select a range of rows in the layers panel | **Shift + click** a row | **Shift + click** a row |
| Add a row in the layers panel to the selection or remove it | **Option + click** a row | **Alt + click** a row |

Without a modifier key, a click on an element inside a group selects the whole group. Each double-click selects one level further inside. On Windows, you reach elements in a group by double-clicking or in the layers panel.

Dragging a frame on an empty spot only works while the [layout grid](https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/layout-grid) is hidden.

## Arrange and group

| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Group | **Cmd + G** | **Ctrl + G** |
| Ungroup, or take elements out of their group | **Cmd + Shift + G** | **Ctrl + Shift + G** |
| **Bring up**: one step forward | **Cmd + Option + 6** | **Ctrl + Alt + 6** |
| **Send down**: one step back | **Cmd + Option + 5** | **Ctrl + Alt + 5** |
| **Bring to front**: all the way forward | **Cmd + Shift + Option + 6** | **Ctrl + Shift + Alt + 6** |
| **Send to back**: all the way back | **Cmd + Shift + Option + 5** | **Ctrl + Shift + Alt + 5** |

- If you selected exactly one group, **Cmd + Shift + G** (Mac) / **Ctrl + Shift + G** (Windows) ungroups it. If you selected elements inside a group, it takes them out and keeps the group.
- **Bring up** and **Send down** move an element within its group. **Bring to front** and **Send to back** take it out of its group and put it all the way to the front or back of the template.
- The same actions are in the ⋮ menu of a row in the layers panel. There, the top row is in front.

## Undo and redo

| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Undo | **Cmd + Z** | **Ctrl + Z** |
| Redo | **Cmd + Shift + Z** | **Ctrl + Shift + Z** |

**Undo** and **Redo** are also buttons at the top left of the toolbar.

![Top left of the toolbar with the Undo and Redo buttons highlighted.](https://imagedelivery.net/mudX-CmAqIANL8bxoNCToA/help/KB-keyboard-shortcuts-03/public){width="377"}

## View

| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom in or out at the mouse pointer | **Ctrl + scroll** or pinch on the trackpad | **Ctrl + scroll** |
| Move the view | Scroll | Scroll |
| Move the view by dragging | Hold **Space** and drag | Hold **Space** and drag |

You zoom from 10% to 1000%. On a Mac, zoom uses **Ctrl**, not **Cmd**. **Cmd + scroll** moves the view.

## Modifier keys while you drag or resize

| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Scale in proportion, the font size of text changes too | Hold **Shift** while you drag a handle | Hold **Shift** while you drag a handle |
| Turn snapping off | Start dragging, then hold **Option** | Start dragging, then hold **Alt** |
| Resize evenly around the center, in a **Column** or **Row** layout | Start resizing, then hold **Option** | Start resizing, then hold **Alt** |

If you press **Option** (Mac) / **Alt** (Windows) before you start dragging, the anchoring tool switches on instead (see below). For more on snapping, see [Use the layout grid: line up elements on guide lines](https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/layout-grid).

## Tools

There are no single keys that pick a tool. These keys switch a tool on while you hold them, or end it:

| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| **Canvas Drag** while the key is held | Hold **Space** | Hold **Space** |
| [Anchoring tool](https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/anchoring-tool) while the key is held | Hold **Option**, without dragging | Hold **Alt**, without dragging |
| End the current tool, for example **Add text**, **Add path**, the anchoring tool, **Create Input Field** or **Animate a property** | **Esc** | **Esc** |
| Cancel dragging an anchoring connection | **Esc** | **Esc** |
| Confirm or cancel a typed gap in the anchoring tool | **Enter** or **Esc** | **Enter** or **Esc** |

Holding **Option** (Mac) / **Alt** (Windows) also ends a tool like **Add text** or **Create Input Field**. For the modes **Select**, **Canvas Drag** and **Scale**, see [Design tools](https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/design-tools).

## Path editing

| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Start editing the points of the selected path | **Enter** or double-click | **Enter** or double-click |
| Add a point to the selection or remove it | **Shift + click** | **Shift + click** |
| Delete the selected points | **Delete (⌫)** | **Backspace** or **Delete** |
| Move a point without snapping | Start dragging, then hold **Option** | Start dragging, then hold **Alt** |
| Undo a change to the points | **Cmd + Z** | **Ctrl + Z** |
| Redo | **Cmd + Shift + Z** or **Cmd + Y** | **Ctrl + Shift + Z** or **Ctrl + Y** |
| Stop editing points | **Esc** or double-click | **Esc** or double-click |

On a Mac, **Cmd + double-click** selects a path inside a group and opens its points in one step. See [Draw and edit a path: create your own shapes and lines](https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/path-editing).

![Point editing with two points selected and the path tools bar.](https://imagedelivery.net/mudX-CmAqIANL8bxoNCToA/help/KB-keyboard-shortcuts-02/public?v=d868112f){width="938"}

## Timeline in video templates

| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Select a range of keyframes | **Shift + click** | **Shift + click** |
| Add a keyframe to the selection or remove it | **Option + click** | **Alt + click** |
| Zoom the timeline horizontally | **Ctrl + scroll** or pinch on the trackpad | **Ctrl + scroll** |

See [Animate a template: make a video with moving elements](https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/video-and-animation).

## Related articles

- [Design tools (zoom, align, scale, move)](https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/design-tools)
- [The layers panel](https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/layers-panel)
- [Group elements: move and arrange them together](https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/group-elements)
- [Draw and edit a path: create your own shapes and lines](https://bluepic.io/help/design-elements-and-tools/path-editing)