Adapted from Altium’s official default shortcut key page, with added explanations for easily confused functions.
Applicable versions: Altium Designer 20–25 (keyboard shortcuts are basically the same across versions).
AD’s shortcut system differs from other EDA tools: many commands are “menu mnemonic” sequences. For example, P,W means press P first to open the Place menu, then press W to place a wire; single keys such as A, S, X, M, and J open their corresponding submenus by default.
If you can’t remember, press Shift+F1: the command currently being executed will display a list of all available shortcuts. In graphic editing mode, press F1 to view the hotkey list. All shortcuts can be customized (top-right System menu → Customize).
I. Global / Document-Level
Shortcut
Function
Notes
Ctrl+S
Save current document
Ctrl+O
Open document
Ctrl+Tab / Shift+Ctrl+Tab
Switch to next / previous open document
Quickly jump between multiple documents
Ctrl+F4
Close current document
Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y
Undo / Redo
Ctrl+C / Ctrl+X / Ctrl+V
Copy / Cut / Paste
Ctrl+R
Copy and paste repeatedly
After selecting an object, press Ctrl+R and paste wherever you click (rubber stamp); great for arranging arrays
F4
Show / hide all floating panels
One-key screen clearing when panels block your drawing
F1
View help / graphic editing hotkey list
Press F1 while the cursor is over a menu command to jump directly to the documentation
Shift+F1
Show available shortcuts for the current command
Press at any time while a command is running to check as you work
Alt+← / Alt+→
Return to previous / next opened document
Similar to browser history
II. View and Zoom
Shortcut
Function
Notes
V,D
Fit document
Zoom to display the entire sheet
V,F
Fit all objects
Zoom to display all content (closer to the actual objects than V,D)
PgUp / PgDn
Zoom in / out centered on cursor
Works in schematics and PCB
Shift+PgUp / PgDn
Fast zoom step: zoom out / zoom in
For fine zooming
Ctrl+PgDn
Show all objects (PCB)
Equivalent to “view the whole board”
Ctrl+scroll wheel
Zoom view
Scroll wheel / Shift+scroll wheel
Scroll screen vertically / horizontally
Hold right mouse button and drag
Pan view
The most commonly used hand tool operation
End
Refresh screen
Redraw to remove display artifacts
Home
Redraw centered on cursor position
2 / 3 (PCB)
Switch between 2D / 3D view
In 3D, 0 = top view, 8 = side view
Ctrl+F (PCB)
Flip board
View the bottom side as if flipping it over
Shift+S (PCB)
Cycle single-layer display mode
Show only the current layer; hide or dim other layers
Same “solid box / dashed box” logic as in most software
Shift+F
Find similar objects
Click an object as a template to batch-filter objects of the same type
Tab
Expand selection to the next higher level
For example, expand from a pad to the entire net
Shift+Tab
Cycle single selection among overlapping objects
Switch directly without opening the selection dialog
Ctrl+A
Select all
X,A
Deselect all
Press X first (DeSelect submenu), then A
S / X
Open select / deselect submenu
For example, S,N selects a net, S,Y selects an area
Ctrl+H (PCB)
Select connected copper
Selects an entire electrically connected section of traces / copper pours
Ctrl+single click (PCB)
Highlight the entire routed net
Ctrl+single click in an empty area to clear highlighting
[ / ] (PCB)
Increase / decrease mask dimming
Used with filters
Shift+C
Clear current filter
Ctrl+n / Alt+n (n=1–8)
Save / restore selection to memory slot
Works with Shift+n to cumulatively save; Ctrl+Q opens selection memory management
IV. Placement and Editing Interaction (Common to Both Editors)
Shortcut
Function
Notes
Esc / right mouse click
Cancel current operation / exit command
Enter or single click
Confirm placement point
Tab
Open properties panel while placing / moving
Change properties as you place without double-clicking afterward
Space / Shift+Space
Rotate 90° counterclockwise / clockwise
X / Y
Mirror horizontally / vertically
Works while placing or with an object selected
L (PCB)
Flip to the other side of the board
Switch to the Bottom layer when placing a footprint
Alt (hold)
Constrain horizontal / vertical movement
Backspace / Delete
Step back one point
Undo the previous segment while drawing a wire or placing copper
F2 (PCB)
Edit text in place
Directly edit designators and text without opening the properties box
V. Schematic Editor
Placement (P Menu Sequences)
Shortcut
Function
Notes
P,P
Place component
Opens the Components panel to select a component
P,W (or W directly)
Draw wire
P,B (or B directly)
Draw bus
P,U
Place bus entry
P,J
Place junction
Note that J by default opens the Jump submenu; use P,J for junctions
P,N
Place net label
P,O
Place power port
VCC/GND
P,S
Place sheet symbol
Draw sub-sheet boxes for hierarchical design
P,E
Place sheet entry
Port on a sheet symbol
P,T
Place text string
Editing and Navigation
Shortcut
Function
Notes
M,M
Move object
M opens the Move submenu; choose Drag in the submenu to drag while keeping wires connected
E,W
Break wire
Break in the middle of a wire
A
Align submenu
Direct keys: Shift+Ctrl+L/R/T/B for left/right/top/bottom alignment; Shift+Ctrl+H/V for horizontal/vertical equal spacing; Shift+Ctrl+D for align to grid
Ctrl+F / Ctrl+H
Find text / replace text
Insert
Copy properties of the same type of object
When placing a second resistor, press Insert to inherit the previous one’s properties
J
Jump submenu
J,C jumps to a component, J,N to a net, J,P to a pad
Y / Z
Filter submenu / zoom submenu
Ctrl+single click
Select and highlight the same net across sheets
T,A
Open Annotate dialog
Batch renumber designators; T,A,E resets all designators
C,C
Compile current project
Project menu
D,U
Update PCB document
Import schematic changes into PCB (ECO)
VI. PCB Editor
Routing (Route / Place Commands)
Shortcut
Function
Notes
P,T
Start interactive routing
The core routing command
Shift+R
Cycle routing conflict mode
Push / ignore / walkaround / stop / Hug and Push / autoroute; switch while routing
Shift+Space
Cycle corner mode
45° / 45° arc / 90° / 90° arc / any angle
Space
Switch corner direction sub-mode
Tab
Open routing properties panel
Change trace width, via, and mode while routing
Shift+W
Select trace width from preset list
Configure in Favorite widths first
Shift+V
Select via from preset list
3 / 4
Switch trace width source / via source
User selection → rule minimum → rule recommended → rule maximum
Numeric keypad + / − / *
Change layer (+/* with via)
* cycles through signal layers; − reverses direction
Ctrl+L
Open routing layer list
Numbers jump directly to the corresponding layer
Numeric keypad 1–9
Jump directly to corresponding signal layer
Number corresponding to the layer name prefix [n]
2
Place via without changing layer
Use via as a stub
/
Place fanout via
Automatically waits for the next fanout after placement
Ctrl+single click
Automatically complete to target
While routing, hold Ctrl and click the endpoint to route around automatically
1
Preview mode toggle
Preview the route before laying the trace
Shift+D
Cycle loop removal toggle
Ctrl+W
Show / hide clearance boundaries
View clearance range while routing
Backspace
Step back one segment
Pushed objects are also moved back
Shift+A
ActiveRoute guided routing
Select an unrouted connection and guide it through with one key
U
Open Route menu
Includes Un-Route and other routing commands
Copper Pour, Rules, and Checks
Shortcut
Function
Notes
P,G
Place polygon pour
Draw a polygon copper pour area
T,G,M
Open polygon pour manager
Batch-manage layer, net, and priority for all pours
G,G
Open grid settings dialog
Follow with a number and Enter to set the grid in one step, e.g. G,G,5,Enter = 5 mil
Ctrl+G
Open current grid editor
Shift+E
Cycle snap mode
Turn off hot spot snap / snap to electrical grid / snap to all
Ctrl+M
Measure distance between two points
D,R
Open PCB rules editor
T,D,R
Run batch DRC
T,M
Clear violation markers
Component Operations
Shortcut
Function
Notes
P,C
Place component
P,P / P,V / P,S
Place pad / via / string
Frequently used when drawing footprints
M,M
Move object
The M submenu also includes Move by X/Y for precise movement
Hold and drag
Move object
If Always Drag is enabled, this becomes drag with wires following
Shift+Ctrl+single click and drag
Insert vertex into a trace
Split a trace segment
Ctrl+Delete
Delete selected routed object and select connected segments
Press repeatedly to progressively remove routing
Ctrl+Alt+G
Gloss smoothing optimization for selected traces
Reduces length and corners
J,C / J,N
Jump to component / net
Essential for finding components on large boards
Alt+single click and drag (right to left)
Select all traces touched
VII. A Few Productivity Tips
Shift+F1 is the lifesaver key: In the middle of any command, press Shift+F1 to bring up “what can I press at this step,” so you don’t have to memorize the full list.
Ctrl+R rubber stamp: After copying a via or component, press Ctrl+R and paste wherever you click; it’s much faster than repeated Ctrl+C/V.
Routing trio: Shift+R changes mode, Shift+W changes trace width, and numeric keypad * changes layers—keep your hands on the keyboard throughout routing.
Set grid directly with G,G: G,G,5,Enter sets the grid to 5 mil in one step, faster than going into Preferences.
Single keys are mostly submenus: A for Align, M for Move, S for Select, X for Deselect, J for Jump, Y for Filter, Z for Zoom—press once to open the submenu, then choose, faster than digging through the main menu.
3/2 to enter 3D with one key: After routing, press 3 to view the 3D effect, 0 to return to top view, and 2 to return to 2D.