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Canvas Keyboard Shortcuts

Use these keyboard shortcuts on the Web to navigate Canvas seamlessly!

Written by Brett Commandeur
Updated over 2 months ago

Keyboard shortcuts help you move faster and stay focused while working on the canvas. This reference lists all available shortcuts, organized by category so you can quickly find what you need.

These shortcuts are designed to be easy to learn and remember, helping you move quickly without interrupting your workflow.

Universal

Shortcuts that work anywhere on the Canvas.

Shortcut

Action

Cmd + A

Select all annotations on the canvas

Cmd + Z

Undo your last action

Cmd + Shift + Z

Redo the last undone action

Cmd + C

Copy selected annotation(s)

Cmd + X

Cut selected annotation(s)

Cmd + V

Paste copied or cut annotation(s)

Cmd + V (clipboard image)

Paste image(s) from your clipboard

Cmd + +

Zoom in for a closer view

Cmd + -

Zoom out to see more of the canvas

Cmd + 0

Fit the entire page within the view

Navigation & Zoom

Move around the Canvas and control your view.

Shortcut

Action

V

Switch to the select tool

H

Switch to the hand tool for panning

Space (hold)

Temporarily pan around the canvas

M

Enable multi-select mode

Shift + click

Manually select multiple annotations

Cmd + drag

Select multiple annotations by dragging

Z

Temporarily zoom into a drawn area (marquee zoom)

Shift + 1

Fit the view to all annotations on the canvas

Shift + 2

Zoom the view to selected annotation(s)

There are a few different ways to select annotations on the Canvas, depending on what you’re trying to do.

  • Single selection: Click an annotation using the Select tool (V).

  • Select multiple annotations: Hold Shift and click additional annotations to add them to your selection.

  • Drag to select: Click and drag on the Canvas to select multiple annotations at once.

  • Multi-select mode: Press M to enable multi-select mode for repeated selections without holding a modifier key.

  • Select everything: Use Cmd + A to select all annotations on the Canvas.

Use the method that feels fastest for the task you’re working on.

Transformation

Modify and reposition existing annotations.

Shortcut

Action

Cmd + D

Duplicate selected annotation(s)

Cmd + G

Group selected annotations together

Cmd + Shift + G

Ungroup selected annotations

Arrow keys

Nudge selected annotation slightly

Shift + Arrow keys

Move selected annotation farther

Creative Tools

Quickly switch between creation tools.

Shortcut

Action

T

Add or edit text

P

Draw freehand annotations

L

Draw a straight line

R

Draw a rectangle

O

Draw an oval or circle

S

Insert the last used shape

N

Add a sticky note

E

Erase annotations

Delete

Delete the selected annotation

Tips for Working Faster

  • Use Zoom to Fit All (Shift + 1) as a quick way to return to active work.

  • Use Zoom to Selection (Shift + 2) to instantly focus on specific annotations.

  • Hold Spacebar to pan quickly without switching tools.

  • Use Shift + click to manually select multiple annotations.

Mastering these shortcuts helps keep your focus on teaching and collaboration, not Canvas controls.

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