Keyboard shortcuts
⌘ is the Command key on macOS; use Ctrl on Windows and Linux. Shortcuts that use ⇧ need Shift held as well.
Canvas shortcuts are ignored while you are typing in a text field, an inspector input or the inline label editor — those keys stay local to the field.
Editing
| Shortcut |
Action |
| ⌘Z / Ctrl Z |
Undo |
| ⇧⌘Z / Ctrl ⇧Z |
Redo |
| ⌘Y / Ctrl Y |
Redo (alternative) |
| ⌘X / Ctrl X |
Cut the selection |
| ⌘C / Ctrl C |
Copy the selection |
| ⌘V / Ctrl V |
Paste — a copied fragment, or an image from the clipboard |
| ⌘D / Ctrl D |
Duplicate the selection, offset 16 px |
| Delete or Backspace |
Delete the selection |
Repeated pastes cascade, so copies fan out instead of stacking. A fragment containing a container (zone or rack) steps sideways by its own width instead of diagonally.
Selection
| Shortcut |
Action |
| ⌘A / Ctrl A |
Select all nodes and connectors on the page |
| Shift-click |
Add or remove an item from the selection |
| ⌘-click / Ctrl-click |
Add or remove an item from the selection |
| Shift-drag on empty canvas |
Marquee that adds to the current selection |
| Escape |
Cancel the current editor / tool / gesture, otherwise clear the selection |
Moving
| Shortcut |
Action |
| ← ↑ → ↓ |
Nudge the selected nodes by one grid step (8 px) |
| ⇧ + arrow |
Nudge by 1 px |
| ⌥ + arrow |
Nudge a container alone, leaving what stands on it behind |
| ⌥ + drag |
The same, with the pointer — move a zone or rack off its contents |
| ⇧ + resize handle |
Keep the shape's proportions while resizing |
Labels and groups
| Shortcut |
Action |
| F2 |
Edit the label of the single selected node or connector |
| Enter |
Enter the selected group; otherwise edit the label, as F2 |
| ⌘G / Ctrl G |
Group the selected nodes |
| ⇧⌘G / Ctrl ⇧G |
Ungroup every group the selection touches |
| Enter (in the label editor) |
Commit the label |
| ⇧Enter / ⌥Enter (in the label editor) |
Insert a line break — labels can be several lines |
| Escape (in the label editor) |
Discard the edit |
| Shortcut |
Action |
| C |
Arm the Connector tool, or put it away again — the same toggle as the palette button. Escape also puts it away |
View
| Shortcut |
Action |
| ⌘+ or ⌘= / Ctrl+ |
Zoom in one step |
| ⌘− / Ctrl− |
Zoom out one step |
| ⌘0 / Ctrl 0 |
Zoom to 100% |
| ⌘ + wheel / Ctrl + wheel |
Zoom around the pointer |
| Wheel / two-finger scroll |
Pan |
| Hold Space + drag |
Pan from anywhere |
| Middle-mouse drag |
Pan |
Zoom to fit, the minimap toggle, isometric view and the quarter-turn rotate are toolbar buttons — they have no keyboard shortcut.
Files
| Shortcut |
Action |
| ⌘O / Ctrl O |
Open a .drawio or .vsdx file |
| ⌘S / Ctrl S |
Save .drawio |
| ⇧⌘S / Ctrl ⇧S |
Save As |
Find
| Shortcut |
Action |
| ⌘F / Ctrl F |
Open the find box (works wherever focus is; the browser's own find never fires) |
| Enter |
Go to the next match |
| ⇧Enter |
Go to the previous match |
| ↓ / ↑ |
Next / previous match |
| ⌘/Ctrl F again, in the box |
Reselect the query text |
| Escape |
Close the find box and return focus to the canvas |
Help
| Shortcut |
Action |
| F1 |
Open this manual (press again, or Escape, to close) |
| ? |
Open the manual, when you are not typing in a field |
| / (inside the manual) |
Jump to the manual's search box |
Menus and dialogs
| Shortcut |
Action |
| Escape |
Closes the open export menu, app menu, layers panel, "More" overflow popover, rack builder, manual, or collaboration panel |
| Enter / Escape in a name field |
Commit / leave the field (page name, layer name, inspector inputs) |