---
title: "Keyboard shortcuts"
description: "Every keyboard shortcut in the PDFBetter dashboard and editor: search, upload, go-to keys, editor tools, undo, zoom, page navigation and field filling."
url: https://help.pdfbetter.com/getting-started/keyboard-shortcuts/
collection: "Getting started"
section: "The editor"
updated: 2026-10-18
publisher: "PDFBetter (AI Generated Inc.)"
---

# Keyboard shortcuts

> Press `?` anywhere in the dashboard or the editor to see the shortcuts for that screen. The essentials: `⌘` `K` to search, `U` to upload, `T` for text, `S` to sign, `⌘` `Z` to undo and `Tab` to move between form fields.

Shortcuts are written for Mac. On Windows and Linux, use `Ctrl` instead of `⌘`. Single-letter shortcuts don't fire while you're typing in a field.

## Dashboard

| Action | Keys |
| --- | --- |
| Search documents, tools and pages | `⌘` + `K` |
| Filter the documents list | `/` |
| Upload files | `U` |
| New blank document | `N` |
| Go to the dashboard | `G` + `D` |
| Go to my documents | `G` + `M` |
| Go to received requests | `G` + `R` |
| Go to sent signature requests | `G` + `S` |
| Go to contacts | `G` + `C` |
| Go to trash | `G` + `T` |
| Show these shortcuts | `?` |
| Close a dialog or clear the selection | `Esc` |

For the go-to keys, press `G`, let go, then press the second key within about a second.

## Editor tools

| Action | Keys |
| --- | --- |
| Select | `V` |
| Move: drag anything without editing it | `M` |
| Add text | `T` |
| Switch between Fill out and Edit PDF | `E` |
| Highlight | `H` |
| Draw | `D` |
| Sign | `S` |
| Sticky note | `N` |
| Back to Select, or deselect | `Esc` |

## Editing and moving around

| Action | Keys |
| --- | --- |
| Undo | `⌘` + `Z` |
| Redo (also Ctrl Y) | `⇧` + `⌘` + `Z` |
| Duplicate | `⌘` + `D` |
| Copy objects (⌘V pastes; images paste too) | `⌘` + `C` |
| Delete the selection (Backspace works too) | `Delete` |
| Nudge 1 pt (with Shift: 10 pt) | `Arrows` |
| Select the previous or next item on the page | `[` + `]` |
| Place the active tool mid-page, or edit the selected text | `Enter` |
| Highlight the selected text (F7 turns on keyboard text selection) | `Shift` + `H` |
| Search the document | `⌘` + `F` |
| Zoom in or out | `+` + `−` |
| Fit width | `⌘` + `0` |
| Previous or next page | `Page Up` + `Page Down` |
| Next field while filling (Shift Tab: previous) | `Tab` |
| Show the editor's shortcut list | `?` |

> **Tip:** With **Draw**, **Shapes** or **Erase** selected, press `Enter` to show a drawing caret: `Enter` starts, the arrow keys extend, and `Enter` finishes. You can draw without a mouse.

You can also open the lists from the menus: **Help** → **Keyboard shortcuts** in the dashboard, and **More** (**⋯**) → **Keyboard shortcuts** in the editor. The desktop apps add their own menu shortcuts; see [desktop app shortcuts](https://help.pdfbetter.com/apps/desktop-app-files-shortcuts-updates/).

## Related articles

- [A tour of the dashboard](https://help.pdfbetter.com/getting-started/dashboard-tour.md): The dashboard at /app/ is home base. The sidebar holds New, Create with AI and your lists; the top bar has search (⌘K), the AI menu, notifications and help. The home page shows what needs your attention, quick tools and your recent documents.
- [Editor basics: open, save, version history and download](https://help.pdfbetter.com/getting-started/editor-basics-save-download.md): Open a document from My documents (or Open in editor in its menu). The editor saves automatically; the status next to the name shows Saved. Restore earlier states from Version history, and get the finished file from Done → Download.
- [Find and organize your documents: folders, tags, search and trash](https://help.pdfbetter.com/getting-started/find-organize-documents.md): Everything you upload, create, sign or send is in My documents. Sort it into folders and tags, filter by status or name, and search everything with ⌘K. Deleted documents stay in Trash for 30 days, where you can restore them.
- [Add text, images, shapes and whiteout to a PDF](https://help.pdfbetter.com/editing/add-text-images-shapes.md): In Edit & fill mode, pick a tool from the toolbar (Text, Image, Erase, shapes, marks, Table, Date, Draw) and click or drag on the page. Select anything you added to restyle, move, lock or copy it to other pages.
- [Open files, use shortcuts and update the desktop app](https://help.pdfbetter.com/apps/desktop-app-files-shortcuts-updates.md): Open files with File → Open…, by dropping them on the app icon, or with “Open with” in Finder or File Explorer. The app updates itself in the background; to check now, use Check for Updates….
- [Read, search and move around a PDF in the editor](https://help.pdfbetter.com/editing/read-search-navigate-pdf.md): Open More (⋯) → Read mode for just the document. Press ⌘/Ctrl F (or Search in the toolbar) to find text, use the page bar at the bottom to jump and zoom, and Pages for thumbnails.

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Source: https://help.pdfbetter.com/getting-started/keyboard-shortcuts/ · PDFBetter Help Center · Last checked against the product 2026-10-18. Questions: support@pdfbetter.com