Master GIMP with these essential shortcuts!
Master GIMP: Essential Shortcut Keys for Faster Editing | Design Tools
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a powerful, free, and open-source raster graphics editor. It's often hailed as a robust alternative to commercial image editing software like Adobe Photoshop, offering a wide array of tools for photo retouching, image composition, and original artwork creation. Whether you're a graphic designer, photographer, or just someone looking to enhance their digital images, GIMP provides sophisticated tools and an active community that contributes to its continuous development.
From basic painting and selection tools to advanced layer management and color manipulation, GIMP is designed to be highly extensible with plugins and scripting capabilities. It supports numerous file formats, making it a versatile choice for various projects. While its interface might have a slight learning curve for newcomers, mastering GIMP's shortcut keys can significantly boost your productivity and streamline your workflow.
Below is a comprehensive list of GIMP shortcut keys to help you navigate and edit more efficiently. Incorporating these into your routine will transform your GIMP experience!
Mobile Tip: On touch devices, press & hold tables to scroll horizontally if needed.
🚀 General Shortcuts
| Description |
Shortcut |
| Help Menu | F1 |
| Context Sensitive Help | Shift + F1 |
| Toolbox | Ctrl + B |
| Default Colors (Black foreground, White background) | D |
| Swap Colors (Foreground/Background) | X |
| Toggle Quick Mask | Shift + Q |
| Toggle Rulers | Shift + Ctrl + R |
| Toggle Guides | Shift + Ctrl + T |
| Toggle Fullscreen Mode | F11 |
| Open Preferences | Shift + Ctrl + P |
📁 File Operations
| Description |
Shortcut |
| New Image | Ctrl + N |
| Create new Image from Clipboard | Ctrl + Shift + V |
| Open Image | Ctrl + O |
| Open as Layers | Ctrl + Alt + O |
| Save Image | Ctrl + S |
| Save As | Ctrl + Shift + S |
| Export As | Ctrl + Shift + E |
| Print | Ctrl + P |
| Close Window | Ctrl + W |
| Close All Windows | Ctrl + Shift + W |
| Quit GIMP | Ctrl + Q |
✏️ Edit Operations
| Description |
Shortcut |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y |
| Cut | Ctrl + X |
| Copy | Ctrl + C |
| Copy Visible | Ctrl + Shift + C |
| Paste | Ctrl + V |
| Paste as New Image | Ctrl + Shift + V |
| Fill with FG Color | Ctrl + , |
| Fill with BG Color | Ctrl + . |
| Fill with Pattern | Ctrl + ; |
| Clear Selection/Layer | Delete |
| Repeat Last Filter | Ctrl + F |
| Reshow Last Filter | Ctrl + Shift + F |
✨ Selection Tools
| Tool |
Shortcut |
| Rectangle Select Tool | R |
| Ellipse Select Tool | E |
| Free Select Tool (Lasso) | F |
| Fuzzy Select Tool (Magic Wand) | U |
| Select by Color Tool | Shift + O |
| Scissors Select Tool | I |
| Paths Tool | B |
| Description |
Shortcut |
| Toggle Selection Visibility | Ctrl + T |
| Select All | Ctrl + A |
| Select None | Shift + Ctrl + A |
| Invert Selection | Ctrl + I |
| Float Selection | Shift + Ctrl + L |
| Path to Selection | Shift + V |
🎨 Paint Tools
| Tool |
Shortcut |
| Pencil Tool | N |
| Paintbrush Tool | P |
| Eraser Tool | Shift + E |
| Airbrush Tool | A |
| Ink Tool | K |
| Clone Tool | C |
| Heal Tool | H |
| Tool |
Shortcut |
| Blur/Sharpen Tool | Shift + U |
| Smudge Tool | S |
| Dodge/Burn Tool | Shift + D |
| Bucket Fill Tool | Shift + B |
| Blend Tool (Gradient) | L |
🔄 Transformation Tools
| Description |
Shortcut |
| Move Tool | M |
| Crop Tool | Shift + C |
| Rotate Tool | Shift + R |
| Scale Tool | Shift + S |
| Shear Tool | Shift + H |
| Perspective Tool | Shift + P |
| Flip Tool | Shift + F |
| Unified Transform Tool | Shift + T |
| Align Tool | Q |
🔍 View & Zoom
| Description |
Shortcut |
| Zoom Tool | Z |
| Zoom In | + or Ctrl + Mouse Wheel Up |
| Zoom Out | - or Ctrl + Mouse Wheel Down |
| Zoom 1:1 | 1 |
| Fit Image in Window | Shift + Ctrl + J |
| Shrink Wrap | Ctrl + E |
| Scroll Canvas (Pan) | Hold Spacebar + Drag Mouse |
疊 Layer Management
| Description |
Shortcut |
| New Layer | Shift + Ctrl + N |
| Duplicate Layer | Shift + Ctrl + D |
| Select Layer Above | Page Up |
| Select Layer Below | Page Down |
| Select First Layer | Home |
| Select Last Layer | End |
| Merge Visible Layers | Ctrl + M |
| Anchor Layer | Ctrl + H |
| Layers Dialog | Ctrl + L |
🌈 Color and Measurement
| Description |
Shortcut |
| Color Picker Tool | O |
| Measure Tool | Shift + M |
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