This page is a complete keyboard shortcut reference for Preview on macOS, covering all 31 shortcuts organized into 1 sections. Whether you’re new to Preview or looking to master advanced features, this cheat sheet has every key combination you need — from basic editing and navigation to app-specific power-user actions.
Keyboard shortcuts are the fastest way to work in Preview. Every time you use a shortcut instead of reaching for the mouse, you save a few seconds — and those seconds compound into hours over weeks and months. Start with the shortcuts you use most (copy, paste, undo, save), then gradually add app-specific ones as they become relevant to your workflow. Bookmark this page or download the PDF cheat sheet for quick reference.
Using keyboard shortcuts in Preview reduces context switching between keyboard and mouse, helping you maintain focus and work more efficiently. Research shows that shortcut-driven workflows can save up to 8 working days per year compared to menu-driven navigation. On macOS, most Preview shortcuts follow standard conventions — once you learn the modifier key patterns, new shortcuts become intuitive.
Tips for Learning Shortcuts
- Practice one new Preview shortcut each day. Muscle memory builds faster when you focus on a single combination at a time rather than trying to learn them all at once.
- Print or bookmark this page for quick reference while working in Preview. Having shortcuts visible nearby helps bridge the gap between looking them up and recalling them from memory.
- Start with the shortcuts you use most. In Preview, common actions like copy, paste, undo, and save are worth learning first since they apply across nearly every workflow.
General31
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open File | ⌘O |
| Zoom In | ⌘+ |
| Zoom Out | ⌘- |
| Actual Size | ⌘0 |
| Zoom to Fit | ⌥⌘F |
| Rotate Right | ⌘R |
| Rotate Left | ⌘L |
| Select All | ⌘A |
| Annotation Toolbar | ⇧⌘A |
| Show Thumbnails | ⌘T |
| Copy the selected text or area | ⌘C |
| Scroll down one screen | Page Down |
| Cut the selected item | ⌘X |
| Scroll up one screen | Page Up |
| Zoom all images to actual size | ⌥⌘0 |
| Paste | ⌘V |
| Move to next document in window | ⌥Page Down |
| Zoom all images to fit | ⌥⌘9 |
| Scroll down a line | Down |
| Move to previous document in window | ⌥Page Up |
| Zoom all images in | ⌥⌘+ |
| Save a file | ⌘S |
| Go to next tab | ⌃Tab |
| Go to previous tab | ⇧⌃Tab |
| Enter full screen | ⌃⌘F |
| ⌘P | |
| Scroll up a line | Up |
| Move to next page | ⌥Down |
| Zoom all images out | ⌥⌘- |
| Move to previous page | ⌥Up |
| Remove the background | ⇧⌘K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Access Preview shortcuts from your menu bar
KeyShortcut detects the active app and shows its shortcuts instantly. No memorization needed.