Adobe Acrobat keyboard shortcuts
Adobe Acrobat's single-letter tool keys, such as V for Select and T for Edit text, stay off until you turn on Use single-key accelerators in Preferences. The setting is under Menu (Windows) or Acrobat (macOS) > Preferences > General. These are the default shortcuts for Acrobat and Acrobat Reader on desktop, from Adobe's own list, which gives one column for Windows and UNIX; this page shows those keys as Windows, beside macOS.
Checked against Adobe Acrobat User Guide — Keyboard shortcuts in Acrobat on desktop. Version: Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader on desktop, current release (August 2026), default shortcuts.
Showing the Windows keyboard. Showing the Mac keyboard.
103 shortcuts
The top 18 are the Acrobat shortcuts this page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear here. The drill asks the marked ones first too, shuffled. Or tick your own and print those.
The 18 to learn first: the shortcuts the Acrobat page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear on it.
Your own sheet: the Acrobat shortcuts you ticked.
Pages, scrolling and zoom
Practise theseGo to the next page #WinRight arroworControl plusPage DownMacRight arroworCommand plusPage Down
Go to the previous page #WinLeft arroworControl plusPage UpMacLeft arroworCommand plusPage Up
Go to the first page #WinHomeorControl plusShift plusPage UporControl plusShift plusUp arrowMacHomeorShift plusCommand plusUp arrow
Go to the last page #WinEndorControl plusShift plusPage DownorControl plusShift plusDown arrowMacEndorShift plusCommand plusDown arrow
Go to a page by number #WinControl plusShift plusNMacShift plusCommand plusN
Go to the next screen #WinPage DownorEnterMacPage DownorReturn
Go to the previous screen #WinPage UporShift plusEnterMacPage UporShift plusReturn
Scroll up or down #WinUp arroworDown arrowMacUp arroworDown arrow
Zoom in #WinControl plusEqualsMacCommand plusEquals
Zoom out #WinControl plusMinusMacCommand plusMinus
Use the Hand tool for a moment # Hold it. With the Hand tool already selected, Space scrolls.WinSpace barMacSpace bar
Use the Zoom In tool for a moment #WinControl plusSpace barMacCommand plusSpace bar
Use Zoom Out for a moment # Hold it while the Marquee Zoom tool is selected.WinControl plusMacOption plus
Use the Dynamic Zoom tool for a moment # Hold it while the Marquee Zoom tool is selected.WinShift plusMacShift plus
Reflow a tagged PDF, or go back to the normal view # For a tagged PDF only.WinControl plus4MacCommand plus4
Documents, pages and search
Practise theseFind in the document #WinControl plusFMacCommand plusF
Go to the next search result # It is highlighted in the document. Adobe's Windows cell reads "F3 orCtrl + G".WinF3orControl plusGMacCommand plusG
Search the previous document in the results # When the search results list more than one file.WinAlt plusShift plusLeft arrowMacShift plusCommand plusLeft arrow
Search the next document in the results # When the search results list more than one file.WinAlt plusShift plusRight arrowMacShift plusCommand plusRight arrow
Go to the next document tab #WinControl plusTabMacControl plusTab
Go to the previous document tab #WinControl plusShift plusTabMacControl plusShift plusTab
Go to the next document window # When the focus is in the document pane.WinControl plusF6MacCommand plusF6
Go to the previous document window # When the focus is in the document pane.WinControl plusShift plusF6MacShift plusCommand plusF6
Close the current document #WinControl plusF4MacCommand plusF4
Close every open document # Adobe says this one is not available on Windows.WinNo shortcutMacOption plusCommand plusW
Leave full screen mode # Adobe: press Esc twice.WinEscapethenEscapeMacEscapethenEscape
Go back to the Hand or Select tool #WinEscapeMacEscape
Select text # With the Select tool.WinShift plusarrow keyMacShift plusarrow key
Select the next word, or deselect the previous one # With the Select tool. Adobe says it is not available on macOS.WinControl plusShift plusRight arroworControl plusShift plusLeft arrowMacNo shortcut
Insert blank pages #WinControl plusShift plusTMacShift plusCommand plusT
Insert files #WinControl plusShift plusIMacShift plusCommand plusI
Delete pages #WinControl plusShift plusDMacShift plusCommand plusD
Tools
Single keys that pick a tool. Turn on Use single-key accelerators to access tools first, under Menu (Windows) or Acrobat (macOS) > Preferences > General.
Practise theseSelect the Select tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinVMacV
Select the Hand tool # Adobe calls it the Pan (Hand) tool. Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinHMacH
Select the Marquee Zoom tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinZMacZ
Cycle through the zoom tools # Marquee Zoom, Dynamic Zoom and Loupe. Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinShift plusZMacShift plusZ
Select the Edit text tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinTMacT
Select the Redact tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinShift plusYMacShift plusY
Select the Crop tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinCMacC
Select the Link tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinLMacL
Select the Select Object tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinRMacR
Select the Edit Object tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinOMacO
Cycle through the Touch Up tools # Touch Up Text, Touch Up Reading Order and Touch Up Object. Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinShift plusTMacShift plusT
Open Output Preview # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.Win~Mac~
Enter or leave form editing # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinAMacA
Select the Text Field tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinFMacF
Cycle through the form tools # Text Field, Check Box, Radio Button, List Box, Dropdown Box, Button, Digital Signature and Barcode, in form editing. Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinShift plusFMacShift plusF
Comments and markup
Practise theseSelect the Add a comment tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinSMacS
Select the Add text comment tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinXMacX
Select the current highlighting tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinUMacU
Cycle through Highlight, Underline and Strikethrough # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinShift plusUMacShift plusU
Select the current drawing markup tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinDMacD
Cycle through the drawing markup tools # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinShift plusDMacShift plusD
Select the Cloud tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinQMacQ
Use the Add a stamp tool # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinKorJMacKorJ
Cycle through Add a stamp, Attach file and Sound Recorder # Needs Use single-key accelerators turned on.WinShift plusJMacShift plusJ
Move to the next or previous comment or form field #WinTaborShift plusTabMacTaborShift plusTab
Open the pop-up note for the comment in focus # In the Comments list it opens the text field instead.WinEnterMacReturn
Close the pop-up note # Or the text field, in the Comments list.WinEscapeMacEscape
Reply to the comment in focus # In the Comments list.WinRMacR
Tick the selected comment # Adds a checkmark in the Comments list.WinShift plusKMacShift plusK
Panes, panels and bookmarks
Practise theseOpen or close the task pane #WinShift plusF4MacShift plusF4
Close the pane that lists an action's tasks # Adobe's macOS cell spells Control as "contrl".WinControl plusShift plusF4MacControl plusShift plusF4
Move the focus to the next area of the window # Through the document pane, task panes, message bar and navigation bar. Shift+F6 goes back.WinF6MacF6
Move the focus to the document pane #WinF5MacF5
Move the focus to the toolbar # The toolbar in the browser, or the Home view in the app.WinShift plusF8MacShift plusF8
Move to the next panel in the task pane #WinControl plusTabMacOption plusTab
Move to the previous panel in the task pane # As Adobe gives them: Option for the next panel on a Mac, Command for the previous one.WinControl plusShift plusTabMacShift plusCommand plusTab
Expand the current bookmark # With the focus in the Bookmarks panel.WinRight arroworShift plusPlusMacRight arroworShift plusPlus
Collapse the current bookmark # With the focus in the Bookmarks panel.WinLeft arroworMinusMacLeft arroworMinus
Expand all bookmarks #WinShift plus*MacShift plus*
Collapse the selected bookmark #WinSlashMacSlash
Open the Acrobat user guide #WinF1MacF1orCommand plus?
Building forms
In form editing, which A enters and leaves. Select the fields first for the align and centre keys.
Practise theseSwitch between editing and previewing the form #WinPMacP
Turn guides on or off #WinGMacG
Align the selected fields left #WinLMacL
Align the selected fields right #WinRMacR
Align the selected fields to the top #WinTMacT
Align the selected fields to the bottom #WinBMacB
Align the selected fields horizontally #WinHMacH
Align the selected fields vertically #WinVMacV
Centre the fields horizontally #WinShift plusHMacShift plusH
Centre the fields vertically #WinShift plusVMacShift plusV
Highlight the fields #WinShift plusLMacShift plusL
Show the tab order #WinShift plusNMacShift plusN
Open Document JavaScripts #WinShift plusDMacShift plusD
Open the JavaScript Debugger #WinControl plusJMacCommand plusJ
Filling in forms
Practise theseAccept what you typed and deselect the field # In a single-line text field.WinEnterMacReturn
Start a new paragraph in the same field # In a multiline text field.WinEnterMacReturn
Turn a checkbox on or off #WinEnterMacReturn
Reject the change and deselect the field #WinEscapeMacEscape
Select the previous radio button in a group #WinUp arroworLeft arrowMacUp arroworLeft arrow
Select the next radio button #WinDown arroworRight arrowMacDown arroworRight arrow
Insert a tab in a text field #WinControl plusTabMacCommand plusTab
Read Out Loud and accessibility
Practise theseTurn Read Out Loud on or off #WinControl plusShift plusYMacShift plusCommand plusY
Read only the current page out loud #WinControl plusShift plusVMacShift plusCommand plusV
Read the whole document out loud #WinControl plusShift plusBMacShift plusCommand plusB
Pause reading out loud #WinControl plusShift plusCMacShift plusCommand plusC
Stop reading out loud #WinControl plusShift plusEMacShift plusCommand plusE
Change the reading settings for this document #WinControl plusShift plus5MacShift plusCommand plus5
Edit a tag #WinF2MacF2
Open the Touch Up Reading Order tool # If it is already open, this returns the focus to its dialog box.WinControl plusShift plusUMacShift plusCommand plusU
Next
Word
Most of Word's shortcuts are decades old, but Microsoft has moved a few, and this page follows its current list, except where a row's note says otherwise.
InDesign
Adobe InDesign treats a frame and what is inside it as two things to select: Esc steps out to the frame, and Shift+Esc steps back in to the content.
Illustrator
In Adobe Illustrator nearly every tool has a single letter, so V, A, P and T switch between selecting, editing points, drawing and type without the toolbar.
Adobe Acrobat keyboard shortcuts — comboshelf.com. Checked 27 September 2026 against Adobe Acrobat User Guide — Keyboard shortcuts in Acrobat on desktop.