HotKeys
Using the keyboard shortcuts (so-called hotkeys) can simplify and speed up the processing. To activate a tool, you can either click its icon or use a shortcut.
Below is a list of shortcuts which can be used in AliveColors. To change a shortcut, use the HotKeys tab in the program's Preferences (click 
in the upper right corner of the program window).
Windows
Mac
Basic Commands:
Ctrl+N
⌘+N
Create a New Image
Ctrl+Shift+N
⌘+⇧+N
Create a New Image from the Clipboard
Ctrl+O
⌘+O
Open an Image
Ctrl+W
⌘+W
Close an Image
Ctrl+Alt+W
⌘+Option+W
Close All Images
Ctrl+S
⌘+S
Save an Image
Ctrl+Shift+S
⌘+⇧+S
Save an Image as...
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S
⌘+Option+⇧+S
Save for Web
Ctrl+P
⌘+P
Print an Image
Ctrl+Z
⌘+Z
Undo the Last Action
Ctrl+Y
⌘+Y
Redo the Last Action
Shift+Z
⇧+Z
Back to the Last Action (switching between two states in History)
F1
F1
Open Tutorial
Ctrl+Q
⌘+Q
Exit the Program
Scaling:
+ or Ctrl++
+ or ⌘++
Zoom In
- or Ctrl+-
- or ⌘+-
Zoom Out
Ctrl+1
⌘+1
Original Size (100%)
Ctrl+0
⌘+0
Scale an Image to the Window
Alt+→
Option+→
Scale an Image to Fit the Window Width
Alt+↓
Option+↓
Scale an Image to Fit the Window Height
Adjustments:
Ctrl+L
⌘+L
Levels
Ctrl+Shift+L
⌘+⇧+L
Auto Levels
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+L
⌘+Option+⇧+L
Auto Contrast
Ctrl+M
⌘+M
Curves
Ctrl+U
⌘+U
Hue/Saturation
Ctrl+B
⌘+B
Color Balance
Ctrl+I
⌘+I
Invert
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+B
⌘+Option+⇧+B
Black & White
Ctrl+H
⌘+H
Equalize
Ctrl+Shift+U
⌘+⇧+U
Desaturate
Resizing:
Ctrl+Alt+I
⌘+Option+I
Resize an Image
Ctrl+Alt+C
⌘+Option+C
Resize Canvas
Layers:
Ctrl+Alt+G
⌘+Option+G
Create/Remove Clipping Mask
Ctrl+G
⌘+G
Group Layers
Ctrl+Shift+G
⌘+⇧+G
Ungroup Layers
Ctrl+,
⌘+,
Show/Hide Layers
Ctrl+Shift+]
⌘+⇧+]
Bring to Front
Ctrl+]
⌘+]
Bring Forward
Ctrl+[
⌘+[
Send Backward
Ctrl+Shift+[
⌘+⇧+[
Send to Back
Ctrl+E
⌘+E
Merge Selected Layers
Ctrl+Shift+E
⌘+⇧+E
Merge Visible Layers
Selections:
Ctrl+A
⌘+A
Select All
Ctrl+D
⌘+D
Deselect
Ctrl+Shift+D
⌘+⇧+D
Reselect
Ctrl+Shift+I
⌘+⇧+I
Invert Selection
Ctrl+X
⌘+X
Cut Selection
Ctrl+C
⌘+С
Copy to Clipboard
Ctrl+Shift+C
⌘+⇧+C
Copy Contents of All Layers
Ctrl+V
⌘+V
Paste from Clipboard
Ctrl+J
⌘+J
Layer via Copy
Ctrl+Shift+J
⌘+⇧+J
Layer via Cut
Ctrl+Alt+R
⌘+Option+R
Refine Edges
Delete
Delete
Remove Selected Areas
Tools:
V
V
Move Tool
Ctrl+T
⌘+T
Transform Tool
M
M
Basic Selection Tools: Rectangular Selection, Elliptical Selection, Lasso, Polygonal Lasso
W
W
Quick Selection Tools: Magic Wand, Quick Selection, Object Selection
C
C
Crop Tool
O
O
View Mode for Grid while Cropping
Shift+O
⇧+O
Flip Grid while Cropping
T
T
Text Tools: Text and Fit Text to Path
I
I
Eyedropper Tool
H
H
Hand Tool
Z
Z
Zoom Tool
B
B
Standard Drawing Brushes: Color Brush, Color Pencil, Spray, Recolor Brush, Texture Brush
E
E
Erasing Tools: Eraser and History Brush
G
G
Filling Tools: Paint Bucket and Gradient Fill
S
S
Cloning/Healing Tools: Clone Stamp and Chameleon Brush
K
K
Sharpening Tools: Blur, Sharpen, and Smudge Tools
O
O
Lighting Tools: Lighten, Darken, and Saturation Tools
J
J
Retouching Tools: Tuning Brush, Spot Remover, Red Eye Remover, Teeth Whitening
D
D
Deformation Tools
X
X
FX Brushes
P
P
Pen Tools
U
U
Vector Shape Tools
A
A
Path and Direct Selection Tools
[ and ]
[ and ]
Decrease/Increase Brush Size
N+mouse wheel
N+mouse wheel
Change the size of the brush
Shift+[ and Shift+]
⇧+[ and ⇧+]
Decrease/Increase Brush Hardness
Scroll an Image in a Window (the Hand tool is temporarily active while you hold down the spacebar)
Panels (enable/disable):
F5
F5
Expanded Tool Options Panel
F6
F6
Color Panel
F7
F7
Layers Panel
F8
F8
File Info Panel
F9
F9
Actions Panel
Auxiliary Lines:
Ctrl+R
⌘+R
Show Rulers
Ctrl+'
⌘+'
Show Grid
Ctrl+;
⌘+;
Show Guidelines
Ctrl+Shift+;
⌘+⇧+;
Snap to Edges
Ctrl+Alt+;
⌘+Option+;
Fix Guidelines
In addition:
Ctrl+F
⌘+F
Apply the Last Effect
Shift+mouse click
⇧+mouse click
Draw a Straight Line