Keyboard Shortcuts by Function

The keyboard shortcuts below are the default Scribus shortcuts valid for both Windows and Linux (unless otherwise stated). OS X users should use the CMD key instead of CTRL.

You can modify these shortcuts, or create your own, by going to File → Preferences… and locating the "Keyboard Shortcuts" section. (On OS X you need to go to Scribus → Preferences… .)

Interface Actions

Command	Action	Menu Equivalent
F1	Display the Help Manual	Windows → Help
F2	Toggle display of the Properties Palette	Windows → Properties
F3	Toggle display of the Style Manager	Edit → Styles…
F6	Toggle display of the Layers Manager	Windows → Layers
Menu	Display the Context Menu

File Actions

Command	Action	Menu Equivalent
CTRL + N	Create a new document	File → New
CTRL + ALT + N	Create a new document from a Template	File → New from Template…
CTRL + O	Open an existing document	File → Open…
CTRL + F4	Close the current document	File → Close
CTRL + S	Save the current document	File → Save
CTRL + SHIFT + S	Save the current document with a different name	File → Save As…
CTRL + ALT + S	Save the current document as a Template	File → Save As Template…
CTRL + ALT + P	Print Preview	File → Print Preview
CTRL + P	Print the current document	File → Print…
CTRL + SHIFT + E	Export the document (or page) as an image	File → Export → Save as Image…

Edit Actions

Command	Action	Menu Equivalent
CTRL + C	Copy	Edit → Copy
CTRL + X	Cut	Edit → Cut
CTRL + V	Paste	Edit → Paste
CTRL + Z	Undo last action	Edit → Undo
CTRL + Y	Redo last undone action	Edit → Redo
CTRL + A	Select All	Edit → Select All
CTRL + ALT + A	Advanced Select All	Edit → Advanced Select All…
CTRL + SHIFT + A	Deselect All	Edit → Deselect All
R	Rotate the currently selected item (drag to rotate)

Related Mouse Actions

Command	Action
CTRL	Constrain angle to 15 degree steps while rotating

Item Actions

Command	Action	Menu Equivalent
DEL or ← or CTRL + K	Delete selected object(s)
CTRL + D	Duplicate selected object(s)	Item → Duplicate
CTRL + SHIFT + D	Duplicate selected object(s) multiple times	Item → Multiple Duplicate
CTRL + G	Group multiple objects together	Item → Group
CTRL + SHIFT + G	Ungroup objects	Item → Ungroup
HOME	Raise object to the highest level	Item → Level → Raise to Top
CTRL + HOME	Raise object to the next level up	Item → Level → Raise
CTRL + END	Lower object to the next level down	Item → Level → Lower
END	Lower object to the lowest level	Item → Level → Lower to Bottom
CTRL + L	Toggle the locking of the currently selected object	Item → Is Locked
CTRL + SHIFT + L	Toggle the locking of the size of the currently selected object	Item → Size Is Locked

Related Mouse Actions

Command	Action
CTRL	Constrain object to vertical/horizontal axis after dragging has started
CTRL	Rezise proportionally after dragging by a handle has started
SHIFT + Left Mouse	Add object to selection set
CTRL + Left Mouse	Select object on next level down under currently selected object
CTRL + SHIFT + Drag	Move object under the currently selected object

Text Actions

Command	Action	Menu Equivalent
T	Insert new text frame	Insert → Insert Text Frame
E	Edit text frame contents (inline editing)
CTRL + T	Edit text frame contents with the Story Editor	Edit → Edit Text…
CTRL + I	Import text from external file	File → Import → Get Text…
N	Link text frame to another text frame	Item → Link Text Frame
U	Unlink text frame from other text frames	Item → Unlink Text Frame
CTRL + F	Search (and Replace) text	Edit → Search/Replace…

Related Mouse Actions

Command	Action
CTRL + Mouse Wheel	Scroll list of fonts in font drop-down list a page at a time

Inline Text Editing Mode

Command	Action	Menu Equivalent
SHIFT + RETURN	Insert Line Break (start new line without starting a new paragraph)	Insert → Spaces & Breaks → New Line
CTRL + RETURN	Insert Frame Break (force text to jump to the next linked frame)	Insert → Spaces & Breaks → Frame Break
CTRL + SHIFT + RETURN	Insert Column Break (force text to jump to the next column)	Insert → Spaces & Breaks → Column Break
CTRL + ↑	Move to the start of the current paragraph
CTRL + ↓	Move to the end of the current paragraph
CTRL + PgUp	Move to the start of the current text frame
CTRL + PgDn	Move to the end of the current text frame

Related Mouse Actions

Command	Action
Double-click Left Mouse	Select the whole word where double-clicked
CTRL + Double-click Left Mouse	Select the whole paragraph where double-clicked

Special Characters

Command	Action	Menu Equivalent
CTRL + ALT + -	Insert non-breaking hyphen	Insert → Character → Non Breaking Dash
CTRL + SPACE	Insert non-breaking space	Insert → Spaces & Breaks → Non Breaking Space
CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + P	Insert page number	Insert → Character → Page Number
CTRL + SHIFT + -	Insert soft (smart) hyphen	Insert → Character → Soft Hyphen
CTRL + SHIFT + U	Start special unicode sequence

Image Actions

Command	Action	Menu Equivalent
I	Insert new image frame	Insert → Insert Image Frame
CTRL + I	Import image into frame	File → Import → GetImage…
CTRL + E	Change image effects	Item → Image Effects
CTRL + SHIFT + C	Copy image contents	Edit → Contents → Copy
CTRL + SHIFT + V	Paste image contents	Edit → Contents → Paste
CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + V	Paste image contents (absolute location)	Edit → Contents → Paste (Absolute)
Y	Eyedropper (get colour from image)
ALT + ↑	Resize image smaller (in image edit mode on free scaling image only)
ALT + ↓	Resize image larger (in image edit mode on free scaling image only)

Related Mouse Actions

Command	Action
Double-click Left Mouse	On an image frame, enters image editing mode (frame must be set to free scaling first).

Graphics Actions

Command	Action	Menu Equivalent
B	Insert new bezier line/curve	Insert → Insert Bezier Curve
F	Insert new freehand line	Insert → Insert Freehand Line
L	Insert new line	Insert → Insert Line
S	Insert new shape (shape defaults to the last shape drawn, or a rectangle if the first shape drawn)	Insert → Insert Shape
P	Insert new polygon	Insert → Insert Polygon
A	Insert new table frame	Insert → Insert Table
D	Insert new render frame (a rendering engine - e.g. LaTeX - must be installed first)	Insert → Insert Render Frame

Related Mouse Actions

Command	Action
CTRL	Constrain angle to 15 degree steps while drawing a line

View Actions

Command	Action	Menu Equivalent
Z	Zoom to drawn area
CTRL + +	Zoom in
CTRL + -	Zoom out
CTRL + 1	Zoom to 100%	View → 100%
CTRL + 0	Zoom to fit height of page	View → Fit to height
F11	Toggle display of all guides (including rulers)
F12	Toggle display of all palettes (except "Align and Distribute")
CTRL + SHIFT + R	Toggle display of rulers

Related Mouse Actions

Command	Action
CTRL + Mouse Wheel	Zoom IN or OUT (may not work on OS X).

Adjustment Actions

Command	Action
ARROW KEY	Move selected item(s) by 1 unit in arrow key direction
SHIFT + ARROW KEY	Move selected item(s) by 0.1 units in arrow key direction
CTRL + ARROW KEY	Move selected item(s) by 10 units in arrow key direction
CTRL + SHIFT + ARROW KEY	Move selected item(s) by 0.01 units in arrow key direction
ALT + ARROW KEY	Resize selected item(s) outwards by 1 unit in arrow key direction
ALT + SHIFT + ARROW KEY	Resize selected item(s) inwards by 1 unit in arrow key direction