Illustrator · Selection tool
Tools
Windows · Linux
VMac
VBoth systems use the same combination.
Picks up whole objects and groups, and it is the tool you fall back to from every other one. While you are editing type the letter is typed into the text instead, so press Esc first.
- Group
- Tools
- Keys held
- 1
Illustrator gives each tool a single letter, and learning those letters is the biggest win — but while you are editing type they simply get typed, so press Esc first.
Reading the key names
- Keys joined by + are pressed together: Ctrl+Shift+P means hold Ctrl and Shift, then P.
- On a Mac, Cmd is ⌘, Option is ⌥ (labelled Alt on some keyboards), Control is ⌃ and Shift is ⇧.
- Windows Ctrl usually becomes Cmd on a Mac, but not always — this reference lists both combinations separately.
- With a Korean, Japanese or Chinese input method active, shortcuts built on letter keys may not fire. Switch to Latin input and try again.
- When a combination does nothing, another program has often claimed it as a global shortcut first.
Common questions
Q. What is the shortcut for Selection tool in Illustrator?
Picks up whole objects and groups, and it is the tool you fall back to from every other one. While you are editing type the letter is typed into the text instead, so press Esc first. It is V on Windows and V on a Mac.
Q. Is it the same on Windows and Mac?
Yes, V on both.
Q. How many keys is that?
1 pressed together. The combination sits under Tools in Illustrator.