Blender Keyboard Shortcuts + Free PDF Cheat Sheet (2026)

Below is the full list of Blender keyboard shortcuts, grouped by workflow.

Blender has the deepest hotkey surface of any 3D modeling software, and it is modal: G moves an object in Object Mode and grabs a vertex in Edit Mode, F changes brush size in Sculpt Mode and fills a face in Edit Mode. The same letter does different work depending on the context.

That might sound confusing, but it is exactly why fluent users barely touch a menu. Once your muscle memory takes hold, your modeling speed will double. When the shortcuts are second nature, rendering software becomes the next thing worth looking at.

Pairing this with AI tools for Blender compounds the productivity gain. Prefer paper? Grab the free Blender keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet as a PDF:

Blender keyboard shortcuts PDFFree printable cheat sheet · every default on one page

Top 10 most-used Blender hotkeys

If you only memorize ten Blender keyboard shortcuts, make it these ten. They cover the bulk of any modeling session, plus the camera and render keys you reach for constantly.

GMove (Grab)
RRotate
SScale
TabToggle Edit Mode
ASelect all
Shift + AAdd object
XDelete / X-out
Numpad 1Front view
F12Render image
Ctrl + SSave

All Blender keyboard shortcuts

This is the full Blender hot keys list. All Blender shortcuts on the page, broken down by what you are actually doing. Each shortcut is the Blender 4.x default, which carries over unchanged into Blender 5.x.

Many keys behave differently depending on the active editor and mode, so the categories below mirror Blender's own modal split: Object Mode shortcuts, Edit Mode shortcuts, Sculpt Mode shortcuts, and so on. The lesser-known shortcuts further down covers the power-user defaults beginners rarely discover.

View & Navigation17 Selection11 Rendering1 Transform14 Mesh Modeling19 Object Management15 Sculpt Mode8 UV & Shading6 Animation7 Display & Modes5 File & Edit9

Action	Shortcut
Camera view Switch the viewport to the active camera	`Numpad 0`
Front view Look along the negative Y axis	`Numpad 1`
Right view Look along the positive X axis	`Numpad 3`
Top view Look straight down the Z axis	`Numpad 7`
Opposite view Flip to the back/left/bottom of the current view	`Numpad 9`
Toggle ortho / perspective Switch between orthographic and perspective projection	`Numpad 5`
Orbit left / right Rotate the viewport in 15-degree steps	`Numpad 4 / 6`
Orbit up / down Rotate the viewport vertically	`Numpad 8 / 2`
Frame selected Zoom and center on the selection	`Numpad .`
Frame all Zoom out to fit every visible object	`Home`
Orbit Hold MMB and drag to rotate around the cursor	`Middle mouse drag`
Pan Slide the viewport without rotating	`Shift` + `MMB drag`
Zoom Scrub forward to zoom in	`Ctrl` + `MMB drag`
Zoom step Step zoom by a fixed amount	`Numpad` + `/ -`
View pie menu Open the global view pie for quick angle switching	` (backtick)
Local view Isolate the selection and hide everything else	`/ (slash)`
Walk / fly mode Move through the scene with WASD	`Shift` + ` (backtick)

Selection 11

Action	Shortcut
Select all Press once to select everything	`A`
Deselect all Clear the current selection	`Alt` + `A`
Invert selection Swap selected and unselected	`Ctrl` + `I`
Box select Drag a box to add to the selection	`B`
Circle select Paint a selection with a brush (scroll to resize)	`C`
Select linked under cursor Pick the connected mesh island under the mouse	`L`
Select all linked Extend selection to every connected element	`Ctrl` + `L`
Edge / face loop Select an entire edge loop or face loop (Edit Mode)	Alt + click
Grow / shrink selection Expand or contract the selection one ring at a time	`Ctrl` + `Numpad` + `/ -`
Select similar Select objects sharing a property (material/type/group)	`Shift` + `G`
Vertex / Edge / Face mode Switch element type in Edit Mode	`1 / 2 / 3`

Rendering 1

Action	Shortcut
One click rendering Render any Blender scene in 10 seconds. No installs needed.	MyArchitectAI →

Transform 14

Action	Shortcut
Move (Grab) Move the selection freely	`G`
Rotate Rotate around the active pivot	`R`
Scale Scale the selection from the pivot	`S`
Constrain to axis Press after G/R/S to lock movement to one axis	`X / Y / Z`
Exclude axis Move/rotate/scale on the other two axes	`Shift` + `X / Y / Z`
Numerical input Type during G/R/S for exact values	`Type a number`
Confirm transform Commit the current move/rotate/scale	Enter or LMB
Cancel transform Abort the current transform	Esc or RMB
Snap while transforming Snap to grid or geometry during G/R/S	Hold Ctrl
Precise transform Slow the transform for fine adjustments	Hold Shift
Trackball rotate Free 3D rotation instead of axis-locked	`R` + `R`
Edge slide Slide an edge along its neighbors (Edit Mode)	`G` + `G`
Snap pie menu Snap cursor or selection to grid/origin/etc	`Shift` + `S`
Pivot point pie Switch between Median / 3D Cursor / Individual Origins	`. (period)`

Mesh Modeling 19

Action	Shortcut
Toggle Edit Mode Jump between Object Mode and Edit Mode	`Tab`
Extrude Pull out new geometry from a face or edge	`E`
Inset face Inset a face inward (press I again for individual)	`I`
Knife Cut new edges into a face by clicking	`K`
Loop cut Add an evenly spaced edge loop	`Ctrl` + `R`
Bevel Bevel selected edges (scroll for more segments)	`Ctrl` + `B`
Fill Create a face or edge between selection	`F`
Merge menu Merge vertices (at center / cursor / first / last)	`M`
Merge by distance Weld doubles within a threshold	`Alt` + `M`
Separate Split selection into a new object	`P`
Vertex connect Connect two vertices with a new edge path	`J`
Subdivide Right-click context menu (no default key)	Right-click → Subdivide
Rip vertices Tear connected vertices apart	`V`
Proportional editing Toggle soft-falloff editing	`O`
Falloff menu Switch the proportional falloff curve	`Shift` + `O`
Edge / Face / Vertex menu Open contextual menus for the active element	`Ctrl` + `E / F / V`
Sidebar (properties) Toggle the right-hand item panel	`N`
Toolbar Toggle the left-hand tool shelf	`T`
Repeat with offset Replay the last action incrementally	`Shift` + `R`

Object Management 15

Action	Shortcut
Add object Open the Add menu (mesh / light / camera / etc)	`Shift` + `A`
Apply transform Apply location/rotation/scale to mesh data	`Ctrl` + `A`
Set parent Parent selected to active object	`Ctrl` + `P`
Clear parent Unparent the selection	`Alt` + `P`
Move to collection Send objects to a different collection	`M`
Duplicate Copy and offset (independent data)	`Shift` + `D`
Linked duplicate Copy sharing the same mesh data	`Alt` + `D`
Join objects Merge selected meshes into one object	`Ctrl` + `J`
Hide selected Hide the selection from the viewport	`H`
Unhide all Reveal everything you hid	`Alt` + `H`
Hide unselected Hide everything except the selection	`Shift` + `H`
Rename Rename the active object/data block	`F2`
Search operators Find any command by name	`F3`
Mirror Mirror across an axis (asks for axis after)	`Ctrl` + `M`
Reset 3D cursor Send the 3D cursor to world origin and re-center view	`Shift` + `C`

Render any Blender scene in 10 seconds

Once these shortcuts are second nature, the render becomes the next bottleneck. MyArchitectAI turns any Blender viewport into a photoreal render in seconds. No Cycles, no GPU upgrade, no installs.

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Sculpt Mode 8

Action	Shortcut
Brush radius Hold and drag to resize brush	`F`
Brush strength Hold and drag to set brush strength	`Shift` + `F`
Invert brush Temporarily invert (e.g. crease → ridge)	Hold Ctrl
Smooth brush Switch to Smooth while held	Hold Shift
Toggle X symmetry Mirror strokes across the X axis	`X`
Mask pie menu Quick access to mask / clear / invert	`A`
Mask brush Activate the mask brush	`M`
Multires subdivide Set Multires viewport level on the fly	`Ctrl` + `1 / 2 / 3`

UV & Shading 6

Action	Shortcut
Unwrap menu Open the UV unwrap method picker	`U`
Pin UV Anchor a UV vertex so it stays put during re-unwrap	`P`
Unpin UV Release pinned UVs	`Alt` + `P`
Shading pie menu Switch viewport shading (Solid / Material / Rendered / Wire)	`Z`
Toggle wireframe Quick toggle between current shading and wireframe	`Shift` + `Z`
X-ray toggle See through the mesh	`Alt` + `Z`

Animation 7

Action	Shortcut
Insert keyframe Open the keyframe insertion menu	`I`
Clear keyframes Remove keyframes on the current frame	`Alt` + `I`
Play / pause Play the timeline (default in 2.9+)	`Spacebar`
Jump to start Go to the first frame	`Shift` + `← (Left)`
Jump to end Go to the last frame	`Shift` + `→ (Right)`
Step one frame Walk the timeline one frame	`← / → (arrows)`
Step 10 frames Walk the timeline in 10-frame jumps	`↑ / ↓ (arrows)`

Display & Modes 5

Action	Shortcut
Mode pie menu Switch between Object / Edit / Sculpt / Weight Paint / etc	`Ctrl` + `Tab`
Render image Render the active camera once	`F12`
Show last render Re-open the last render window	`F11`
Render animation Render the active frame range	`Ctrl` + `F12`
Cycle render slots Compare current render against previous slots	`J`

File & Edit 9

Action	Shortcut
Save Save the current .blend	`Ctrl` + `S`
Save As Save with a new name or location	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `S`
Open Open an existing .blend file	`Ctrl` + `O`
New file Start a new file (with prompt)	`Ctrl` + `N`
Undo Undo the last action	`Ctrl` + `Z`
Redo Redo the last undone action	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Z`
Preferences (comma)	`Ctrl` +
File / context pie Open the file/context pie menu	`F4`
Quit Blender Close the application	`Ctrl` + `Q`

Lesser-known Blender shortcuts worth memorizing

These are not custom assignments. They are defaults that pros use every day but beginners rarely discover. Each one replaces a multi-step menu dive with a single key. See how to customize below if you want to reassign or add your own.

Shortcut	Action	Why it's worth knowing
`. (period)`	Pivot point pie	Switch between Median Point, 3D Cursor, Individual Origins, and Active Element without leaving the viewport.
`Z`	Shading pie	Pie-menu jump between Solid, Material Preview, Rendered, and Wireframe shading. Faster than the header dropdown.
` (backtick)	View pie	Front / Right / Top / Camera / Bottom / Left / Back in one pie. The single best replacement if you do not have a numpad.
`/ (slash)`	Local view	Hide everything except the selection. Hit it again to bring the scene back. Indispensable in dense files.
`F`	Repeat last operator	Replays the last action with a tiny edit panel. Especially powerful after Bevel, Loop Cut, or Inset for re-tweaking values.
`Shift` + `R`	Repeat with offset	Replay the last Duplicate, Move, or Rotate with the same offset. Quickest way to build linear arrays without a modifier.
`Ctrl` + `Tab`	Mode pie	Pie menu between Object, Edit, Sculpt, Texture Paint, Weight Paint, and Vertex Paint. Two keys instead of the header dropdown.
`Shift` + `S`	Snap pie	Snap cursor or selection to grid, world origin, active object, or selection. Critical for clean alignments.

How to change keyboard shortcuts in Blender

Blender has the most customizable keymap of any 3D application. Every key, click, drag, and pie menu in the entire interface can be remapped, removed, or duplicated. There are three ways in: the in-context right-click trick (fastest), the Keymap editor in Preferences (most powerful), and the keymap preset system for swapping between full keymaps like Industry Compatible or the 2.7x legacy layout.

Fastest way: right-click anything → Assign Shortcut

Find the menu item. Open the menu or panel that contains the action you want a shortcut for. Anywhere in Blender works: a header button, a context menu item, a property field.
Right-click on it. A small context menu opens with Assign Shortcut at the top (and Change Shortcut if one already exists).
Press the keys you want. Blender records the combination directly. If the key is already bound elsewhere, the new binding takes priority in the matching context.

Powerful way: Edit → Preferences → Keymap

Open Preferences. Press Ctrl + , or pick Edit → Preferences from the top menu, then click the Keymap tab.
Search. Use the search box at the top. Switch it to Key Binding to find by key (e.g. type "F12") or leave it on Name to find by action (e.g. "Bevel").
Expand the binding. Click the arrow to expand a row. The full key chord, modifiers, mouse buttons, and the editor context are all editable.
Click the key field and press the new combo. Set Ctrl / Shift / Alt / OS modifiers with the checkboxes. Hit Restore next to any item to reset it.

Swap full keymap presets

Open Preferences → Keymap. The top of the panel has a Keymap dropdown.
Pick a preset. Blender is the modern default. Industry Compatible mimics Maya, 3ds Max, and most other DCC tools (left-click select, V for move, B for rotate, N for scale). Blender 2.7x brings back right-click select and the older defaults.
Export your own. Once you have a customized setup, use the export icon next to the dropdown to save it as a .py file. Same icon imports an existing preset on a new machine.

Custom keymaps live in your Blender user folder, not the .blend file. Back up the config/userpref.blend and the exported .py together if you switch machines often.

Tips to memorize Blender shortcuts faster

Learn one shortcut per day. Pick one from this page each morning and force yourself to use it all day instead of the menus. Cheaper than any course. Sticks within a week.
Mind the mode. Blender shortcuts change meaning between Object, Edit, and Sculpt Mode. When a key seems "broken," check the mode in the header first. Tab toggles, Ctrl + Tab gives you the pie menu.
Use F3 search when you forget. Press F3 and start typing any command name. The result list shows the assigned shortcut next to each entry, so search doubles as the fastest way to learn keys you have not memorized yet.
Print the cheat sheet. Download the PDF above and pin it next to your monitor. After two weeks of glancing at it, you will not need it.
Enable Emulate Numpad if you are on a laptop. Preferences → Input → Emulate Numpad maps the top number row to view shortcuts. Without it, half of the View & Navigation table is unreachable.

Frequently asked questions

How do I see all keyboard shortcuts in Blender?

Three quick options. Press F3 to open the operator search and start typing any action — the assigned shortcut shows next to each result. Or go to Edit → Preferences → Keymap for the master list, editable by editor and mode. For a printable reference, download the free PDF cheat sheet above; it covers every default shortcut on this page on a single printable page.

How do I change a keyboard shortcut in Blender?

The fastest way is the right-click trick. Open any menu, panel, or header that contains the action you want a hotkey for, right-click on it, and pick Assign Shortcut (or Change Shortcut if one is already set). Press the new key combination and Blender records it instantly. For deeper edits — like rebinding mouse buttons, changing modifier keys, or limiting a binding to one editor — go to Edit → Preferences → Keymap and search by name or by key.

Are Blender keyboard shortcuts for Mac the same as Windows?

Mostly. Every place a Windows shortcut uses Ctrl, the Mac version uses Cmd instead. The other modifiers (Shift, Alt/Option) stay the same. The only real Mac-specific setup is the 3-button mouse and numpad emulation: in Preferences → Input, enable *Emulate 3 Button Mouse* (Option + click acts as the middle button on a Magic Mouse or trackpad) and *Emulate Numpad* (top number row gains the view-angle shortcuts). MacBook users almost always want both on. Once those are enabled, the entire shortcut list on this page works identically.

How do I back up or export my custom Blender keymap?

In Preferences → Keymap, click the export icon next to the *Keymap* dropdown at the top of the panel. Blender saves your full keymap as a Python file (.py). On a new machine, the same dropdown has an import option that loads the file straight back in. The keymap file is portable across operating systems — the same .py works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Many studios commit this file to their dotfiles repo alongside theme and addon preferences.