Keyboard shortcuts
Every keyboard shortcut and mouse modifier in the Swash editor, grouped by where you use it.
This page lists every shortcut in the editor. Cmd/Ctrl means Cmd on a Mac and Ctrl on Windows. Alt is the Option key on a Mac.
Editor shortcuts do nothing while you type in a field, a layer name or the text on the board. There the keys work as usual: Cmd/Ctrl + Z undoes your typing, Backspace deletes a character. The same happens right after you click a button or a preset card: Space would press it again. Click an empty spot on the board to get the shortcuts back.
Playback and timeline
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Play or pause. At the end of the scene, play starts again from the beginning. |
| ← / → on the playhead marker | Step by 0.01 seconds. Click the marker at the bottom of the playhead first. |
| Shift + ← / → on the playhead marker | Step by 0.1 seconds. |
| Home / End on the playhead marker | Jump to the start or the end. |
| Scroll over the tracks | Move the playhead. |
| Cmd/Ctrl + scroll over the tracks | Zoom the timeline in or out. |
| Shift or Cmd/Ctrl + click a layer row | Add the layer to the selection, or remove it. |
| Shift + click a strip | Add the strip to the selected strips, or remove it. |
| Drag across an empty part of the tracks | Select with a box. With Shift, the box adds to the selection. |
| Hold Cmd/Ctrl while dragging a strip | Turn snapping off for this drag. |
| Esc while dragging a strip or a box | Cancel the drag. |
| Double-click a layer name | Rename the layer. Enter saves, Esc cancels. |
Stepping the playhead with the keys pauses playback.
Board and view
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Shift + 1 | Show the whole board. |
| Shift + 2 | Zoom to the active artboard. |
| Hold Space and drag | Move around the board. Releasing Space after a drag does not start playback. |
| Drag with the middle mouse button | Move around the board. |
| Scroll, or swipe with two fingers | Move around the board. |
| Cmd/Ctrl + scroll, or pinch | Zoom around the pointer. |
| Double-click an artboard name | Rename the artboard. Enter saves, Esc cancels. |
| Right-click an artboard name | Open the artboard menu. |
See Artboards and formats for what the board holds.
Select and edit objects
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Click an object | Select it. In a group, the click selects the whole group. |
| Shift or Cmd/Ctrl + click | Add the object to the selection, or remove it. |
| Drag from an empty spot | Select with a box. With Shift or Cmd/Ctrl, the box adds to the selection. |
| Esc | Clear the selection. |
| Right-click an object or a layer row | Open the object menu. |
| Delete or Backspace | Delete the selected objects, or the selected sound track. The last text layer always stays. |
| Cmd/Ctrl + D | Duplicate the selected objects. The copies land slightly offset. |
| Cmd/Ctrl + C | Copy the selected object. Groups cannot be copied, but they can be duplicated. |
| Cmd/Ctrl + V | Paste the copied object, or frames copied with the Swash Figma plugin. |
| Cmd/Ctrl + G | Group the selected objects. |
| Cmd/Ctrl + Z | Undo. |
| Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + Z or Cmd/Ctrl + Y | Redo. |
Grouping needs at least two objects at the same level, for example two top-level objects or two objects in the same group. It works only in the main artboard. In a version, you see Group objects in the main artboard.
Move, resize and rotate
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| ← ↑ → ↓ | Move the selected objects by 1 pixel. |
| Shift + arrow keys | Move the selected objects by 10 pixels. |
| Shift + drag an object | Move along one axis only. |
| Alt + drag an object | Turn snapping off while you drag. |
| Shift + drag a resize handle | Keep the proportions. |
| Alt + drag a resize handle | Resize from the centre. |
| Shift + drag the rotation handle | Rotate in steps of 15°. |
To turn snapping off for good, clear Snap to objects in Editor settings.
Edit text
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Double-click text on the board | Edit it in place. This also works on text inside a group. |
| Enter | Edit the selected text layer. |
| Enter while editing | Start a new line. |
| Esc, or click outside | Stop editing. |
Font, size and colour are in the inspector. See Text and fonts.
Fields in the inspector
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Drag a field label left or right | Change the value. |
| Hold Shift while dragging | Change in steps 10 times larger. |
| Hold Alt while dragging | Change in steps 10 times smaller. |
| Double-click a field label | Type a value. |
| ↑ / ↓ in a number field | Step the value up or down. Shift and Alt work here too. |
| Enter in a number field | Apply the typed value. |
| Esc in a number field | Discard the typed value. |
| ← / → on a video trim handle | Move it by 0.05 seconds, or 0.5 with Shift. Home and End jump to the start or end of the clip. |
| ← / → on a gradient stop | Move the stop along the bar. |
| Alt + ← / → on a colour in a colour list | Move the colour earlier or later. |
Paths, camera and crop
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Esc | Leave path drawing. |
| Alt + click or right-click a path point | Delete the point. |
| Alt + click a curve handle on a path | Return the handle to automatic. |
| Alt + click or double-click a camera stop | Remove the stop. |
| Alt + click or double-click a camera curve handle | Remove the handle. |
| Enter or Esc in crop mode | Finish cropping the video. The video stays selected. |
Camera and 3D explains camera stops. Crop mode opens from Crop in the video settings, see Images and video.
Menus and dialogs close with Esc. Closing a menu this way keeps your selection.