Paint.NET keyboard shortcuts

If you were using Paint.net without keyboard shortcuts, take look at this list. They'll not only make you faster on drawing lines, shapes or filling areas with color, but you'll also learn more about Paint.net features.

Paint.NET Top 20 All

Zeynel - - Shortcuts

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Suggestion: This program has lots of (226) shortcuts. Try our shortened list of 20 basic Paint.NET shortcuts if you just want to get started.

0	S	(x3) Ellipse select
0	+	Create a selection
0	or +
0	Ctrl + +	Add to selection
-1	Alt + + ←	Subtract from selection
0	Ctrl + + →	Invert selection mode
0	Alt + + →	Intersect selection modu
0	↑ Shift +	Force rectangle select to square
0	↑ Shift +	Force ellipse select to circle
Move Selected Pixels tool + Ctrl: Move a copy of selection

0	S	(x4) Activate Magic Wand
0		Create selection of like piksels
0	Ctrl +	Add to selection
-1	Alt +	Subtract from selection
0	Ctrl +	Invert a portion of selection
0	Alt +	Intersect selection mode
Shift + other Magic Wand action: Global selection

0	M	Move Selected Pixels tool
0	M	(x2) Move Selection tool
1		(drag corner or edge nub) Resize the selection
0	↑ Shift +	(drag corner nub) Resize and keep proportions
0	+	(when pointer is a four-way arrow) Move selection
0	+	(when pointer is a double headed arrow) Rotate selection
0	or +
1	Ctrl	(hold while using this tool) Manipulate a copy of the selection (Move Selected Pixels Tool only)

0	Z	Activate zoom tool
0		Zoom in
0		Zoom out
0	+	Pan while zoomed
0	or

0	H	Activate Pan tool
0	+	Pan the canvas
0	or +
0	or + + ← ↑ → ← ↓ →
0		Reposition Pan tool
0	← ↑ → ← ↓ →	Pan tool

0	F	Activate Paint Bucket
0		Fill area with primary color
0	or Backspace
0		Fill area with secondary color
0	or ↑ Shift + Backspace
0	↑ Shift	(hold in Contiguous mode) Global fill mode
0	↑ Shift	(hold in Global mode) Contiguous fill mode

0	G	Activate Gradient tool
0	+	Primary to secondary gradient
0	+	Secondary to primary gradient
0		(click the nub) Swap gradient direction (i.e. swap color roles)
0		(four arrow icon) Move gradient while drawing
0	↑ Shift	(hold while dragging either nub) Constrain gradient to 15 degree increment

0	B	Activate Paintbrush tool
0		Draw in primary color
0	or +
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0		Draw in secondary color
0	or +

0	P	Activate Pencil tool
0		Draw in primary color
0	or +
0		Draw in secondary color
0	or +

0	E	Activate Eraser tool
-1	+	Erase an area

0	K	Activate color picker
0		Set primary color
0		Set secondary color

0	R	Activate Recolor tool
0		Recolor secondary color with primary
0		Recolor primary with secondary

0	L	Activate Clone Stamp tool
0	Ctrl +	Set source point
0	+	Copy pixels
0	or +

0	T	Activate Text tool
0	Esc	Commit text to layer

0	O	Activate Line/Curve tool
0	,	Start Cap style
0	.	Line style
0	/	End Cap style
0	+ ← ↑ → ← ↓ →	(hold the nub) Move line / curve
0		(drag nub) Move line / curve
0		(drag four way arrow icon) Drag entire line / curve
0	← ↑ → ← ↓ →	Move line / curve by 1px
0	+	Rotate line / curve
0	↑ Shift	(while rotating) Lock rotation to 15° increments

0	O	(x2) Activate Shape tool
0	+	Draw shape in primary color
0	+ →	Draw shape in secondary color
0	A	Cycle forward through shapes
0	↑ Shift + A	Cycle backward through shapes
0		(drag nub) Move Shape nubs
0	+ ← ↑ → ← ↓ →	(click and hold the nub) Move Shape nubs
0	↑ Shift	(hold while dragging any nub) Lock Shape height and width ratio
0	+	(drag four-way arrow icon) Drag entire shape
0	← ↑ → ← ↓ →	Move Shape by 1px
0	Ctrl + ← ↑ → ← ↓ →	Move Shape by 10px
0	+	Rotate Shape
0	↑ Shift	(hold while rotating) Lock rotation to 15° increments
0	Ctrl	(hold while clicking - or + corner size keys in the toolbar) Increase corner value change to 5px (Rounded Rectangle only)

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What is your favorite Paint.NET hotkey? Do you have any useful tips for it? Let other users know below.

? Uncle OP says :

I've been using the wrong image editing program. Gonna try it with paintdotnet from now on. The instructions are much more clear this way

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? Buchi OP says :

I have a problem with plugins, pait.net 5.0.9, how can I solve it?

? beyakarylle OP says :

Thanks for the Info.
I use Paint .Net a lot for most editing and resizing tasks, but it does lack such things as HDR photo editing and other high end features. But it opens so fast, and you can specify what tool you want it to default to when it opens, so that’s very handy.
I am using a XP-Pen Star 03 ( https://www.xp-pen.com/product/44.html ) digital drawing tablet. They are like perfectly tuned to paint .net . All the button functions will work and it was affordable as well.

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