Adobe Illustrator continues to be an industry-standard vector design tool well into 2025, and as the software evolves, so does the arsenal of keyboard shortcuts that designers and illustrators rely on. Mastering the right shortcuts can transform your workflow, helping you create faster, more efficiently, and with far greater precision. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just getting started, understanding these important updates and additions can make a dramatic impact on your daily productivity.

The New Essentials in 2025

The 2025 update to Illustrator introduced several new shortcuts and enhancements to existing ones. These aren’t just minor tweaks—they are major time-savers tailored for today’s fast-paced design environment.

Here are some of the newest and most impactful Illustrator shortcuts you should get familiar with:

  • Shift + L – *Live Shape Tool Switcher*: Instantly toggle between rectangle, ellipse, polygon, and star tools on the fly.
  • Ctrl + Alt + T (Win) / Cmd + Option + T (Mac) – *Repeat Transform Tool*: Quickly repeat your last transformation, whether it’s rotation, scale, or move, multiple times.
  • Alt + B – *Blend Mode Toggle*: Cycle through blend modes directly on selected objects without navigating dropdown menus.
  • Ctrl + . (Win) / Cmd + . (Mac) – *Show/Hide Anchor Points*: Perfect for fine-tuning complex paths during editing.
  • Shift + F12 – *Quick Export Panel*: Opens the redesigned export panel to quickly export assets in multiple formats with one click.

These shortcut additions reflect Illustrator’s growing focus on streamlining repetitive tasks and reducing the need to jump between tools and panels.

Customizable Shortcuts: A Game Changer

In 2025, Illustrator has expanded its Custom Shortcut Manager. You can now set up your own shortcuts for virtually any menu command or tool—right from the new, intuitive interface. This opens possibilities for creating a personal toolkit that follows your workflow preferences.

Here’s how to get started:

  1. Go to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts
  2. Select a category (Tools, Menu Commands, Panel Menus)
  3. Create or overwrite a shortcut
  4. Click Save and assign a name to your custom profile

This level of customization is ideal for teams working across shared workstations or for solo professionals who want to align Illustrator with shortcuts from other apps (like Photoshop or Figma).

Hidden Gems: Shortcuts You Didn’t Know You Needed

Beyond the big-name features, some lesser-known shortcuts have quietly become workflow-savers for many users. Here are a few that can make a surprising difference:

  • Ctrl + Shift + 8 (Win) / Cmd + Shift + 8 (Mac) – Toggle Snap to Pixel on and off. Great for web and icon designers.
  • ~ (Hold while dragging a shape) – Apply transformation only to a pattern fill, leaving the shape intact.
  • Shift + Spacebar – Temporarily switch to the Zoom Tool for faster navigation through details.
  • Alt + Shift + E – Open Enhanced Stroke Panel to access more stroke controls without diving into menus.

Combining Shortcuts with AI-Powered Features

Illustrator 2025 now integrates deeper with Adobe Sensei AI. Many of these AI-powered tools are now accessible via new keyboard shortcuts, letting you launch auto-color suggestions, pattern generation, or image tracing faster than ever before.

Examples include:

  • Ctrl + Shift + M – Launch Smart Color Suggestions
  • Alt + I – Open AI Pattern Generator
  • Cmd + Shift + X – Enable Auto Vector Trace

Integrating these shortcuts into your workflow not only saves time but leverages Illustrator’s intelligent features, helping you explore creative options without slowing down.

Final Thoughts: Shortcut Mastery = Boosted Output

As Illustrator grows more powerful, the importance of mastering shortcuts becomes even greater. The 2025 updates emphasize efficiency and intelligence—speeding up familiar tasks while opening new creative possibilities. By investing some time in learning the latest shortcuts, customizing your own, and combining them with AI tools, you’ll see measurable improvements in your design workflow.

So next time you open Illustrator, challenge yourself to use at least three of these new shortcuts. Before long, they’ll become second nature—leaving you more time to innovate and less time navigating menus.