Keyboard Shortcuts

Below is a list of all the keyboard shortcuts and modifiers available in Balsamiq Wireframes.

Working with Controls
Selection
Edit the selected control's text	`ENTER` or `F2`
Add to selection	`SHIFT`+Click
Toggle selection	`CTRL`+Click
Select All	`CTRL`+`A`
Deselect All	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`A`
Ignore control(s) under cursor	Hold `ALT`
Treat/do not treat selection as markup	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`K`
Size/Position
Resize maintaining aspect ratio	Hold `SHIFT` while resizing with mouse
Move selection along horizontal or vertical axis	Hold `SHIFT` while dragging
Disable snapping during move or resize	Hold `CTRL`
Grow/Increase text or icon size	`CTRL`+`]`
Shrink/Decrease text or icon size	`CTRL`+`[`
Nudge selection 1px	`↑↓←→`
Nudge selection 10px	`SHIFT`+`↑↓←→`
Nudge-Resize selection 1px	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`↑↓←→`
Nudge-Resize selection 10px	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`SHIFT`+`↑↓←→`
Auto-Size selection	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`0`
Pan the canvas (Hand tool)	`SPACE BAR`+Click and drag
Bring to front	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`↑`
Send to back	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`↓`
Bring forward	`CTRL`+`↑`
Send backward	`CTRL`+`↓`
Duplicate selection	`ALT`+drag
Edit/History
Undo last command	`CTRL`+`Z`
Redo last command	`CTRL`+`Y` or `CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`Z`
Cut the selected controls	`CTRL`+`X` or `SHIFT`+`DELETE`
Copy the selected controls	`CTRL`+`C` or `CTRL`+`INSERT`
Paste	`CTRL`+`V` or `SHIFT`+`INSERT`
Paste In Place	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`V`
Delete the selected controls	`DELETE` or `BACKSPACE`
Duplicate the selected controls	`CTRL`+`D`
Lock the selected controls	`CTRL`+`2`
Unlock all locked controls	`CTRL`+`3`
Transform the selected controls	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`T`
Group
Group the selected controls	`CTRL`+`G`
Ungroup the selected groups	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`G`
Align
Align selected controls left	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`1`
Align selected controls center	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`2`
Align selected controls right	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`3`
Align selected controls top	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`4`
Align selected controls middle	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`5`
Align selected controls bottom	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`6`
Working with Icons
Navigating the Suggestion List	`↑↓←→`
Using the selected icon	`ENTER`
Closing the Icons Library	`ESC`
Closing the Suggestion List	`ESC`
Grow/Increase icon size	`CTRL`+`]`
Shrink/Decrease icon size	`CTRL`+`[`
Working with Text
Start Editing text of the selected control	`ENTER` or `F2`
Committing the current text	`ENTER` (single-line controls), `CTRL`+`ENTER` (multi-line controls) or click anywhere
Ignoring the current edit	`ESC`
Grow/Increase Text Size	`CTRL`+`]`
Shrink/Decrease Text Size	`CTRL`+`[`
Text Formatting
italic	_text in underscores_
link	[text in brackets]
link with a target	\[text in brackets\]\(wireframe_name\) or \[text in brackets\]\(website_url\)
bold	text in asterisks
disabled	-text in hyphens-
strikethrough	~text in tildes~
font point size	{size:12}text{size}
color (hex value or color name)	{color:#ff0000}text{color} or {color:red}text{color}
To type a literal , , − -, or [] in a control, escape it by prefixing it with a \ (backslash): \, \, −\-, \, [\]
Special Text Macros
Lorem-Ipsum generator	type lorem in a Text or Text Area control.
Show the current wireframe name	type {mockup-name} in a Label, Text, Title or Subtitle control.
Quick Add
Sending focus to Quick Add	`/` (forward slash) or `+` (plus sign)
Navigating the Suggestion List	`↑↓`
Closing the Suggestion List	`ESC`
Sending focus back to the Canvas	`ESC`
Add control at cursor position	`SHIFT`+`ENTER`
Drawing Controls
Learn more about drawing controls here
Draw a rectangle on the canvas	`R`+drag
Draw a block of text on the canvas	`T`+drag
Draw a line of text on the canvas	`Y`+drag
Project Actions
New blank wireframe	`CTRL`+`N`
Duplicate current wireframe	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`N`
New project	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`N`
Open project	`CTRL`+`O`
Save as...	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`S`
Rename wireframe	`CTRL`+`ALT`+`R`
Close current project	`CTRL`+`W` or `CTRL`+`F4`
Export this wireframe's JSON	`CTRL`+`E`
Import wireframe JSON	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`E`
Export snapshot to clipboard	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`C`
Export snapshot to PNG	`CTRL`+`R`
Export all snapshots to PNG	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`R`
Export to PDF	`CTRL`+`P`
Quit the Balsamiq Wireframes editor	`CTRL`+`Q`
Next wireframe	`CTRL`+`TAB` (Windows) `PAGE DOWN` or `fn`+`⌘`+`↓` (Mac)
Previous wireframe	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`TAB` (Windows) `PAGE UP` or `fn`+`⌘`+`↑` (Mac)
Top of wireframe	`HOME` (Windows) `fn`+`SHIFT`+`↑` (Mac)
Bottom of wireframe	`END` (Windows) `fn`+`SHIFT`+`↓` (Mac)
Views
Hide/Show the UI Library	`CTRL`+`L` or `CTRL`+`F1`
Hide/Show the Inspector	`CTRL`+`;` or `ALT`+`ENTER`
Hide/Show the Project Info	`CTRL`+`,`
Hide/Show the Navigator Panel	`CTRL`+`J`
Show/Hide Markup	`CTRL`+`K`
Back to Wireframes (From Symbols/Assets/Trash)	`CTRL`+`SHIFT`+`M`
Zoom In	`CTRL`+`+` (plus sign) or `CTRL`+scroll mouse
Zoom Out	`CTRL`+`-` (minus sign) or `CTRL`+scroll mouse
Zoom to Actual Size	`CTRL`+`1`
Zoom to Fit	`CTRL`+`0`
Fullscreen
Enter Full Screen View	`CTRL`+`F` or `F5`
Exit Full Screen View	`ESC`
Edit Current Mockup	`e`
Hide/Show Settings Panel	`s`
Hide/Show Navigator	`j`
Hide/Show Notes	`n`
Hide/Show Comments	`c`
Hide/Show Link Hints	`l`
Hide/Show Big Arrow Cursor	`b`
Hide/Show Markup	`m`
Zoom	`z`
Pan Canvas	Click+drag
Next Mockup	`Page Down` (Windows) `⌥ Option`+`↓` (Mac)
Previous Mockup	`Page Up` (Windows) `⌥ Option`+`↑` (Mac)
Back	`←`
Forward	`→`

Zoom to Fit All on Windows 10

For users with Windows Vista and above, you may find that the Zoom to Fit All (CTRL+SHIFT+0) doesn't work. The reason for this is that Windows captures the input before it gets sent to Wireframes for Desktop, preventing the app from ever seeing it.

Luckily, the fix is super easy.

The option for changing the shortcut is in a different place in Windows 8 and Windows 10. In Windows 8 you will need to go to Control Panel > Language > Advanced Settings and then find the Change language bar hot keys button. In Windows 10 it's in Settings > Devices > Typing > Advanced keyboard settings.

From there click Change Key Sequence... and then set Switch Keyboard Layout to Not Assigned.

Balsamiq for Desktop Documentation

Keyboard Shortcuts

Working with Controls

Selection

Size/Position

Edit/History

Group

Align

Working with Icons

Working with Text

Text Formatting

Special Text Macros

Quick Add

Drawing Controls

Project Actions

Views

Fullscreen

Zoom to Fit All on Windows 10