Common Shortcuts

There are shortcuts shared among many button types.

Mouse

In Blender the RMB (Right Mouse Button) is generally used for Selection and the LMB (Left Mouse Button) initiates or confirms actions.

RMB To select an item.
Shift-RMB To add more items to the selection.
LMB To perform an action on the selection.

Video: Learn more about Blender’s Mouse Button usage.

Note

There are a few corner cases where LMB is used for selection. For example, the File Browser.

Hovering

While hovering (when the cursor is held over a button).

Properties

  • Ctrl-C – Copy the value of the button.

  • Ctrl-V – Paste the value of the button.

  • RMB – Open the context menu.

  • Backspace – Clear the value (sets to zero or clears a text field).

  • Minus – Negate number values (multiply by -1.0).

  • Ctrl-Wheel – Change the value incremental steps.

    For pop-up option menus buttons, this cycles the value.

  • Return – Activates menus or toggles the value.

Animation

  • I – Insert a keyframe.
  • Alt-I – Clear the keyframe.
  • Alt-Shift-I – Clear all keyframes (removing all F-Curves).
  • Ctrl-D – Assign a driver.
  • Ctrl-Alt-D – Clear the driver.
  • K – Add a Keying Set.
  • Alt-K – Clear the Keying Set.

Python Scripting

  • Ctrl-C – Over any Operation Buttons copies their Python command into the clipboard.

    This can be used in the Python console or in the text editor when writing scripts.

  • Ctrl-Shift-C – Over property buttons copies their data-path for this property (also available from the right-click menu).

    Useful when writing drivers or scripts.

  • Ctrl-Alt-Shift-C – Over property buttons copies their full data-path for the Data-Block and property.

    Note that in most cases it is best to access values based on the context, instead of by name.

Dragging

  • Ctrl – While dragging snap the discrete steps.
  • Shift – Gives precision control over the value.
  • Ctrl-Shift – Precise snap will move the object with high precision along with the snapping constraint.

Text Editing

  • Home – Go to the start.
  • End – Go to the end.
  • Left, Right – Move the cursor a single character.
  • Ctrl-Left, Ctrl-Right – Move the cursor an entire word.
  • Backspace, Delete – Delete characters.
  • Ctrl-Backspace, Ctrl-Delete – Deletes words.
  • Shift – While holding the key and moving the cursor selects.
  • Ctrl-A – Select all text.
  • Ctrl-C – Copy the selected text.
  • Ctrl-X – Cut the selected text.
  • Ctrl-V – Paste text at the cursor position.

Confirm and Chancel

  • Esc, RMB – Cancels.
  • Return, LMB – Confirms.