In the world of photo editing, time is money. Adobe Lightroom, one of the most powerful tools for photographers, offers an impressive range of features to take your photos to the next level. But did you know that you can work even more efficiently if you master the keyboard shortcuts?

Shortcuts aren't just time savers, they're your secret weapon. Imagine you're in a creative flow and everything is running like clockwork - no clicking through menus, no searching for hidden functions. Instead, you fly through your editing processes with a few simple keystrokes. That's the magic of keyboard shortcuts in Lightroom: they make complicated processes simple and let you focus on what really matters - your creativity.

In this article, I'll show you all the keyboard shortcuts you need to know to maximize your Lightroom experience. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, these shortcuts will revolutionize your work. Ready to cut your editing time in half and double your productivity? Then let's get started!

Table of Contents

Library

LibraryShortcut
Previous viewESC
Activate magnifying glass or 1:1 viewEnter
Grid modeG
Magnifier viewE
Compare modeC
Overview modeN
Start ad-hoc slideshowCtrl + Enter
Switch to the next screen modeF
Restore normal screen modeCtrl + Alt + F
Grid view optionsCtrl + J
Show/hide filter barP

Evaluation and target collection

RatingShortcut
Set rating1-5
Set rating and go to the next photoShift + 1-5
Set color marker6-9
Set color marker and go to next photoShift + 6-9
Reset rating to "None0
Decrease rating.
Increase rating,
Add to the target collectionB
Show target collectionCtrl + B
Delete quick collectionCtrl + Shift + B

Photos

photosShortcut
Import photos and videosCtrl + Shift + I
Export photosCtrl + Shift + E
Rotate to the leftCtrl + [
Rotate rightCtrl + ]
Edit in PhotoshopCtrl + E
Save metadata to fileCtrl + S
Zoom outCtrl + -
Zoom inCtrl + =
Show full sizeZ
Stack photosCtrl + G
Unstack photosCtrl + Shift + G
Show in ExplorerCtrl + R
Remove from libraryBackspace
Rename fileF2
Copy development settingsCtrl + Shift + C
Paste development settingsCtrl + Shift + V
Previous selected photoCtrl + ←
Next selected photoCtrl + →
Activate/deactivate library filterCtrl + L
Send selected photosCtrl + Shift + M

Highlight

HighlightShortcut
Change selection statusH
Increase marking statusCtrl + ↑
Decrease marking statusCtrl + ↓
Set rejection markerX
Set selection markerP

Control panels

Control panelsShortcut
Show/hide control panelsTabulator
Show/hide all control panelsShift + Tab
Show/hide toolbarT
Activate search fieldCtrl + F
Keyword input fieldCtrl + K
Call up previous moduleCtrl + Alt + ↑

Develop

DevelopShortcut
Automatic tone value correctionCtrl + Alt + U
Convert to black and whiteV
Automatic white balanceCtrl + Shift + U
Edit in PhotoshopCtrl + E
New snapshotCtrl + N
Create virtual copyCtrl + T
Rotate leftCtrl + [
Rotate to the rightCtrl + ]
Set rating1-5
Set rating and go to next photoShift + 1-5
Set color marker6-9
Set color marker and go to next photoShift + 6-9
Copy development settingsCtrl + Shift + C
Paste development settingsCtrl + Shift + V

View

ViewShortcut
Show/hide control panelsTabulator
Show/hide all control panelsShift + Tab
Show/hide toolbarT
Scroll through screen modesF
Activate normal screen modeCtrl + Alt + F
Cycle through modes for switched off lightingL
Go to dimmed lighting modeCtrl + Shift + L
Call up previous moduleCtrl + Alt + ↑
Show/hide informationCtrl + I
Scroll through informationI
Development view optionsCtrl + J
Show/hide soft proof previewS

Output

OutputShortcut
Start ad-hoc slideshowCtrl + Enter
Print selected photoCtrl + Shift + P
Set up pageCtrl + Shift + E

Navigation

NavigationShortcut
Previous photoCtrl + ←
Next photoCtrl + →

Mode

ModeShortcut
Call up crop modeR
Area repair modeQ
Graduated filter modeM
Correction brush modeK
Loupe viewD
Before & after left/rightY
Before & after up/downAlt + Y

Tools

toolsShortcut
Rotate cropX
Show/hide color overlayO
Show/hide pencilsH

Map

GeneralShortcut
Delete GPS coordinatesBackspace key
Delete all position metadataCtrl + Backspace
Lock markerCtrl + K
SearchCtrl + F
Show/hide map informationI
Zoom out-
Zoom in+
Zoom by draggingHold down Alt
hybridCtrl + 1
Street mapCtrl + 2

The following tips will make working in Photoshop Lightroom easier for you

  • Adobe Photoshop Lightroom has a similar structure to Photoshop. The control panels on the right can be shown or hidden at any time if required. The only problem is when a large number of control panels are expanded, resulting in very long panels and the need to scroll down very far. Solo mode provides a remedy: simply right-click on one of the control panels and then activate solo mode. Only the panel that is currently active will open.
  • Who hasn't experienced it: Thousands of photos are stored on the hard disk and the more Lightroom manages, the slower the program becomes. That's why you should always work with catalogs. However, the problem is that to change a catalog, it must first be activated and then Lightroom must be restarted. This can also be done more quickly: Click Ctrl when starting Lightroom. Now you can quickly activate your desired catalog.
  • Did you know that you can also adjust the basic settings of the Develop module Exposure, Recovery, Highlight Correction and Black in the histogram? Simply drag at the end of the slightly lighter area in the histogram.
  • Photos look different on different backgrounds. If you look at a picture on a very dark background, the colors appear stronger, whereas if you look at it on a white background, the contrasts are stronger. Ideally, you should use a medium gray, which is also the default setting in Lightroom. You can either change the background color of the Lightroom window in the presets or simply right-click on the background and then select the desired color.
  • You want to convert a photo completely black and white, except for one or two colors? This is actually best done in Photoshop. But Lightroom can also do this: Simply go to the Saturation area in HSL mode and then set all colors to -100 except for those that should remain and adjust the remaining colors as desired.
  • With Lightroom mobile as an app-based version, it is possible to manage and edit your photos on the go via your tablet. All adjustments are automatically synchronized with your desktop version.
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Shortcuts Lightroom CC - Keyboard shortcuts at a glance

Published on by Stefan Petri
Published on:
From Stefan Petri
Together with his brother Matthias, Stefan Petri runs the popular specialist forum PSD-Tutorials.de and the e-learning platform TutKit.com, which focuses on the training and further education of digital professional skills.