2 posts tagged with "shortcuts"

As new features are added to draw.io and the menu is refined, new keyboard shortcuts are also built into the editor. Here are some of the new and useful shortcuts for diagramming in draw.io.

Move selected shapes and connectors​

First, select the shape you want to move, then hold Shift+Alt+drag and drag the cursor to reposition them. You can move shapes, connectors, or multiple selected shapes and connectors this way.

This shortcut will always move the selected elements, even if they are not currently under the cursor when you drag it.

Note: When you move a connector this way, it will de-attach itself from the source and target shapes, unless they are moved with the connector.

Increase/decrease font size​

Select a shape or connector or label, and press Ctrl+Shift +/- (NumPad) to increase or decrease the text size.

This only works with the + and - keys on the number pad.

Alternatively, change the font size in the Text tab of the format panel.

Note: This keyboard shortcut will always change the text size of the entire label, even if you have selected only some text inside a label.

Increase/decrease shape size​

Select a shape, and press Ctrl+Shift+arrow key to increase or decrease the right or lower edge of the shape. This increases or decreases the Height or Width of the shape (in the Arrange tab of the format panel).

Clear all extra waypoints on a connector​

Waypoints are used in connectors to change its path. Sometimes you may want to remove all of them quickly.

Select a connector and press Alt+Shift+R to reset the waypoints back to the default path.

More keyboard shortcuts in draw.io​

There are many other mouse + keyboard shortcut combinations in draw.io to help you diagram faster, as well as many keyboard shortcuts described in previous posts.

Next time you go through the draw.io menu, or right-click and open the context menu, check and see if there is a keyboard shortcut next to the command you want to use.

Here's a one-page reference sheet that you can print out containing the most common and useful keyboard shortcuts in draw.io.

The double click behaviour in draw.io has been updated in version 13.4.2 to be more convenient. Now, when you double click on the blank drawing canvas, you can quickly add a shape or text from the selector to your diagram.

You can choose from a range of common shapes from the General shape library using this method.

Tip: These shapes will use the style you have set to be the default style.

Set a new default style for shapes and connectors​

The shapes will use the default style. You can easily set a new default style.

1. Add a shape or a connector and style it as you wish.
2. Select the shape, then in the Style tab of the format panel on the right, click on Set as Default Style.

Note: You need to set new default styles for shapes and connectors individually.

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+D on Windows, or Cmd+Shift+D on macOS

Clear the default style​

If you no longer want to add shapes in your custom default style, you can reset draw.io to use the original default style.

1. Make sure nothing is selected.
2. In the Style tab of the format panel on the right, click on Clear Default Style.

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+R or Cmd+Shift+R

See more shortcuts for working quickly with styles in draw.io