HotKeys
Using the keyboard shortcuts (so-called hotkeys) can simplify and speed up the processing. To activate a tool, you can either click its icon or use a shortcut.
Below is a list of shortcuts which can be used in AliveColors. To change a shortcut, use the HotKeys tab in the program's Preferences (click 
in the upper right corner of the program window).
| Windows | Mac | |
| Basic Commands: | ||
| Ctrl+N | ⌘+N | Create a New Image |
| Ctrl+Shift+N | ⌘+⇧+N | Create a New Image from the Clipboard |
| Ctrl+O | ⌘+O | Open an Image |
| Ctrl+W | ⌘+W | Close an Image |
| Ctrl+Alt+W | ⌘+Option+W | Close All Images |
| Ctrl+S | ⌘+S | Save an Image |
| Ctrl+Shift+S | ⌘+⇧+S | Save an Image as... |
| Ctrl+P | ⌘+P | Print an Image |
| Ctrl+Z | ⌘+Z | Undo the Last Action |
| Ctrl+Y | ⌘+Y | Redo the Last Action |
| Shift+Z | ⇧+Z | Back to the Last Action (switching between two states in History) |
| F1 | F1 | Open Tutorial |
| Ctrl+Q | ⌘+Q | Exit the Program |
| Scaling: | ||
| + or Ctrl++ | + or ⌘++ | Zoom In |
| - or Ctrl+- | - or ⌘+- | Zoom Out |
| Ctrl+1 | ⌘+1 | Original Size (100%) |
| Ctrl+0 | ⌘+0 | Scale an Image to the Window |
| Alt+→ | Option+→ | Scale an Image to Fit the Window Width |
| Alt+↓ | Option+↓ | Scale an Image to Fit the Window Height |
| Adjustments: | ||
| Ctrl+L | ⌘+L | Levels |
| Ctrl+M | ⌘+M | Curves |
| Ctrl+U | ⌘+U | Hue/Saturation |
| Ctrl+Alt+Shift+B | ⌘+Option+⇧+B | Black & White |
| Ctrl+I | ⌘+I | Invert |
| Ctrl+Shift+L | ⌘+⇧+L | Auto Levels |
| Ctrl+Alt+Shift+L | ⌘+Option+⇧+L | Auto Contrast |
| Resizing: | ||
| Ctrl+Alt+I | ⌘+Option+I | Resize an Image |
| Ctrl+Alt+C | ⌘+Option+C | Resize Canvas |
| Layers: | ||
| Ctrl+Alt+G | ⌘+Option+G | Create/Remove Clipping Mask |
| Ctrl+G | ⌘+G | Group Layers |
| Ctrl+Shift+G | ⌘+⇧+G | Ungroup Layers |
| Ctrl+, | ⌘+, | Show/Hide Layers |
| Ctrl+Shift+] | ⌘+⇧+] | Bring to Front |
| Ctrl+] | ⌘+] | Bring Forward |
| Ctrl+[ | ⌘+[ | Send Backward |
| Ctrl+Shift+[ | ⌘+⇧+[ | Send to Back |
| Ctrl+E | ⌘+E | Merge Selected Layers |
| Ctrl+Shift+E | ⌘+⇧+E | Merge Visible Layers |
| Selections: | ||
| Ctrl+A | ⌘+A | Select all |
| Ctrl+D | ⌘+D | Deselect |
| Ctrl+Shift+D | ⌘+⇧+D | Reselect |
| Ctrl+Shift+I | ⌘+⇧+I | Invert Selection |
| Ctrl+X | ⌘+X | Cut Selection |
| Ctrl+C | ⌘+С | Copy to Clipboard |
| Ctrl+Shift+C | ⌘+⇧+C | Copy Contents of All Layers |
| Ctrl+V | ⌘+V | Paste from Clipboard |
| Ctrl+J | ⌘+J | Layer via Copy |
| Ctrl+Shift+J | ⌘+⇧+J | Layer via Cut |
| Ctrl+Alt+R | ⌘+Option+R | Refine Edges |
| Delete | Delete | Remove Selected Areas |
| Tools: | ||
| M | M | Selection Tools |
| W | W | Quick Selection Tools |
| C | C | Crop Tool |
| V | V | Move Tool |
| Ctrl+T | ⌘+T | Transform Tool |
| T | T | Text Tools |
| I | I | Eyedropper Tool |
| H | H | Hand Tool |
| Z | Z | Zoom Tool |
| B | B | Painting & Drawing Tools |
| E | E | Erasing Tools |
| G | G | Filling Tools |
| S | S | Clone Stamp Tool |
| J | J | Chameleon Brush Tool |
| K | K | Blur, Sharpen, and Smudge Tools |
| O | O | Lighten, Darken, and Saturation Tools |
| D | D | Deformation Tools |
| X | X | FX Brushes |
| A | A | Artistic Brushes |
| U | U | Shape Tools |
| [ and ] | [ and ] | Decrease/Increase Brush Size |
| N+mouse wheel | N+mouse wheel | Change the size of the brush |
| Shift+[ and Shift+] | ⇧+[ and ⇧+] | Decrease/Increase Brush Hardness |
| Scroll an Image in a Window (the Hand tool is temporarily active while you hold down the spacebar) | ||
| Panels (enable/disable): | ||
| F5 | F5 | Expanded Tool Options Panel |
| F6 | F6 | Color Panel |
| F7 | F7 | Layers Panel |
| F8 | F8 | File Info Panel |
| F9 | F9 | Actions Panel |
| Auxiliary Lines: | ||
| Ctrl+R | ⌘+R | Show Rulers |
| Ctrl+' | ⌘+' | Show Grid |
| Ctrl+; | ⌘+; | Show Guidelines |
| Ctrl+Shift+; | ⌘+⇧+; | Snap to Edges |
| Ctrl+Alt+; | ⌘+Option+; | Fix Guidelines |
| In addition: | ||
| Ctrl+F | ⌘+F | Apply the Last Effect |
| Shift+mouse click | ⇧+mouse click | Draw a Straight Line |
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