Schematic Editor & Schematic Symbol Editor Shortcuts (2024)

The following sections present shortcut keys that are specific to the Schematic and/or the Schematic Symbol Editors. For general information regarding shortcut keys -including access and editing, general Altium environment shortcuts, and accelerator keys - see Altium Designer Shortcut Keys.

The following shortcuts are standard to the Schematic and/or Schematic Symbol Editors. They are available in general and do not require you to be performing an interactive process to access them.

General Editing

Double-ClickModify the properties of the object currently under the cursor.Right-ClickAccess context menu for the design space or object currently under the cursor. If currently within an interactive command, will escape from the current operation.F2Edit selected text object in-place (direct editing).Ctrl+CCopy selectionCtrl+XCut selectionCtrl+VPaste selectionCtrl+RCopy selected object(s) and paste repeatedly where needed in the design space (rubber stamping).Shift+Ctrl+VAccess the Smart Paste dialog.DeleteDelete selectionCtrl+ZUndoCtrl+YRedo

Selecting

Shift+FAccess the Find Similar Objects feature (click on an object to use as the base template).ClickSelect/deselect the object currently under the cursor.Shift+ClickChange the selection status of the object currently under the cursor without affecting the status of other objects.Shift+Ctrl+XToggle Cross Select Mode On or Off.Shift+Ctrl+YToggle the Cross Select Mode's Reposition selected component in PCB option On or Off.Ctrl+ASelect all objects on the current document.Alt+ClickOn a net object to select that object, and to highlight all objects associated to that net across all sheets of the active design project.Click (away from objects), Hold&Drag (left-to-right)Select all objects that fall completely within the bounds of the selection area.Click (away from objects), Hold&Drag (right-to-left)Select all objects that fall completely inside the selection area or are touched by its boundary.Ctrl+n (n = 1 to 8)Store the current selection in memory location n.Alt+n (n = 1 to 8)Recall the selection from memory location n.Shift+n (n = 1 to 8)Add the current selection to the selection already stored in memory location n.Alt+Shift+n (n = 1 to 8)Recall selection from memory location nand add it to the current selection in the design space.Shift+Ctrl+n (n = 1 to 8)Apply filtering based on the selection set in memory location n.

Moving

Click (on an object), Hold&Drag

Move the single object currently under the cursor (or group of selected objects if the object is part of that selection). If the Always Drag option is enabled (on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog), then using this shortcut to move an electrical object willmaintainconnectivity with other electrical objects.

Ctrl+Click, Hold&DragMove the single object currently under the cursor (or group of selected objects if the object is part of that selection). If the Always Drag option is disabled (on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog), then using this shortcut to move an electrical object willmaintainconnectivity with other electrical objects.Left ArrowMove the cursor to the left in the current document design space in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Left ArrowMove the cursor to the left in the current document design space in increments of 10 snap grid units.Right ArrowMove the cursor to the right in the current document design space in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Right ArrowMove the cursor to the right in the current document design space, in increments of 10 snap grid units.Up ArrowMove the cursor upwards in the current document design space, in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Up ArrowMove the cursor upwards in the current document design space, in increments of 10 snap grid units.Down ArrowMove the cursor downwards in the current document design space, in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Down ArrowMove the cursor downwards in the current document design space, in increments of 10 snap grid units.Ctrl+Left ArrowMove the current selection (one or more selected design objects) to the left in the current document design space in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Ctrl+Left ArrowMove the current selection (one or more selected design objects) to the left in the current document design space, in increments of 10 snap grid units.Ctrl+Right ArrowMove the current selection (one or more selected design objects) to the right in the current document design space, in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Ctrl+Right ArrowMove the current selection (one or more selected design objects) to the right in the current document design space, in increments of 10 snap grid units.Ctrl+Up ArrowMove the current selection (one or more selected design objects) upwards in the current document design space, in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Ctrl+Up ArrowMove the current selection (one or more selected design objects) upwards in the current document design space, in increments of 10 snap grid units.Ctrl+Down ArrowMove the current selection (one or more selected design objects) downwards in the current document design space, in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Ctrl+Down ArrowMove the current selection (one or more selected design objects) downwards in the current document design space, in increments of 10 snap grid units.

Aligning

Shift+Ctrl+LAlign selected objects by their left edges.Shift+Ctrl+RAlign selected objects by their right edges.Shift+Ctrl+HMake the horizontal spacing of selected objects equal.Shift+Ctrl+TAlign selected objects by their top edges.Shift+Ctrl+BAlign selected objects by their bottom edges.Shift+Ctrl+VMake the vertical spacing of selected objects equal.Shift+Ctrl+DMove selected objects to the nearest point on the current snap grid.SpacebarRotate selection counterclockwise by 90°.Shift+SpacebarRotate selection clockwise by 90°.

Viewing the Schematic

Ctrl+PgDnDisplay all design objects on the current document.PgUpZoom-in, relative to the current cursor location.

You can also use the mouse to zoom in to a region of the document by one of the following methods (where applicable and depending on how the buttons of your mouse might be assigned):

Grids

GCycle forward through your predefined snap grid settings.Shift+GCycle backward through your predefined snap grid settings.Shift+Ctrl+GTurn the visible grid on or off in the current document.Ctrl+ShiftTemporarily disables the grid.Shift+ETurn the cursor electrical grid on or off.

Finding Text

Ctrl+FFind text.Ctrl+HFind and replace text.F3Find next occurrence of searched text.

Quick Panel Access

F11Toggle the display of the Properties panel.F12Toggle the display of the SCH Filter panelor the SCHLIB Filter panel accordingly.Shift+F12Toggle the display of the List panel (SCH List or SCHLIB List panel) accordingly.

Commenting

Alt+Ctrl+CAdd a new comment thread to a point, object, or area onthe active schematic document. Before you can start using the comment feature, ensure that you have opened (checked out) a Managed Project and are working on one of its source schematic documents.

Miscellaneous

Ctrl+Double-Click

On a Sheet Entry to jump to the corresponding port on the sub-sheet referenced by that entry's parent Sheet Symbol.
On a Port to jump to the corresponding sheet entry in the parent sheet symbol that references the sub-sheet on which the port resides.
On a port to jump to another port with the same name, on the indicated target schematic document (only available when the Net Identifier Scope - set on the Options tab of the ProjectOptions dialog - is set to Flat, or Global).
On a sheet symbol to descend the design hierarchy to open the child sheet referenced by that symbol.

Ctrl+LPerform Board Level Annotationthrough use of the Board Level Annotate dialog.Ctrl+WEnter wire placement mode.Ctrl+HomeMove the cursor to the absolute origin coordinate (0,0) for the current document.Ctrl+Q

In the main design spaceto access the Selection Memory dialog, from where you can control all aspects of the selection memory feature.
In a dialog or panel to toggle the measurement units (in the dialog or panel only), between metric (mm) and imperial (mil).

Ctrl+MMeasure and display the distance between any two points in the current document.F9Run a simulation for the active design using the analyses and related settings currently defined through the Simulation Dashboard panel. If this is the first time a simulation of the design is being performed, then the default analyses - Operating Point, DC Sweep, Transient Analysis, and AC Analysis - will be run, using their default settings. In the latter case, it is strongly advised to set up for simulation first, through the Simulation Dashboard panel. Note that the Run Simulation command, to which this shortcut is associated, is only available provided you have the Mixed Simulation system extension installed. This will add the Simulate menu to the Schematic Editor. For more information, see .

, ClickCross-probe from a chosen object on the current schematic document to its corresponding counterpart on the PCB document remaining in the source document (Continuous Mode).

, Ctrl+ClickCross-probe from a chosen object on the current schematic document to its corresponding counterpart on the PCB document making the target document the active document (Jump To Mode).

The following shortcuts become available when an interactive processhas been launched, such as placing a new design object, or moving an existing one.Note that the shortcuts available will depend on the interactive commandand the specific design object that is the focus of that command.

F1Access the Graphical Editing Hot key List dialogthatprovides a listing of the shortcuts available (but that cannot be launched) as well as access to the documentation for the currently running command.Shift+F1Access a menu that lists all valid shortcuts for the present stage of the currently running interactive command.EnterActs like a Click of the mouse when placing/moving an object.PgUpZoom in.PgDnZoom out.EndRefresh the screen.HomeChange display to have the cursor (with the attached object being placed/moved) at the center of the design window.Left ArrowMove the cursor (with the attached object being placed/moved) to the left in the current document workspace, in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Left ArrowMove the cursor (with the attached object being placed/moved) to the left in the current document workspace, in increments of 10 snap grid units.Right ArrowMove the cursor (with the attached object being placed/moved) to the right in the current document workspace, in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Right ArrowMove the cursor (with the attached object being placed/moved) to the right in the current document workspace, in increments of 10 snap grid units.Up ArrowMove the cursor (with the attached object being placed/moved) upwards in the current document workspace, in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Up ArrowMove the cursor (with the attached object being placed/moved) upwards in the current document workspace, in increments of 10 snap grid units.Down ArrowMove the cursor (with the attached object being placed/moved) downwards in the current document workspace, in increments of one snap grid unit.Shift+Down ArrowMove the cursor (with the attached object being placed/moved) downwards in the current document workspace, in increments of 10 snap grid units.TabPause the interactive task and access the associated mode of the Properties panel in which properties for the object being placed/moved can be changed on-the-fly. Continuing to use Tab when in the Properties panel (or any dialog for that matter) will cycle through the fields in the panel.XMirror the object being placed/moved along the X-axis.YMirror the object being placed/moved along the Y-axis.AltConstrain the direction of movement to the horizontal or vertical axis depending on the initial direction of movement.ShiftWhen auto-panning while placing/moving an object, use to pan at higher speed.Esc
(or Right-Click)Escape from the current process - either a stage of the currently running interactive command or the command itself.Spacebar

Rotates the object being placed/moved counterclockwise. Rotation is in increments of 90°.
Toggles start and end sub-modes when placing a Wire/Bus/Signal Harnessin 90 Degree or 45 Degree placement modes.
Cycles through placement modes when placing a Line.

Shift+Spacebar

Rotates the object being placed/moved clockwise. Rotation is in increments of 90°.
Cycles through placement modes when placing a Wire/Bus/Signal Harness.

Ctrl+SpacebarChanges the wiring mode for any connected wires, buses, or signal harnesseswhen dragging an electrical object.Insert

Copies attributes of the object currently under the cursorwhile placing an object of the same type.
Adds a vertex while placing a Wire, Line, Bus, Signal Harness, or Polygon.

Click&Hold+InsertOn a selected segment of a placed Wire, Line, Bus, or Signal Harnessor an edge of a placed Polygonto add a vertex at that point.Click&Hold+DeleteOn a vertex of a placed Wire, Line, Bus, Signal Harnessor Polygonto remove that vertex.Backspace or DeleteRemove the last placed vertex, while placing a Wire, Line, Bus, Signal Harness, or Polygon.+ (on the numeric keypad)Enlarges the size of the IEEE Symbol currently being placed/moved.- (on the numeric keypad)Reduces the size of the IEEE Symbol currently being placed/moved.SRelocate the currently selected Sheet Entry (or entries) that are being moved, to the directly opposite side of the parent Sheet Symbol.VReverse order while moving two or more selected Sheet Entries.T

Toggle IO Type while moving one or more selected Sheet Entries.
Toggle IO Type for all Sheet Entries while graphically resizing the parent Sheet Symbol.

The following shortcuts give access to specific pop-up menus of commands,directly from within the design space itself. Some of these will be familiar as they are sub-menus found within the main menus for the editor. Each of the main menus also have a defined pop-up key for quick access from within the design space,see Accelerator Keys for more information.