Keyboard Shortcuts

Master these shortcuts and you'll fly through Kolab like a pro.

Getting around the canvas quickly.

Panning (Moving Around)

Action	How
Drag to pan	Click and drag on empty canvas
Pan with Space	Hold `Space`, then drag anywhere
Pan with right-click	Right-click and drag
Pan with arrow keys	Arrow keys (when nothing is selected)
Pan faster	`Shift` + Arrow keys

Note: Arrow keys only pan the canvas when no elements are selected. If something is selected, arrow keys nudge the selection instead.

Zooming

Action	Windows/Linux	Mac
Zoom in/out	Scroll wheel or pinch	Scroll wheel or pinch
Zoom in	`Ctrl` + `=`	`Cmd` + `=`
Zoom out	`Ctrl` + `-`	`Cmd` + `-`
Reset zoom	`Ctrl` + `0`	`Cmd` + `0`

Selection

Grabbing what you need.

Action	How
Select item	Click on it
Add to selection	`Shift` + click
Toggle in selection	`Ctrl` / `Cmd` + click
Box select	Drag on empty canvas
Force box select	`Shift` + drag (works even on elements)
Deselect all	`Esc`
Edit selected	`Enter`

Editing

The classics.

Action	Windows/Linux	Mac
Undo	`Ctrl` + `Z`	`Cmd` + `Z`
Redo	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Z` or `Ctrl` + `Y`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `Z`
Copy	`Ctrl` + `C`	`Cmd` + `C`
Paste	`Ctrl` + `V`	`Cmd` + `V`
Cut	`Ctrl` + `X`	`Cmd` + `X`
Duplicate	`Ctrl` + `D`	`Cmd` + `D`
Delete	`Delete` or `Backspace`	`Delete` or `Backspace`

Moving Elements

Move selected items around the canvas.

Action	How
Drag to move	Click and drag selected elements
Nudge 1 pixel	Arrow keys
Nudge 10 pixels	`Shift` + Arrow keys

Tip: Hold the arrow key down for continuous movement.

Alignment

Line things up beautifully. Select 2 or more elements first.

Action	Windows/Linux	Mac
Align left	`Ctrl` + `←`	`Cmd` + `←`
Align right	`Ctrl` + `→`	`Cmd` + `→`
Align top	`Ctrl` + `↑`	`Cmd` + `↑`
Align bottom	`Ctrl` + `↓`	`Cmd` + `↓`
Center horizontally	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `←`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `←`
Center vertically	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `↑`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `↑`

Distribution

Space things evenly. Select 3 or more elements.

Action	Windows/Linux	Mac
Distribute horizontally	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `→`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `→`
Distribute vertically	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `↓`	`Cmd` + `Shift` + `↓`

Audio & Video

Quick toggles for your mic and camera.

Action	Windows/Linux	Mac
Toggle microphone	`Alt` + `A`	`Option` + `A`
Toggle camera	`Alt` + `V`	`Option` + `V`

Quick Reference Card

The essentials to learn first:

What you'll use constantly	Shortcut
Undo a mistake	`Ctrl` / `Cmd` + `Z`
Cancel / deselect	`Esc`
Mute yourself quickly	`Alt` / `Option` + `A`
Select multiple things	`Shift` + click
Edit text in a shape	`Enter` or double-click

Troubleshooting

Shortcuts not working?

Click on the canvas first — The canvas needs focus for shortcuts to work
Check if you're typing — Shortcuts are disabled while in a text field
Try clicking elsewhere — Another element might have captured focus

Arrow keys moving elements instead of panning?

Arrow keys nudge selected elements. To pan with arrow keys, press Esc first to deselect everything, or use one of these alternatives:

Space + drag
Right-click + drag
Click and drag on empty canvas

On a laptop without arrow keys?

Use Space + drag to pan
Drag directly on empty canvas
Use scroll/pinch to zoom
Use the zoom controls in the bottom-right corner

Using the Canvas — Full canvas guide
Navigating the Space — Movement basics

Navigation