How do you remove a selection in Affinity Designer?

To remove a selection in Affinity Designer, you can either use the menu options or a quick keyboard shortcut.

Removing a selection, also known as deselecting, is a fundamental action when working with layers, masks, or specific objects in Affinity Designer. It clears the active marching ants or highlight that indicates a selected area, allowing you to work on the entire canvas or make a new selection.

Methods to Deselect in Affinity Designer

There are two primary ways to clear an active selection based on common functionality across the Affinity suite:

1. Using the Menu Command

This method involves navigating through the application's top menu bar. It's a straightforward way to deselect if you prefer using your mouse or trackpad.

• Navigate to the top menu bar.
• Click on the Select menu.
• From the dropdown menu, choose the Deselect option.

Selecting this option will instantly remove the current selection outline from your canvas.

2. Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts offer a faster and more efficient way to remove selections, especially when you are frequently making and clearing selections.

• If you are using a Mac, press Cmd + D.
• If you are using a PC (Windows), press Ctrl + D.

Pressing this combination will immediately clear the active selection, saving you time and clicks.

Summary of Deselection Methods

Here's a quick overview of the methods:

Mastering these simple techniques will significantly improve your workflow efficiency within Affinity Designer.