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How Do I Use Keyboard Shortcuts for Blend Modes in Photoshop?

Published in Photoshop Blend Modes 3 mins read

Mastering keyboard shortcuts for blend modes in Photoshop significantly speeds up your workflow, allowing you to cycle through or jump directly to specific blend modes without navigating menus.

Cycling Through Blend Modes Quickly

Photoshop offers a straightforward method to quickly preview and switch between different blend modes on your selected layer.

To cycle through blend modes quickly:

  • Next Blend Mode: Hold Shift + + (plus sign)
  • Previous Blend Mode: Hold Shift + - (minus sign)

Important Tip: If you find these shortcuts are not working, ensure you have the Move Tool selected and that the layer you intend to modify is highlighted in the Layers panel. After selecting the Move Tool and the layer, try the Shift + Plus or Shift + Minus shortcuts again.

Direct Access to Specific Blend Modes

Beyond cycling, you can also jump directly to a specific blend mode using a combination of keys. These shortcuts typically involve Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) + Shift + a letter corresponding to the blend mode. This method is incredibly efficient for frequently used modes.

Here's a table of common blend mode shortcuts:

Blend Mode Windows Shortcut macOS Shortcut
Normal Alt + Shift + N Option + Shift + N
Dissolve Alt + Shift + I Option + Shift + I
Darken Alt + Shift + K Option + Shift + K
Multiply Alt + Shift + M Option + Shift + M
Color Burn Alt + Shift + B Option + Shift + B
Linear Burn Alt + Shift + A Option + Shift + A
Lighten Alt + Shift + G Option + Shift + G
Screen Alt + Shift + S Option + Shift + S
Color Dodge Alt + Shift + D Option + Shift + D
Linear Dodge Alt + Shift + W Option + Shift + W
Overlay Alt + Shift + O Option + Shift + O
Soft Light Alt + Shift + F Option + Shift + F
Hard Light Alt + Shift + H Option + Shift + H
Vivid Light Alt + Shift + V Option + Shift + V
Linear Light Alt + Shift + J Option + Shift + J
Pin Light Alt + Shift + Z Option + Shift + Z
Hard Mix Alt + Shift + L Option + Shift + L
Difference Alt + Shift + E Option + Shift + E
Exclusion Alt + Shift + X Option + Shift + X
Subtract Alt + Shift + U Option + Shift + U
Divide Alt + Shift + N (again) Option + Shift + N (again)
Hue Alt + Shift + U Option + Shift + U
Saturation Alt + Shift + T Option + Shift + T
Color Alt + Shift + C Option + Shift + C
Luminosity Alt + Shift + Y Option + Shift + Y

Note: Some shortcuts might use a letter that isn't the first letter of the blend mode to avoid conflicts with other shortcuts. Consistency is key in muscle memory.

Important Considerations for Blend Mode Shortcuts

  • Layer Selection: Ensure the desired layer in the Layers panel is active and selected for the shortcuts to apply.
  • Tool Context: As mentioned, for the Shift + Plus/Minus shortcuts, having the Move Tool (V) selected often resolves issues if the shortcuts aren't working as expected. Some shortcuts may behave differently depending on the active tool (e.g., blend modes for painting tools have a slightly different shortcut scheme).
  • Default Behavior: These shortcuts primarily control the blend mode of the active layer. They do not change the blend mode of brushes or other tools unless explicitly set up to do so.

By integrating these keyboard shortcuts into your Photoshop workflow, you can manipulate blend modes much more fluidly, leading to a faster and more intuitive creative process.