Keyboard Shortcuts
Stirling PDF supports keyboard shortcuts for quick tool access and PDF viewer navigation. Custom shortcuts are saved in your browser's local storage, with plans to bind to your account in the future.
Tool Shortcuts
Default shortcuts
Tools in the Quick Access bar (the "Recommended Tools" category) automatically receive shortcuts:
| Windows / Linux | Mac | Action |
|---|---|---|
Ctrl + Alt + 1 | ⌘ + ⌥ + 1 | First Quick Access tool |
Ctrl + Alt + 2 | ⌘ + ⌥ + 2 | Second Quick Access tool |
Ctrl + Alt + 3 | ⌘ + ⌥ + 3 | Third Quick Access tool |
… up to 9 |
All other tools have no default shortcut but can be assigned one.
Customising shortcuts
- Open Settings (gear icon at the bottom of the Quick Access bar)
- Go to Keyboard Shortcuts
- Find the tool you want
- Click Change shortcut, then press your key combination
- Press Esc to cancel
Your shortcut must include at least one modifier key (Ctrl, Alt, or Cmd). Shift alone does not count as a modifier. If the combination is already taken by another tool, you'll see a conflict warning.
Resetting a shortcut
Click Reset next to any tool to restore its default. If a tool has no default, Reset clears the custom binding.
PDF Viewer Shortcuts
These shortcuts work when the PDF viewer is active (hovered), except for Print, Select all text, and zoom which work whenever the viewer is open.
Modifier shortcuts (Ctrl / Cmd + key)
| Windows / Linux | Mac | Action |
|---|---|---|
Ctrl + P | ⌘ + P | Print (works globally when viewer is mounted) |
Ctrl + A | ⌘ + A | Select all text (works globally when viewer is open) |
Ctrl + F | ⌘ + F | Open / focus search |
Ctrl + S | ⌘ + S | Save / apply changes |
Ctrl + Z | ⌘ + Z | Undo |
Ctrl + Shift + Z | ⌘ + ⇧ + Z | Redo |
Ctrl + Y | ⌘ + Y | Redo (alternative) |
Ctrl + = / Ctrl + + | ⌘ + = / ⌘ + + | Zoom in |
Ctrl + - | ⌘ + - | Zoom out |
Ctrl + 0 | ⌘ + 0 | Reset zoom (fit width) |
Navigation shortcuts (no modifier needed)
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Home | Jump to first page |
End | Jump to last page |
Page Up | Previous page |
Page Down | Next page |
Escape | Close search |
Rotate tool
When the Rotate tool is active:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
← (Left Arrow) | Rotate left |
→ (Right Arrow) | Rotate right |
Desktop App
The desktop app adds one extra shortcut:
| Windows / Linux | Mac | Action |
|---|---|---|
Ctrl + S | ⌘ + S | Save selected files to disk |
