Keyboard shortcuts

On a Mac, Cmd works wherever this guide says Ctrl, for clicks and drags too. Option is Alt.

File

Key	Action
Ctrl+O	Open screen
Ctrl+Shift+O	Open any file
Ctrl+S	Save
Ctrl+Shift+S	Save as
Ctrl+W	Close the file

Edit

Key	Action
Ctrl+Z	Undo
Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+Shift+Z	Redo
Ctrl+A	Select every system
Esc	Clear a star type's rings or the selection, or step back. See What Esc does
Del	Delete or cut what is selected
Backspace	Back one Inspector page, or out of the system view. With nowhere to go back to, the same as Del
Shift+arrow	Nudge the selection by 1, or 10° or 10 units with Ctrl. With nothing selected, pan faster
Ctrl+X, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V	Cut, copy or paste planets, in a save

Map

Key	Action
W A S D, arrows	Pan while held
Shift+W A S D	Pan three times faster while held. Shift+arrow does the same when nothing is selected
F, Ctrl+K, /	Search
Home	Fit the whole galaxy
Shift+F	Frame the selection
1 to 9	Switch the main layers
0	All Initializers layers, in a scenario
`, ~	All Scripts layers, in a scenario
Tab	Hide or show the dock

Tools

Key	Action
V, C, X	Select, Connect lanes, Cut lanes
B, E	Paint systems, Erase systems, in a scenario
O	Draw shapes, in a scenario. Enter places the pending shape, and Esc drops it
H	Height brush, in a save
R	Spread systems
Shift+M	Symmetry on or off, in a scenario
[ ]	Brush size, the pending shape's size, or nebula radius by 1
Shift+[ ]	Nebula radius by 5
Alt	While held, switches Connect and Cut, or Paint and Erase. Erase set to lanes becomes Connect. On the Height brush, Raise lowers and Ripple swaps crests and troughs. Spread systems becomes Gather

Inspector

Key	Action
I	Issues tab
Shift+I	Initializer browser
Alt+←, Backspace	Back one page

System view

Key	Action
Enter	Open the selected system's view
M	Open the selected system's view, or back to the galaxy
Backspace	Back one Inspector page, then back to the galaxy
Esc	Back to the galaxy once there is nothing else to clear. See What Esc does
Shift+arrow	Move the open body 1° along its orbit or 1 unit out or in, or 10° or 10 units with Ctrl
2	Orbit radii
7	Megastructures and starbases

What Esc does

Each press of Esc does the first of these that applies:

1. Cancels a drag.
2. Closes the initializer browser.
3. In a text field, drops what you typed.
4. Closes the Open screen or a right-click menu.
5. On the galaxy map, clears the rings of a star type you picked in search.
6. Drops the pending shape of the Shape tool.
7. Switches back to the Select tool.
8. Forgets the planets you cut or copied.
9. Clears a selection of several planets in the system view.
10. Goes back one Inspector page.
11. Leaves the system view.
12. Clears the selection.