BPMN keyboard shortcuts

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The BPMN editor's shortcuts are few, and the ones below cover normal modelling.

#Worth knowing

  • The editor has to have focus for any of these to work.

  • On macOS, Cmd replaces Ctrl throughout.

  • Escape cancels whatever you are in the middle of.

#Shortcuts

Shortcut

Does

Ctrl+A

Select all

E

Direct edit the selected element's name

Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V

Copy and paste elements

Delete or Backspace

Delete the selection

Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Shift+Z

Undo / redo

Ctrl+scroll

Zoom

Space+drag

Pan the canvas

Escape

Cancel the current action

Arrow keys

Nudge the selection

#A few things that catch people out

  • Direct editing a name is faster than the properties panel for bulk naming.

  • Copy and paste keeps element configuration, which saves reconfiguring similar tasks.

  • Nudging with arrow keys is how you fix layout the auto-layout got slightly wrong.

Simulate it before you publish it.