Want to improve your workflow in Cinema 4D? Learn these hot keys!
The difference between a beginner and master in Cinema 4D often comes down to knowing your keyboard shortcuts and how to streamline your workflow. We're always pushing the community to LEARN THOSE HOT KEYS, so we decided to buckle down and put together our ultimate guide. If you want to add a little jet fuel to your 3D animation, this is the article you've been waiting for.
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You'll want to have a basic understanding of Cinema 4D before diving in, just to provide context for all the keys we'll be listing below. Bookmark this page so you can always come back and refresh your memory.
If there is a specific function you need to find, use Ctrl + F to search (PC) or CMD + F (MAC).
Ultimate Guide to Cinema 4D Shortcut Keys
File (Open, Save, etc)
Function
Shortcut Keys
New
Ctrl + N
Add
Shift + Ctrl + 0
Open
Ctrl + 0
Close All
Shift + Ctrl + S
Save As
Shift + Ctrl + S
Save
Ctrl + S
Quit
Ctrl + Q
General
Function
Shortcut Keys
Close Window or Project
Shift + W
Close Window
Ctrl + W
Close All
Ctrl + Shift + W
Quit
Ctrl + Q
Cut
Ctrl + X
Copy
Ctrl + C
Paste
Ctrl + V
Delete
Backspace
Select All
Ctrl + A
Invert All
Shift + A
Deselct All
Ctrl + Shift + A
Undo
Ctrl + Z
Undo Action
Shift + Z
Redo
Ctrl + Y
Commander
Shift + C
Object Manager
Function
Shortcut Keys
Merge Objects
Shift + Ctrl + 0
Show Search Bar
Ctrl + F
Show Fitter
Ctrl + U
Project Information
Ctrl + I
Group Objects
Alt + G
Expand Object Group
Shift + G
New Object as Parent Object
Alt + Create Object
New Object as Child Object
Shift + Create Object
Select Object, Including Child Objects
Click with RMB
Picture Preview
Function
Shortcut Keys
Render to Picture Viewer
Shift + R
Fullscreen Mode
Ctrl + F
Play
Spacebar
Set as A
A
Set as B
B
Swap AB
S
Set as Preview Start
I
Set as Preview End
O
Zoom In/Out
+/-
Switch 100% and Fullscreen
Double-Click
Motion Tracking
Function
Shortcut Keys
Move Sequence
Alt + MMB
Scale Sequence
Alt + RMB
Sequence Fullscreen
Alt + 0
Create User Track
Ctrl + LMB
Lasso Selection
LMB
Zoom
Alt
Project
Function
Shortcut Keys
Open Render Settings
Ctrl + B
Open Project Settings
Ctrl + D
Open Preferences
Ctrl + E
Open Project Information
Ctrl + I
Activate Object Manager
Shift + F1
Activate Materials Manager
Shift + F2
Open Timeline (Dope Sheet)
Shift + F3
Open Layer Manager
Shift + F4
Open Attributes Manager
Shift + F5
Open Picture Viewer
Shift + F6
Open Coordinates Manager
Shift + F7
Activate Asset Browser
Shift + F8
Activate Structure Manager
Shift + F9
Open Console
Shift + F10
Open Script Manager
Shift + F11
Open Customize Commands
Shift + F12
Open Heads Up Display pop-up
V
Material Manager
Function
Shortcut Keys
Load Materials
Ctrl + Shift + O
New Material
Ctrl + N
Replace Material by Another
Alt + Drag and Drop
New PBR Material
Ctrl + Shift + N
New Node Material
Ctrl + Option + N
Attribute Manager
Function
Shortcut Keys
Parameter to Default
RMB + Arrow
Increase/Decrease Parameter Change Speed with Arrows
Alt or Shift
New Attribute Manager
Shift + F5
Timeline
Function
Shortcut Keys
Open Timeline Window
Shift + F3
Key Mode / F-Curve Mode
Spacebar
Make New F-Curve Timeline with Selected Tracks
Ctrl + Spacebar
Record Active Objects
F9
Record Current State
Q
Play Backwards / Stop
F6
Stop Playback
F7
Play Forwards / Stop
F8
Autokeying
Ctrl + F9
Add Keyframe to Selected Track at Current Time
Q
Goto Start of Animation
Shift + F
Goto Previous Key
Ctrl + F
Goto Previous Frame
F
Goto Next Key
Ctrl + G
Goto Next Frame
G
Goto End
Shift + G
Goto First Key
Ctrl + P
Goto Last Key
Ctrl + 0
Frame Selected
S
Frame All
H
Goto Current Frame (Cursor Dependent)
Ctrl + F
Goto Start
Alt + F
Goto End
Alt + G
Frame Preview Range
Alt + H
Goto Next Marker
Shift + N
Goto Previous Marker
Shift + P
Goto First Marker
Ctrl + Shift + P
Goto Last Marker
Ctrl + Shift + 0
Region Tool
R
Ripple Edit
Alt + R
Automatic Mode
Alt + A
Show Search Bar (Cursor Dependent)
Ctrl + F
Show Filter
Ctrl + U
Key Interpolation
Function
Shortcut Keys
Auto Tangents
A
Break Tangents
B
Zero Angle (tangents)
0
Zero Length (tangents)
L
Clamp
C
Linear
Alt + L
Step
Alt + T
Soft
Alt + 5
Ease In
Alt + 1
Ease Ease
Alt + E
Ease Out
Alt + O
BodyPaint
Function
Shortcut Keys
Rotate Brush Clockwise
Alt + .
Rotate Brush Counterclockwise
Alt + [
Increase Brush Size
, or [
Decrease Brush Size
. or ]
Increase Brush Hardness
Shift + ]
Decrease Brush Hardness
Shift + [
Increase Brush Pressure
Ctrl + I
Decrease Brush Pressure
Ctrl + [
Modeling
For these shortcuts, press the keys in the sequence described.
Function
Shortcut Keys
Create Point
M > A
Bridge
B, M > B
Brush
M > C
Close Polygon Hole
M > D
Create Polygon
M > E
Edge Cut
M > F
Iron
M > G
Knife
K, M > K
Magnet
M > I
Mirror
M > H
Set Point Value
M > L
Slide
M > O
Stitch and Sew
M > P
Weld
M > Q
Weight Subdivision Surfaces
M > R
Bevel
M > S
Extrude
D, M > T
Extrude Inner / Inset
I, M > W
Matrix Extrude
M > X
Smooth Shift
M > Y
Normal Move
M > Z
Normal Scale
M > -
Normal Rotate
M > ,
Split
U > P
Reverse Normals
U > R
Remove N-gons
U > E
Subdivide
U > S
Melt
U > Z
Collapse
U > C
Triangulate N-gons
U > T
Disconnect
U > D
Align Normals
U > A
Make Editable
C
Retriangulate N-gons
U > G
Un-triangulate
U > U
Move Object without Children
7 + LMB
Move
E
Rotate
R
Scale
T
Toggle Active Tool
Space
Toggle Modeling Mode
Return
Undo (action)
Shift + Z
X-Axis / Heading
X
Y-Axis / Pitch
Y
Z-Axis / Bank
Z
Select All
Ctrl + A
Select Connected
U > W
Deselect All
Shift + Ctrl + A
Lasso Selection
8
Live Selection
9
Rectangle Selection
0
Invert
U > I
Convert Selection
U > X
Outline Selection
U > Q
Fill Selection
U > F
Grow Selection
U > Y
Ring Selection
U > B
Loop Selection
U > L
Shrink Selection
U > K
Volume Mesh
U > H
Mirror Selection
U > V
Editor
Function
Shortcut Keys
Object Manager
Shift + F1
Materials Manager
Shift + F2
Timeline
Shift + F3
Layer Manager
Shift + F4
Attributes Manager
Shift + F5
Picture Viewer
Shift + F6
Coordinates Manager
Shift + F7
Content Browser
Shift + F8
Structure Manager
Shift + F9
Script Manager
Shift + F11
Customize Commands Manager
Shift + F12
Change Coordinates System
W
Close Window
Shift + W
Delete
Backspace / Delete
Heads Up Display
Hold V
Togle Parent Generator
Q
Modify Interactive Animation Timeline
J + LMB
Help (Select Property Name)
Ctrl + F1
Sculpting
Function
Shortcut Keys
Smooth for All Brushes
Shift
Reverse Brush Effect
Ctrl
Switch Symmetry
Alt + X / Y / Z
Move / Scale / Rotate Template
T + LMB
Viewport
Function
Shortcut Keys
Render View
Ctrl + R
Redo Camera View
Ctrl + Shift + Y
Undo Camera Move
Ctrl + Shift + Z
Adjust Camera Focal Length
Hold 2 + RMB
Show Axis
Alt + D
Configure All Views
Alt + V
Configure View
Shift + V
View 1
F1
View 2
F2
View 3
F3
View 4
F4
All Views
F5
Redraw View
A
Frame Geometry
H
Frame Selected Elements
S
Open Display
N
Gourad Shading Mode
N > A
Gourad Shading with Wireframe
N > B
Quick Shading Mode
N > C
Quick Shading with Wireframe
N > D
Constant Shading Mode
N > E
Hidden Lines Mode
N > F
Lines Mode (Wireframe Only)
N > G
Wireframe Mode
N > H
Isoparms Mode
N > I
Box Mode
N > K
Skeleton Mode
N > L
Tags Mode
N > O
Use Backface Culling
N > P
Use Textures
N > Q
View Active Objects in X-Ray
N > R
Isoline Editing Mode
Alt + A
Asset Browser
Function
Shortcut Keys
New
Ctrl + N
Search Bar
Ctrl + F
Computer
U
Desktop
D
Home Directory
H
Presets
P
Catalogs
C
Recent Items
R
Search Results
S
Favorites
F
Rendering
Function
Shortcut Keys
Render Settings
Ctrl + B
Make Preview
Alt + B
Interactive Render Region
Alt + R
Render Active Viewport
Ctrl + R
Render to Picture Viewer
Shift + R
Render to Picture Viewer (IR)
Ctrl + Shift + R
Look at you! Now you've got a handy guide—some would even say the "ultimate"—to all the shortcuts in Cinema 4D. If you're pumped to get back into the program and go straight coconuts, maybe it's time you challenged yourself even more...with Cinema 4D Ascent.
In Cinema 4D Ascent, you'll learn to master marketable 3D concepts in Cinema 4D from Maxon Certified Trainer, EJ Hassenfratz. Over the course of 12 weeks, this class will teach you the fundamental 3D concepts you need to know to create beautiful renders and tackle any task a studio or client might throw at you.
