Shortcuts for the Altium Designer PCB & PCB Library Editors

With an initial object selected in the design, extend the selection to include the next higher-level object (or objects), based on logical hierarchy. In addition, the feature caters for selection extension across multiple objects selected across different nets in the design.

Single select the next design object in a set of co-located (overlapping) objects without utilizing a selection pop-up window. To use this command, ensure that the Display popup selection dialog option is disabled on the PCB Editor - General page of the Preferences dialog.

• Move the single object currently under the cursor (or group of selected objects if the object is part of that selection).
• On a via in a stack of vias, use to move the entire stack to a new location.

Cycle through the available single layer viewing modes. The available modes are determined by enabling the corresponding options in the Available Single Layer Modes region on the PCB Editor - Board Insight Display page of the Preferences dialog.

You can also use the mouse to zoom in to a region of the document by one of the following methods (where applicable and depending on how the buttons of your mouse might be assigned):

• Hold the Ctrl key and roll the mouse wheel upward. Use of the Ctrl key is a default setting that can be changed from the System - Mouse Wheel Configuration page of the Preferences dialog.
• Hold both the Ctrl key and the right mouse button, then move the mouse forward.
• Hold the right (first) and left (second) mouse buttons, then move the mouse forward.
• Click and hold the mouse wheel, then move the mouse forward.

You can use the mouse to zoom out from a region of the document by one of the following methods (where applicable and depending on how the buttons of your mouse might be assigned):

• Hold the Ctrl key and roll the mouse wheel downward. Use of the Ctrl key is a default setting that can be changed from the System - Mouse Wheel Configuration page of the Preferences dialog.
• Hold both the Ctrl key and the right-mouse button, then move the mouse backward.
• Hold the right (first) and left (second) mouse buttons, then move the mouse backward.
• Click and hold the mouse wheel, then move the mouse backward.

Toggle the display of the Difference Map Overlay in the main design space On or Off. Note that this command is available only provided a comparison has been performed from the Collaborate, Compare and Merge panel.

• On a net object to highlight the entire routed net.
• On a layer tab to highlight all content on that layer.
• In free space to clear current highlighting.

• On a net object to highlight the entire routed net in addition to the routed nets already highlighted (cumulative routed net highlighting).
• On a layer tab to highlight all content on that layer in addition to the content already highlighted on other layers (cumulative layer highlighting).

Delete a single, selected end-of-route object (component-free track, arc, via, or pad). The singular routing object connected to the deleted object will be automatically selected and ready for subsequent deletion. By using the command repeatedly, you are able to incrementally unwind the routed path in the same way as using the Backspace shortcut while interactively routing.

Delete one or more selected routing objects (component-free tracks, arcs, vias, and pads) on the current document. All routing objects connected to those deleted will be automatically selected and ready for subsequent deletion. By using the command repeatedly, you are able to incrementally unwind the routed path in both directions.

• In the main design space to access the Selection Memory dialog, from where you can control all aspects of the selection memory feature.
• In a dialog or panel to toggle the measurement units (in the dialog or panel only), between metric (mm) and imperial (mil).

Jump to, and make active, the previous component in the current library document. Note that after reaching the first component in the list, the command will not cycle to the last component again.

Jump to, and make active, the next component in the current library document. Note that after reaching the last component in the list, the command will not cycle to the first component again.

Cycle through the five available corner modes (45 degree, 45 degree with arc, 90 degree, 90 degree with arc, and Any Angle). Note that Any Angle is not available when using the Interactive Differential Pair Router or the Interactive Multi-router.

Cycle through routing width sources (User Choice --> Rule Minimum --> Rule Preferred --> Rule Maximum). With User Choice, routing widths are defined and managed in the Favorite Interactive Routing Widths dialog. When interactively routing differential pairs, the rule-based values come from the applicable Differential Pairs Routing rule.

Cycle through via size sources (User Choice --> Rule Minimum --> Rule Preferred --> Rule Maximum). With User Choice, via sizes are defined through via templates - locally to the active PCB document or through associated Pad Via libraries (*.PvLib).

When routing from a multi-layer pad or via, switches the layer for the current connection to the next signal layer defined for that pad/via. Note that this feature works only when the routing is started from the pad/via and before the first segment is committed.

• When interactively routing a differential pair, use to cycle through the Width-Gap value pairings defined in the applicable Differential Pairs Routing rule (Min Width-Min Gap --> Preferred Width-Preferred Gap --> Max Width-Max Gap).
• When routing multiple traces, use to increase the spacing between neighboring routes.

Enable subnet swapping. Note that if no swappable target subnets are available, a message to this effect will be presented in the Messages panel.

Use to access the Interactive Length Tuning mode / Interactive Differential Pair Length Tuning mode of the Properties panel. What you can do depends on when you use the shortcut:

• Use before an object has been chosen to be able to specify the tuning pattern to be used - Accordion, Trombone, or Sawtooth, and to define related properties to be used from the outset.
• Use during the length tuning process to define the approach used for defining the target length, and to modify properties of the tuning pattern on-the-fly.

• When length tuning using the Accordion pattern, use to decrease the Max Amplitude of the pattern by the amount defined in the associated Step field.
• When length tuning using the Sawtooth pattern, use to decrease the Actual Height of the pattern by the amount defined in the associated Step field.

• When length tuning using the Accordion pattern, use to increase the Max Amplitude of the pattern by the amount defined in the associated Step field.
• When length tuning using the Sawtooth pattern, use to increase the Actual Height of the pattern by the amount defined in the associated Step field.

• On a selected pattern's perpendicular or parallel edging to lengthen or widen the pattern respectively.
• Within the 'sleeve' of a selected Trombone or Sawtooth pattern to freely move the pattern along or perpendicular to the original route path.

• On a perpendicular edge of a selected Accordion pattern to pivot around the opposite end of the accordion.
• On a parallel edge of a selected Accordion pattern to pivot around the center of the accordion.
• Within the 'sleeve' of a selected Trombone or Sawtooth pattern (or on a parallel edge) to move the pattern perpendicular to the original route path.

When the Move component with relevant routing option is enabled (on the PCB Editor - Interactive Routing page of the Preferences dialog), use this shortcut to cycle through the set of objects being moved as follows:

• Components only, then
• Components +Via Fanouts +Escapes +Interconnects, then
• Initial selection set (if different from the previous two), then
• Back to Components only.

Cycle through the Gloss Effort (Routed) modes - Off, Weak and Strong. For more information, see Glossing - Smoothing the Routes.

Rotate the 3D body object being placed/moved counterclockwise around the model's X-axis by 90°. Note that this shortcut applies to Generic 3D Model and Cylinder model types only.

Rotate the 3D body object being placed/moved clockwise around the model's X-axis by 90°. Note that this shortcut applies to Generic 3D Model and Cylinder model types only.

Rotate the 3D body object being placed/moved counterclockwise around the model's Y-axis by 90°. Note that this shortcut applies to Generic 3D Model and Cylinder model types only.

Rotate the 3D body object being placed/moved clockwise around the model's Y-axis by 90°. Note that this shortcut applies to Generic 3D Model and Cylinder model types only.

Rotate the 3D body object being placed/moved counterclockwise around the model's Z-axis by 90°. Note that this shortcut only applies to the Extruded model type when it is being moved.

Rotate the 3D body object being placed/moved clockwise around the model's Z-axis by 90°. Note that this shortcut only applies to the Extruded model type when it is being moved.

Increase the Standoff Height for the 3D body object being placed/moved by one Snap Grid unit. Note that this shortcut only applies to the Extruded model type when it is being moved.

Decrease the Standoff Height for the 3D body object being placed/moved by one Snap Grid unit. Note that this shortcut only applies to the Extruded model type when it is being moved.

Change the view of the board (or component) so that you are looking straight down from above (perpendicular) with zero rotation.

Change the view of the board (or component) so that you are looking straight down from above (perpendicular) with 90 Degree (clockwise) rotation in the X-plane.

Change the view of the board (or component) in so that you are looking at the board from an orthogonal perspective.

• Right-drag sphere when the Center Dot is highlighted – rotate in any direction.
• Right-drag sphere when the Horizontal Arrow is highlighted – rotate the view about the Y-axis.
• Right-drag sphere when the Vertical Arrow is highlighted – rotate the view about the X-axis.
• Right-drag sphere when the Circle Segment is highlighted – rotate the view about the Z-plane.

Toggle measurement units between metric and imperial - the displayed measurement values will update accordingly.

As you move the cursor over a 3D object, use to select a specific face of that object.

Clear all currently displayed measurements in the 3D workspace.