How to Create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in CorelDRAW

Customizing keyboard shortcuts in CorelDRAW allows you to streamline your design workflow, access frequently used tools faster, and tailor the software to your specific habits. This guide walks you through the step-by-step process of locating the customization menu, assigning new key combinations to commands, resolving shortcut conflicts, and saving your preferences.

Step 1: Open the Customization Menu

  1. Launch CorelDRAW.
  2. In the top menu bar, click on Tools and select Options. Alternatively, press Ctrl + J.
  3. In the Options dialog box, expand the Customization category in the left sidebar and click on Commands.

Step 2: Locate the Command You Want to Customize

  1. At the top of the Commands panel, click the drop-down menu (defaulted to "File") to browse commands by category, such as Edit, View, Object, or Tools.
  2. If you know the name of the tool or feature, click the Search icon (magnifying glass) to quickly locate the specific command.
  3. Click on the command in the list to select it.

Step 3: Assign the New Shortcut Key

  1. With the command selected, click on the Shortcut Keys tab located on the right side of the panel.
  2. Click inside the New Shortcut Key input field.
  3. Press the exact key combination on your keyboard that you wish to assign (e.g., Ctrl + Shift + D or a single function key like F10).
  4. Look directly below the input field at the Currently assigned to section. If the key combination is already used by another tool, CorelDRAW will display the existing assignment here so you can decide whether to overwrite it.

Step 4: Apply and Save

  1. Click the Assign button to lock in your new shortcut. The key will now appear in the Current shortcut keys list.
  2. Click OK at the bottom of the Options window to save your changes and exit.

Managing and Exporting Shortcuts

  • To Delete a Shortcut: Select the command, go to the Shortcut Keys tab, select the shortcut from the Current shortcut keys box, and click Delete.
  • To Save Your Setup: Your shortcuts are saved to your active workspace. To ensure you do not lose your setup, go to Tools > Options > Workspaces, select your current workspace, and click Export to create a backup file.