With Lucid’s canvas navigation hotkeys, you can navigate and select objects in Lucidchart and Lucidspark using your keyboard. These shortcuts provide efficiency and accessibility for all users. Read this article to learn how to enable and use Lucid’s canvas navigation hotkeys.
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Use keyboard shortcuts
This article focuses on using a keyboard to navigate the canvas and menus in Lucid, but there are also many other keyboard shortcuts available for both accessibility and efficiency. To see a list of all shortcuts available in Lucid, press “F1” on your keyboard while in a Lucid document.
Learn more: For a comprehensive list of available shortcuts in Lucid, check out this post from the Lucid Community.
Set up your Lucid document
To optimize your Lucidchart document or Lucidspark board for keyboard navigation:
- Organize content with Frames.
- Ensure all frames are the same size.
- Arrange your content from left to right, top to bottom.
Move between objects on the canvas
You have two options for navigating objects in Lucid using keyboard navigation:
- Linear: Press “Tab” on your keyboard to move from one object to another. Keyboard focus moves from left to right, then top to bottom, starting with the top-left corner of the canvas. To move backwards, press “Shift + Tab”.
- Non-linear: Press “Ctrl” (PC) or “Command” (Mac) while using your keyboard’s arrow keys to select an object in a specific direction.
Move between objects in a group, Frame, or Container
If your objects are grouped or organized in Frames and Containers, you can navigate between the groups with the shortcuts listed above. Once you have selected a group, Frame, or Container with your keyboard, you can navigate the contained shapes and objects by pressing “Enter”.
To exit the group, Frame, or Container, press “Shift + Enter”.
Navigate toolbars
To navigate toolbars in Lucid, press Alt + K (PC) or Option + K (Mac). After doing so, use the following keyboard shortcuts:
- Tab: Navigate to the next toolbar item.
- Shift + Tab: Navigate to the previous toolbar item.
- Alt + K (PC) or Option + K (Mac): Navigate to a different toolbar.
- Enter: Select a tool.
When using your keyboard to navigate toolbars, your focus moves in order between each toolbar and focuses on the canvas last. When keyboard focus is returned to the canvas, use the hotkeys listed in the Navigate a document section to navigate around the canvas.
FAQ
Can I still use other Lucid hotkeys when canvas navigation is enabled?
Some hotkeys work when canvas navigation hotkeys are enabled, but others such as “Tab” and “Enter” for adding sticky notes or mind map nodes in a Lucidspark document don’t work. To use these shortcuts, disable canvas navigation hotkeys.
How do canvas navigation hotkeys work with screen readers?
When canvas navigation hotkeys are enabled, most screen readers read the text within a shape and provide its relative position. If objects are grouped in a Frame or Container, you need to press “Enter” in order for the screen reader to read the grouped objects.
Why won’t keyboard navigation turn on while I’m using Safari as a browser?
You may need to toggle on keyboard navigation in your system settings. To do so, open your system settings, search for or select Keyboard, and toggle on “Keyboard navigation”.
What other hotkeys or shortcuts are available in Lucidchart and Lucidspark?
To view a full list of keyboard shortcuts, press F1 on your keyboard. Some shortcuts may not work as intended when canvas navigation hotkeys are turned on.
Post in the Lucid Community
If you want to see additional accessibility options in Lucid, join our conversation and give us your feedback in the Lucid Community.
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