Preface
Are you ready to supercharge your web design workflow in Elementor? As web creators, we’re always looking for ways to save time and boost efficiency. Mastering keyboard shortcuts is an excellent method to drastically improve your design process.This guide will explore essential Elementor keyboard shortcuts that can help both beginners and seasoned professionals design websites faster and more effectively. Letâs dive in and unlock Elementor’s full potential!
Why Use Keyboard Shortcuts in Elementor?
Before we jump into the specifics, let’s understand why keyboard shortcuts are a game-changer:
- Speed and Efficiency: Keyboard shortcuts are faster than navigating menus with a mouse. Save valuable time on every project.
- Improved Workflow: Reduce interruptions in your workflow and maintain focus on your creative task.
- Professionalism: Using shortcuts demonstrates expertise and helps you work like a seasoned web designer.
- Reduced Strain: Minimize mouse movement to reduce physical strain, particularly during long design sessions.
Hint: Remember to always save your work frequently! WordPress offers autosave functionality, but it’s always best to be safe.
Essential Elementor Keyboard Shortcuts
Here’s a curated list of the most useful Elementor keyboard shortcuts, broken down by category for easy reference:
General Shortcuts:
- Save:
Ctrl + S
(Windows) orCmd + S
(Mac): Save your current work immediately.Info: This is your best friend. Get accustomed to using it frequently.
- Preview Changes:
Ctrl + Shift + H
(Windows) orCmd + Shift + H
(Mac): Toggle preview mode to see how your page looks live.
- Redo:
Ctrl + Shift + Z
(Windows) orCmd + Shift + Z
(Mac): Redo an action you previously undid.
- Undo:
Ctrl + Z
(Windows) orCmd + Z
(Mac): Undo your last action. Made a mistake? No problem!
- Find Anything:
Ctrl + E
(Windows) orCmd + E
(Mac): Opens Elementor’s Finder, allowing you search for any widget, template or action quickly. This is incredibly useful for navigating through Elementorâs features.
Navigation Shortcuts:
- Toggle Panel Visibility:
Ctrl + P
(Windows) orCmd + P
(Mac): Show or hide the Elementor panel to maximize your workspace.
- History Panel:
Ctrl + Shift + H
(Windows) orCmd + Shift + H
(Mac): Open the History panel to review and revert to previous versions of your design.
- Responsive Mode:
Ctrl + Shift + M
(Windows) orCmd + Shift + M
(Mac): Quickly switch between desktop, tablet, and mobile views to ensure responsive design.
Editing Shortcuts:
- Duplicate:
Ctrl + Shift + D
(Windows) orCmd + Shift + D
(Mac): Duplicate the selected widget, section, or column.
- Delete:
Delete
orBackspace
: Remove the selected widget, section, or column.
- Copy Style:
Ctrl + Alt + C
(Windows) orCmd + Option + C
(Mac): Copy the style attributes from one element.
- Paste Style:
Ctrl + Alt + V
(Windows) orCmd + Option + V
(Mac): Paste the copied styles to another element. This is fantastic for maintaining consistency! Also you can right click on the target element and chose “Paste Style”.Hint: Remember that you can always right-click on any element to access common actions like copy, paste, duplicate, delete, etc. However, keyboard shortcuts are significantly faster!
Advanced Tips and Tricks
Here are some additional tips to take your Elementor shortcut game to the next level:
- Customize Shortcuts: While Elementor doesn’t natively allow you to customize keyboard shortcuts, you can use browser extensions like Shortkeys (https://www.shortkeys.app/) to remap keys to your liking.
Info: Changing shortcuts can greatly enhance your personal workflow, especially if you have specific needs.
- Use a Cheat Sheet: Create a cheat sheet with your most frequently used shortcuts and keep it handy until they become second nature. Here is a useful cheat sheet provided by elementor: https://elementor.com/academy/elementor-keyboard-shortcuts/
- Combine with Mouse Actions: Keyboard shortcuts work seamlessly with mouse actions. For example, hold
Shift
while dragging a widget to insert it at the top or bottom of a section. (Unfortunately does not work with all widgets). - Leverage Elementor’s Right-Click Functionality: Many design actions like copying, pasting style, and duplicating can be quickly accessed by right-clicking an element, complementing your keyboard shortcuts.
Integrate Elementor Shortcuts Into Your Workflow
- Start Small: Don’t try to learn all the shortcuts at once. Begin with the most frequently used ones like Save, Undo, and Duplicate.
- Practice Regularly: Dedicate a few minutes each day to practice using shortcuts. The more you use them, the more natural they will become.
- Contextual Learning: Learn shortcuts as you need them. When you find yourself repeatedly performing an action, look for its shortcut.
- Explore Elementorâs Interface: Familiarize yourself with Elementorâs interface to understand where different functions are located and how shortcuts can expedite access to them. Also check out the Elementor documentation for more details. There you will find more shortcuts but these ones listed here are amongst the most important ones.
Why Elementor is a Great Choice
Info: Elementor is one of the leading WordPress page builders, known for its ease of use, flexibility, and powerful features. It empowers both beginners and professionals to create stunning websites with its drag-and-drop interface and extensive template
library.
Elementor stands out as a top choice for web designers for several reasons:
- User-Friendly Interface: Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to design pages without coding skills.
- Extensive Widget Library: Elementor offers a wide range of widgets to add various elements and functionalities to your website.
- Customization Options: You have complete control over the design and layout of your website.
- Responsive Design: Ensure your website looks great on all devices with Elementor’s responsive design features.
- Theme Compatibility: It works seamlessly with most WordPress themes, including popular ones like Astra.
Many websites are built with elementor. See for example this showcase: Inspirational Showcase of Beautiful Websites Built with Elementor #1 and Inspirational Showcase of Beautiful Websites Built with Elementor #2
Hint: Elementor offers both a free and a Pro version. The Pro version unlocks even more features and templates.
The Importance of a Fast Website
Optimizing your website’s speed is extremely important. Not only does it enhance user experience, but it also boosts your search engine rankings. Hereâs why site speed matters:
- User Experience: Fast-loading websites provide a smoother, more enjoyable experience, reducing bounce rates.
- SEO Rankings: Google prioritizes fast websites in its search rankings.
- Conversion Rates: A faster website can lead to higher conversion rates and better business outcomes. Optimizing your website for SEO is key. You can read more about it here: How to Optimize Your Website for SEO: A Quickstart Guide for WordPress
Info: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights ([https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/](https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/)) to analyze your website’s speed and identify areas for improvement.
Conclusion
Mastering Elementor keyboard shortcuts is a small investment that yields huge returns in terms of efficiency and workflow. By incorporating these shortcuts into your daily design routine, you’ll not only save time but also elevate your professionalism. So, start practicing these shortcuts today and experience the difference they can make in your web design journey. Happy designing, and welcome to STARTMAKINGWEBSITES â your go-to resource for mastering web design with ease!