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smk17
Participant
Jan 22, 2025 2:26 PM UTC
Answered

command+spacebar no longer activates zoom tool in photoshop "2024" mac

So it looks like Illustrator 2025 has changed the zoom keyboard shortcut from Command/Space Bar to simply the Z key. Why do they do this?

Monika Gause
Monika GauseCorrect answer
Community Expert
Jan 22, 2025 4:49 PM UTC

Like @jane-e I would suspect Spotlight to be the culprit. If you press spacebar first, does it then work?

 

If you have already deactivated that shortcut there are several other third party apps that could be interfering:

 

  • WhatsApp on the web being the active tab in the browser
  • WebRoot
  • Apple Terminal
  • Word, Excel, Powerpoint
  • »Enable Full Keyboard« in Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard on Mac OS
  • »Keyboard Navigation« in Apple settings > Keyboard
  • Apple Mail, Outlook
  • Spacebar is used as a shortcut by the system
  • Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari
  • Wacom Desktop Center, Wacom settings
  • Windows Touch Pad problem
  • LastPass, Bitwarden (password managers)
  • The VPN
  • LangSwitcher app (it needs to be closed and disabled)
  • Notes
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6 replies

jane-e
Community Expert
jane-eCommunity Expert
Community Expert
Jan 22, 2025 4:10 PM UTC

@smk17 

 

I've branched your post from a thread in the Photoshop forum and moved it to the Illustrator forum.

 

"Z" has always been a shortcut for the Zoom tool. I am away from my office and can't test the Command+Spacebar shortcut right now, but someone else will surely chime in.

 

Jane

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smk17Author
Participant
Jan 22, 2025 4:27 PM UTC

Thanks Jane, I've been using Command+Space Bar in all Adobe apps for so many years. And in the past few weeks when I use it, my sound goes mute for like 5 seconds. Something hijacked that shortcut. Unless I hit Command and Space Bar at the EXACT same time. In the past I could always hit command first and the space bar right after

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jane-e
Community Expert
jane-eCommunity Expert
Community Expert
Jan 22, 2025 4:44 PM UTC

Me too @smk17 ! 

 

I'll check when I get back to my office, but we have seen that sometimes another app takes over shortcuts.

 

Try this:

  • Shut down
  • Relaunch with no apps open, then confirm no apps are open
  • Launch only Illustrator. Does the shortcut work?

Sometimes it's a browser that takes over the shortcuts.

 

Command+Spacebar is also the macOS shortcut for launching Spotlight. This has never been an issue for me, as soon as I start to drag, the shortcut works in Adobe apps.

 

I have a new Mac with Sequoia and will test when I get back to my office. I don't want to lose that either!

 

Jane

Forum volunteer

 

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