The Hand Tool's shortcut is now "H" instead of Spacebar!!!

[Tani528]

I've been using Photoshop for almost 15 years, mostly for illustrating. I recently got a brand new Mac and the newest version of photoshop only to discover that they changed the hand tool shortcut to the "H" key. I don't know about you but this is really inconvenient as a digital artist. I rely on the spacebar to move the image around a lot and zoom in and out while holding "spacebar & command" or "spacebar & option". Now it seems they altered this and it has really hindered my proficiency and speed. Do any other digital illustrators know what I'm trying to describe. If there's anyway I can change this back from the "hand tool" to the "spacebar" it would be much appreciated.

[Guest]

Have you tried using the spacebar shortcut, works fine for me.

H was always to select the hand tool as far as I'm aware.

Adobe Photoshop CC Keyboard Shortcuts

Adobe Photoshop CS6 Keyboard Shortcuts

Adobe Photoshop CS4 Keyboard Shortcuts

Check to make sure your keyboard shortcuts are set to default

[Tani528]

That's my problem the spacebar isn't working like it did in the past. I used to hold the spacebar down and a "clutching hand" would appear to drag my illustration around in PS. the reason for this was to constantly drag & draw over and over again. Now it appears that nothing happens when I press the spacebar. I mustv'e confused the hand tool as being the shortcut for the spacebar but apparently they're two different tools. Also, my keyboard shortcuts are set to default too. I'm still trying to figure it out though.

[Guest]

Two other things to try, unless someone else finds a solution

Resetting PS Preferences

Or this

Use the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems

[Tani528]

I tried resetting preferences and it didn't work but I'll try the cleaner tool option when I get a chance. thanks

[gener7]

Sorry to hear that after disabling these shortcuts it did not work, but restart your Mac, and that may clear it.

Other things to look for are explained in this thread: Hand tool (spacebar) isn't working

[Tani528]

I figured it out, I recently put Webroot on my Mac and when I turned it off my spacebar started working properly. Thank you though for responding, much appreciated.

[gener7]

It could be the default MacOS shortcuts for Spotlight hijacking the Spacebar. Go into Apple System Preferences > Keyboard and uncheck them or assign another combination.

Cmd-Spacebar and Option-Spacebar are those defaults that ship with new Macs. I added Ctrl in front of those combinations, but found I don't really need it.

[PECourtejoie]

Hello, YEs, the correct answer is that the "They" you refer is Apple...

They "highjacked" those shortcuts...

But the hand tool always had the H shortcut.

If you hold it down, you get the bird's eye view function, that is very useful as well (but I always CMD+Spacebar, Spacebar, or ALT+Spacebar (and adding shift to zoom/pan multiple images)

[Tani528]

Yeah I confused myself with thinking the hand tool or "H" was the same as the spacebar. In the past whenever I was drawing something in PS I would zoom in close and draw with my brush tool. As I drew with the brush tool I would constantly hold down the spacebar to move my image around, it was convenient and speedy for me. whenever I pressed the spacebar down in the past, a clutching hand would appear and let me move it around. it doesn't do that anymore, nothing happens when I press the spacebar. I think this is where I confused it with the Hand tool. I'm still trying to figure this out. Also one last thing, it also made it speedy in the past because I would use "spacebar & command" or "spacebar & option" to zoom in and out, that doesn't work either.

[Tani528 · Accepted solution]

I figured it out, I recently put Webroot on my Mac and when I turned it off my spacebar started working properly. Thank you though for responding, much appreciated.

[gener7]

In the link provided, checkmark "Pause Secure Keyboard Entry" was suggested as a fix if you still want to keep Webroot.

[Tani528]

I've tried that, it still doesn't work. in the past I would zoom in onto my design or drawing and I would hold down the spacebar to drag around the image. The reason for this was to drag and draw over and over again. The only way I can do it now is by pressing the H shortcut and it lets me do that, its just very inconvenient. In the past whenever you would press spacebar a hand symbol would appear like it was clutching the image, so I think I confused that with the hand tool. I'm still trying to figure it out though.

[Tani528]

I figured it out, I recently put Webroot on my Mac and when I turned it off my spacebar started working properly. Thank you though for responding, much appreciated.

[PECourtejoie]

Ok, I’ll unmarked gener7’s answer that works most of the time, and tag the webroot one once I’m on a desktop...

Tani, Spacebar and H both trigger the hand tool, spacebar was the only one “spring loaded” that gave you back the previously used tool, before other tools got that function, but they have differences, look at the option bar, for instance.

another zoom trick: double click the hand or the zoom tool in the toolbar.

[gener7]

Even if it did not turn out to be the cause, disabling those Spotlight shortcuts is necessary when first installing Photoshop on a Mac and likely any Adobe product that uses the same zoom in/out keyboard shortcuts.

Gene

[bushnelldesign]

Hello, I'm having the same problem. I have a new computer and now the spacebar/white hand shortcut isn't working throughout all my Adobe programs. I did what you suggested and de-selected the 2 Spotlight checkboxes. Now what? What do I do next to get this shortcut back please?

[MrRedGuy]

THIS IS so frustrating. I've done a fresh install of the most current adobe cloud CC and have this problem in illustrator and photoshop.

It's stopping my work.

[nycanuck]

WebRoot indeed. I installed it today (it was as a freebie from Best Buy as part of their Geek Squad sign up). Uninstalled it just now and I got my space-pan zoom feature back in Photoshop CC 2019!

Thanks for the fix.

[JennStreet]

I realize this is an old thread, but I'm having the same problem... except Photoshop 2023 does not allow you to use the spacebar as a shortcut tool it says you can only pick A-Z. This wasn't so in the previous version of Photoshop. Is there anyway to fix this or do I need to delete the newest version and go back to the old one? Because this is a do or die feature for me. I REALLY dislike it when Photoshop upodates randomly change critical fucntoning such as this. It's really annoying. 🙂 I took the H preset out which was the default.