Vectric Aspire Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete List for V12.5
Quick answer: The most useful Vectric Aspire shortcuts are N (node editing), T (scale), M (move), R (rotate), J (join vectors), 9 and 0 (rotate 45°), F (zoom to material), F2 and F3 (2D and 3D view), G and U (group and ungroup), and Esc (deselect all). No Ctrl key is needed for most of them.
Vectric Aspire is CAD/CAM software from Vectric Ltd for designing and cutting 2D and 3D parts on a CNC router. Sign makers, woodworkers and furniture shops use it to build 3D relief models and generate toolpaths. Aspire is built on the same platform as VCarve Pro, so most 2D shortcuts work in both programs.
This guide lists 83 keyboard and mouse shortcuts plus 37 Quick Keys for Aspire 12.5. Each key was checked against Vectric’s official V12.5 documentation in October 2026. Most shortcuts also work in Aspire 10, 11 and 12.
Download the free Vectric Aspire Shortcuts PDF
Two things to know before you start:
- Many Aspire shortcuts are single keys. Press them with your 2D View active, not while typing in a form.
- Quick Keys use your job’s units. Type 50 in a millimetre job and you get 50 mm; type 2 in an inch job and you get 2 inches.
Top 15 Vectric Aspire Shortcuts to Learn First
Learn these 15 first. They cover most of the clicks you make in a normal design session.
| # | Shortcut | What it does |
| 1 | N | Toggle between Selection and Node Editing mode |
| 2 | Esc | Deselect all vectors and return to Selection mode |
| 3 | Ctrl + A | Select all vectors |
| 4 | T | Open the Scale (Transform) form |
| 5 | M | Open the Move form |
| 6 | R | Open the Rotate form |
| 7 | J | Open the Join Vectors form |
| 8 | 9 / 0 | Rotate the selection 45° counterclockwise / clockwise |
| 9 | H / V | Mirror the selection horizontally / vertically |
| 10 | G / U | Group / ungroup the selection |
| 11 | F | Zoom to fit the material |
| 12 | Ctrl + F | Zoom to fit the selected objects |
| 13 | F2 / F3 | Switch to the 2D View / 3D View |
| 14 | F10 | Open the Alignment Tools form |
| 15 | Page Up | Show the 2D and 3D views side by side |
General Shortcuts: Selection and Transform
These work in Selection mode with vectors or components selected in the 2D View.
| Shortcut | Action |
| Ctrl + A | Select all vectors |
| Esc | Deselect all vectors |
| Esc | Switch to Selection mode (exit Node Editing or Transform mode) |
| Esc | Exit vector drawing and editing tools and close the data entry form |
| Right-click | Exit vector drawing and editing tools and close the data entry form |
| Right-click | Open the context menu |
| Drag right to left | Select all vectors inside and touching the selection box |
| Drag left to right | Select only vectors fully inside the selection box |
| N | Toggle between Selection and Node Editing modes |
| T | Open the Scale form to transform vectors |
| M | Open the Move form |
| R | Open the Rotate form |
| J | Open the Join Vectors form |
| 9 | Rotate the selected object 45° counterclockwise |
| 0 | Rotate the selected object 45° clockwise |
| Ctrl + M | Open the Measure tool form |
File and Edit Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
| Ctrl + N | Create a new file |
| Ctrl + O | Open an existing file |
| Ctrl + S | Save the file |
| Ctrl + I | Import a file |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo |
| Ctrl + C | Copy the selected vectors |
| Ctrl + X | Cut the selected vectors |
| Ctrl + V | Paste the selected vectors |
View and Window Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
| Z | Zoom: click the top-left and bottom-right corners of the area |
| Esc | Exit zoom mode and return to Selection mode |
| Ctrl + F | Zoom to fit the selected object(s) |
| F | Zoom to fit the material |
| F6 | Zoom (scale the 2D View) to fit the material |
| F1 | Open the Help file |
| F2 | Open the 2D Drawing window |
| F3 | Open the 3D Preview window |
| F4 | Open the Snap Settings form |
| F5 | Refresh the 2D window |
| Page Up | Tile the 2D and 3D views side by side (selected window on the left) |
| Page Down | Tile the 2D and 3D views top and bottom (selected window on top) |
Tip: select the 2D View before pressing Page Up or Page Down, so the drawing window lands on the left or top.
Tab Navigation Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
| F8 | Toggle between the Drawing and Modeling tabs |
| F11 | Toggle the Drawing tab on |
| F12 | Toggle the Toolpath tab on |
| Ctrl + L | Open the Layers tab |
| Ctrl + D | Open the Drawing tab |
Node Editing Shortcuts
Press N first to enter Node Editing mode. Hover over a node or span, then press the key.
| Shortcut | Action |
| I | Insert a point |
| D | Delete a point or span |
| S | Smooth or unsmooth a point |
| C | Cut the vector (opens it at that point) |
| B | Convert the span to a Bezier curve |
| A | Convert the span to an arc |
| L | Convert the span to a line |
| P | Make the selected node the start point for machining |
| X | Show a single node’s X and Y position; with several nodes selected, align their X to the first one |
| Y | With several nodes selected, align their Y to the first one |
| H | Enter horizontal mirror mode (press again to exit) |
| V | Enter vertical mirror mode (press again to exit) |
| K | Toggle Keep Bezier Tangency, which fixes curve directions while you drag |
| J | Join two selected open vectors (at the two end nodes if selected) |
Note that H, V and J mean different things in Node Editing mode than in Selection mode.
Mirror Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
| H | Mirror horizontally |
| Ctrl + H | Create a mirror copy horizontally |
| Shift + H | Mirror horizontally around the center of the material |
| Ctrl + Shift + H | Create a mirror copy horizontally around the center of the material |
| V | Mirror vertically |
| Shift + V | Mirror vertically around the center of the material |
| Ctrl + Shift + V | Create a mirror copy vertically around the center of the material |
There is no Ctrl + V mirror copy, because Ctrl + V is Paste. Use Ctrl + Shift + V or the Mirror form instead.
Alignment Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
| F9 | Move the selected object to the center of the material |
| F10 | Open the Alignment Tools form |
Grouping and Ungrouping Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
| G | Group the selected objects |
| U | Ungroup to the objects’ original layers (sub-groups stay grouped) |
| Ctrl + U | Ungroup to the group’s layer (sub-groups stay grouped) |
| Shift + U | Deep ungroup to original layers (sub-groups are also ungrouped) |
| Ctrl + Shift + U | Deep ungroup to the group’s layer (sub-groups are also ungrouped) |
Arrow Key Nudge Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
| Arrow keys | Nudge the selected vectors |
| Ctrl + Arrow | Nudge by a smaller distance |
| Shift + Arrow | Nudge by a larger distance |
| Ctrl + Shift + Arrow | Nudge by the Fixed Nudge Distance set in Snap Settings (F4) |
Set the Fixed Nudge Distance to your most common spacing, such as 5 mm or 0.25 inch, for repeatable layouts.
Double-Sided Job Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
| 1 | Show the top side |
| 2 | Show the bottom side |
| = | Toggle the multi-sided view |
Mouse and Keyboard Combos
| Shortcut | Action |
| Ctrl + drag | Paste a copy of the selection each time you release the left mouse button |
| Alt + drag | Move the object while keeping it aligned horizontally or vertically |
| Ctrl + Alt + drag | Create an aligned copy horizontally or vertically |
Polyline and 3D Modeling Keys
| Shortcut | Action |
| Backspace | Undo the last span while drawing a polyline |
| Space | Finish the current polyline and start a new one |
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + V | Show the volume of the Composite model in the 3D View |
The volume shortcut is useful for estimating material use before cutting a 3D relief.
Aspire Quick Keys: Type Exact Sizes While You Draw
Quick Keys let you type exact values while drawing or editing, instead of opening a form. Start dragging a shape or handle, keep the left mouse button held down, type the value, and press Enter or the letter shown. For the polyline and arc tools, you can release the mouse after the first point.
In the tables below, “Value” means the number you type. Examples are shown in millimetres and inches.
Draw Circle
| Quick Key | Result | Example (mm / inch) |
| Value Enter (or Value R) | Circle with that radius | 25 Enter / 1 Enter |
| Value D | Circle with that diameter | 50 D / 2 D |
Draw Ellipse
| Quick Key | Result | Example (mm / inch) |
| Value Enter (or Value L) | Ellipse with that diameter | 60 Enter / 2.5 Enter |
| Value , Value Enter (or Value W Value H) | Ellipse with width and height | 80, 40 Enter / 3, 1.5 Enter |
| Value X | Set width, keep current height | 80 X / 3 X |
| Value Y | Set height, keep current width | 40 Y / 1.5 Y |
Draw Rectangle
| Quick Key | Result | Example (mm / inch) |
| Value Enter (or Value L) | Square with that side length | 100 Enter / 4 Enter |
| Value , Value Enter | Rectangle with width and height | 600, 300 Enter / 24, 12 Enter |
| Value W Value H | Rectangle with width W and height H | 600 W 300 H / 24 W 12 H |
| Value X | Set width, keep current height | 600 X / 24 X |
| Value Y | Set height, keep current width | 300 Y / 12 Y |
| Value R Value X | Corner radius R and width X, current height | 10 R 600 X / 0.5 R 24 X |
| Value R Value Y | Corner radius R and height Y, current width | 10 R 300 Y / 0.5 R 12 Y |
Draw Polygon
| Quick Key | Result | Example (mm / inch) |
| Value Enter (or Value R) | Polygon inscribed on a circle of that radius | 30 Enter / 1.25 Enter |
| Value D | Polygon with that diameter | 60 D / 2.5 D |
| Value S Value R | S sides and radius R | 6 S 30 R / 6 S 1.25 R |
| Value S Value D | S sides and diameter D | 8 S 60 D / 8 S 2.5 D |
Draw Star
| Quick Key | Result | Example (mm / inch) |
| Value Enter (or Value R) | Star with that radius | 40 Enter / 1.5 Enter |
| Value D | Star with that diameter | 80 D / 3 D |
| Value P Value R | P points and radius R | 5 P 40 R / 5 P 1.5 R |
| Value P Value D | P points and diameter D | 5 P 80 D / 5 P 3 D |
| Value P Value I Value R | P points, internal radius I %, radius R | 5 P 40 I 40 R / 5 P 40 I 1.5 R |
| Value P Value I Value D | P points, internal radius I %, diameter D | 6 P 50 I 80 D / 6 P 50 I 3 D |
Polyline Tool
| Quick Key | Result | Example (mm / inch) |
| Value Enter (or Value L) | Next point that distance away, toward the cursor | 150 Enter / 6 Enter |
| Value , Value Enter (or Value D Value W) | Next point offset in X and Y from the last point | 100, 50 Enter / 4, 2 Enter |
| Value X Value Y | Next point at the absolute X and Y position | 0 X 0 Y |
| Value A Value L | Line at angle A° with length L | 45 A 100 L / 45 A 4 L |
Move Objects
Drag the object, then type:
| Quick Key | Result | Example (mm / inch) |
| Value Enter (or Value L) | Move that distance toward the cursor | 20 Enter / 0.75 Enter |
| Value , Value Enter (or Value D Value W) | Move by X and Y relative to the current position | 10, 5 Enter / 0.5, 0.25 Enter |
| Value X Value Y | Move to the absolute X and Y position | 0 X 0 Y |
Rotate Objects
| Quick Key | Result | Example |
| Value Enter (or Value L) | Rotate counterclockwise by that many degrees (drag the rotation handle first) | 30 Enter |
Scale Objects
| Quick Key | Result | Example (mm / inch) |
| Value Enter (or Value L) | Edge handle: set width or height to that value | 300 Enter / 12 Enter |
| Value , Value Enter (or Value D Value W) | Corner handle: set width and height | 300, 150 Enter / 12, 6 Enter |
| Value S | Scale by a factor | 2 S (double size) |
Node Editing Quick Keys
Drag a node, then type:
| Quick Key | Result | Example (mm / inch) |
| Value Enter (or Value L) | Move the node that distance toward the cursor | 5 Enter / 0.2 Enter |
| Value , Value Enter (or Value D Value W) | Move the node by X and Y relative to its position | 5, 0 Enter / 0.2, 0 Enter |
| Value X Value Y | Move the node to the absolute X and Y position | 100 X 50 Y / 4 X 2 Y |
Aspire vs VCarve Pro Shortcuts: What’s Different?
Most 2D shortcuts are identical in Aspire and VCarve Pro, because both are built on the same Vectric platform. The differences come from Aspire’s 3D modeling tools.
| Feature | Aspire | VCarve Pro |
| Selection, transform, mirror, group keys | Yes | Yes |
| Node editing keys | Yes | Yes |
| Quick Keys for shapes | Yes | Yes |
| F8: toggle Drawing and Modeling tabs | Yes | No Modeling tab |
| Ctrl + Shift + Alt + V: Composite model volume | Yes | No 3D modeling |
| 3D component modeling and sculpting | Yes | No |
Using VCarve Pro? See our VCarve Pro keyboard shortcuts guide.
Can You Customize Shortcuts in Vectric Aspire?
You can’t remap Aspire’s built-in shortcuts, but you can assign shortcuts to gadgets. Open the Gadgets menu and choose Gadget Shortcuts. Each gadget can be given a Ctrl + function key combination, such as Ctrl + F5.
Do Aspire Shortcuts Work on a Mac?
Vectric builds Aspire for Windows. Mac users usually run it inside a Windows virtual machine such as Parallels Desktop. The shortcuts in this guide stay the same, but check how your virtual machine maps the Mac Command and Control keys. Mac keyboards without dedicated function keys may also need the Fn key for F1 to F12.
Download the Vectric Aspire Shortcuts PDF
Download the free Vectric Aspire Shortcuts PDF
The PDF groups the 83 shortcuts by task and includes a Quick Keys summary. Print it and keep it next to your CNC workstation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the shortcut to deselect in Vectric Aspire?
Press Esc to deselect all vectors in Vectric Aspire. Esc also exits Node Editing or Transform mode and returns you to Selection mode. Some older lists show Ctrl + Shift + A, but that key is not in Vectric’s V12.5 shortcut documentation.
How do I rotate an object 45 degrees in Aspire?
Select the object and press 9 to rotate it 45° counterclockwise or 0 to rotate it 45° clockwise. No Ctrl key is needed. For any other angle, drag the rotation handle, type the angle, and press Enter.
How do I see the 2D and 3D views at the same time?
Press Page Up to tile the 2D and 3D views side by side, or Page Down to stack them top and bottom. Select the 2D View first so it appears on the left or top. Press F2 or F3 to return to a single view.
What is the difference between U and Shift + U in Aspire?
U ungroups the selection to its original layers but keeps sub-groups grouped. Shift + U is a deep ungroup that also breaks apart any sub-groups. Add Ctrl to either one to place the ungrouped objects on the group’s layer instead.
How do I make a mirror copy in Vectric Aspire?
Press Ctrl + H to create a horizontal mirror copy. For copies mirrored around the center of the material, use Ctrl + Shift + H (horizontal) or Ctrl + Shift + V (vertical). Plain H and V mirror the original without making a copy.
What are Quick Keys in Vectric Aspire?
Quick Keys let you type exact values while drawing or editing. While dragging a circle, typing 50 D creates a 50-unit diameter circle. They work with circles, ellipses, rectangles, polygons, stars, polylines and the move, rotate, scale and node handles.
Can I change keyboard shortcuts in Aspire?
Aspire’s built-in shortcuts cannot be remapped. You can assign Ctrl + function key shortcuts to gadgets through Gadgets > Gadget Shortcuts, which is useful for gadgets you run often, such as layout or toolpath helpers.
Do Vectric Aspire shortcuts work in VCarve Pro?
Yes, almost all 2D shortcuts are the same in Aspire and VCarve Pro, including selection, mirror, group, node editing and Quick Keys. Shortcuts tied to 3D modeling, such as F8 for the Modeling tab and the Composite model volume key, are Aspire only.
How do I measure the volume of a 3D model in Aspire?
Press Ctrl + Shift + Alt + V to show the volume of the Composite model in the 3D View. This helps estimate how much material a 3D relief will remove or need before you calculate toolpaths.
Does Vectric Aspire work on Mac?
Aspire is Windows software. Mac users typically run it through a Windows virtual machine such as Parallels Desktop. The shortcuts stay the same, but check how Command and Control are mapped and whether F1 to F12 need the Fn key.
Summary
- The core keys are N, T, M, R, J, 9, 0, H, V, G, U and Esc.
- F, Ctrl + F, F2, F3 and Page Up control what you see.
- Quick Keys let you type exact sizes while drawing, such as 50 D for a 50-unit circle.
- Most shortcuts are shared with VCarve Pro; 3D modeling keys are Aspire only.
- All keys are checked against Vectric’s V12.5 documentation.
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