KiCad calls every command an action, and every action can be bound to a key. These are the defaults worth learning first, the ones you will reach for in almost every session.
These are defaults, and defaults can change. Your own bindings live in Preferences → Hotkeys, which is also the definitive list for your installation. If a key below does nothing, check there first.
Schematic Editor
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| A | Add a symbol |
| P | Add a power symbol |
| W | Draw a wire |
| L | Add a net label |
| M | Move the selected item |
| G | Drag, moves the item but keeps wires attached |
| R | Rotate |
| E | Edit properties of the selected item |
| Esc | Cancel the current tool or action |
M versus G is the one to internalise. Move picks a symbol up and leaves its wires behind; drag brings the wires with it. Reaching for M when you meant G is the most common way to quietly disconnect part of a schematic.
Board Editor
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| X | Route a single track |
| V | Place a via, press it while routing to change layer mid-track |
| M | Move the selected footprint |
| R | Rotate |
| F | Flip to the other side of the board |
| E | Edit properties |
| B | Fill all zones |
| Esc | Cancel the current tool or action |
Press B before you export. Zone fills do not update themselves as you edit. If you move a track and then generate fabrication files without refilling, the copper in your output will not match what is on your screen.
The complete list
KiCad publishes an exhaustive reference of every action and its default key. It is long, but it is the authoritative answer to "is there a shortcut for this?"