Hand Tool

The Hand Tool allows you to pan around your canvas, especially when zoomed in past the window boundaries. It is one of the most frequently used navigation tools, essential for working on detailed areas of large images.

Instead of using scroll bars, the Hand Tool lets you click and drag to move the canvas in any direction. When combined with the Zoom Tool, it forms the foundation of efficient Photoshop navigation and workflow.

Where to Find It

The Hand Tool is located in the toolbar, typically near the bottom, represented by a hand icon. Press H to activate it. It shares the group with the Rotate View Tool.

How to Use

• Pan the canvas: With the Hand Tool active, click and drag to move the canvas in any direction.
• Temporary shortcut: At any time, hold the Spacebar to temporarily switch to the Hand Tool from any other tool.
• Fit to screen: Double-click the Hand Tool icon in the toolbar to automatically fit the entire image within the window.
• Scroll with mouse: Use the scroll wheel to pan vertically, or hold Ctrl (Cmd) and scroll to pan horizontally.
• Bird's eye view: Hold H and click and drag — a rectangle appears. Release to zoom into that area instantly.

Pro Tips

• Master the Spacebar shortcut — it is the most efficient way to pan and avoids switching tools constantly.
• Use the Bird's Eye View technique (hold H, click and drag) to quickly navigate between different areas of a large canvas.
• When using a mouse with a scroll wheel, enable Scrubby Scroll in Preferences for smoother scrolling.