How Do You Select Multiple Objects in Affinity Designer?

Selecting multiple objects in Affinity Designer is essential for editing, grouping, or aligning them efficiently. The primary method involves clicking on each object while holding down a specific key, or using a selection tool.

Methods for Selecting Multiple Objects

There are several ways to select multiple design elements on your canvas in Affinity Designer. Understanding these techniques will significantly speed up your workflow.

1. Using Modifier Keys (Clicking Individually)

A straightforward method is to click on each object you want to select while holding down a modifier key.

• Holding the + keys while clicking on multiple objects on the page in turn, selects them. This allows you to add or remove objects from your selection one by one.

  • How to do it:
    1. Click on the first object you want to select.
    2. Hold down the Shift key (or the key indicated in the reference as '+', which often translates to Shift in many design software contexts).
    3. Click on each additional object you want to include in the selection.
    4. Release the Shift key when finished.
    5. To deselect a specific object from a group, hold Shift and click on it again.

This method is particularly useful when you need to select a few specific objects scattered across your design.

2. Using the Marquee Selection Tool

This is ideal for selecting multiple objects that are close together.

• How to do it:
  1. Select the Move Tool (often represented by an arrow icon, shortcut V).
  2. Click and drag a rectangular box (marquee) around the objects you want to select.
  3. Any object completely or partially within the marquee box will be selected.

3. Selecting via the Layers Panel

The Layers Panel is a powerful tool for managing objects and selections, especially in complex documents.

• How to do it:
  1. Open the Layers Panel (F7 or View > Studio > Layers).
  2. To select multiple consecutive layers: Click the first layer, hold Shift, and click the last layer. All layers in between will be selected.
  3. To select multiple non-consecutive layers: Click the first layer, hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac), and click on each additional layer you want to select.
  4. Clicking a layer in the panel temporarily disables the whole composition preview leaving only the one (clicked on) selected—helpful in confirming selection of layers in complex compositions. This feature helps you isolate a specific layer quickly to verify it's the correct one before selecting it or adding it to a multi-layer selection.

Using the Layers Panel gives you precise control, allowing you to select objects regardless of whether they are visible or stacked behind others on the canvas.

Comparing Selection Methods

Each method has its advantages depending on the task at hand.

Method	Best For	Precision	Speed (for many objects)	Requires Visibility on Canvas
Modifier Key + Click	Selecting a few scattered objects	High	Medium	Yes
Marquee Selection	Selecting nearby objects	Medium	High	Yes
Layers Panel	Selecting specific or hidden objects	High	Varies (easier in complex files)	No

Practical Tips

• Group Selected Objects: Once selected, you can group objects (Ctrl+G or Cmd+G) to easily select and move them as a single unit.
• Align/Distribute: Use the Alignment panel (View > Studio > Alignment) on selected objects to quickly arrange them.
• Transform: Scale, rotate, or skew multiple selected objects simultaneously using the Move Tool.

By mastering these techniques, you can efficiently manage and edit the elements within your Affinity Designer projects.