You don't necessarily need to "create" a shortcut for the Eraser tool in Photoshop because one is already assigned by default. The standard shortcut for the Eraser tool is the "E" key on your keyboard.
Default Eraser Tool Shortcut
As confirmed by the reference, the quickest way to activate the Eraser tool in Adobe Photoshop is by pressing the "E" key. This is a built-in default that makes accessing the tool fast and efficient.
- Tool: Eraser Tool
- Default Shortcut: E
This means when you want to switch to the Eraser, simply hit E, and you're ready to erase.
Understanding "Create" vs. "Customize"
When asking "How do I create a shortcut?", you might be thinking about:
- Finding out what the existing shortcut is (which is "E").
- Changing the existing shortcut to something else (creating a custom shortcut).
Since the default already exists, creating a shortcut usually refers to the process of customizing the default assignment or assigning a shortcut to an action that doesn't have one.
How to Change or Customize Keyboard Shortcuts
If you want to change the default "E" key for the Eraser tool to a different key, or assign a shortcut to a variant of the Eraser (like the Background Eraser or Magic Eraser if they don't have one assigned or you want a different one), you can do so through Photoshop's Keyboard Shortcuts menu.
Steps to Customize Keyboard Shortcuts
Follow these steps to view or change the shortcut for the Eraser tool (or any other tool/menu item):
- Go to the menu Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.
- In the "Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus" dialog box, make sure the "Shortcuts For:" dropdown is set to Tools.
- Scroll down the list of tools until you find the Eraser Tool.
- Click on the shortcut area next to "Eraser Tool". If it's blank or you want to change it, press the desired new key combination on your keyboard.
- If the new key combination is already in use, Photoshop will notify you and ask if you want to accept the change (which will remove the shortcut from the previous command) or cancel.
- Once you've made your changes, you can save the new shortcut set by clicking OK or Save Set....
| Tool | Default Shortcut | Location in Shortcuts Menu |
|---|---|---|
| Eraser Tool | E | Tools |
Customizing shortcuts allows you to tailor Photoshop to your workflow, making frequently used tools even more accessible.
By default, the Eraser tool is easily accessed with a single keystroke, the "E" key.
