Paint.NET Move Selected Pixels Shortcut

This guide explains the keyboard shortcut required to select the Move Selected Pixels tool in Paint.NET, along with how to alternate between selection tools and use modifier keys for precise pixel manipulation.

The default keyboard shortcut to activate the Move Selected Pixels tool in Paint.NET is the letter M.

How the Shortcut Works

In Paint.NET, the M key controls both the Move Selected Pixels tool (represented by a blue/black cursor arrow) and the Move Selection tool (represented by a white cursor arrow).

• Pressing M selects the Move Selected Pixels tool.
• Pressing M a second time switches to the Move Selection tool.
• Continuing to tap M toggles back and forth between the two tools.

You can verify the active tool by checking the highlighted icon in the Tools palette on the left side of the screen.

Basic Usage and Helpful Modifiers

Once you have made a selection using any selection tool (such as the Rectangle Select or Lasso tool) and pressed M, you can manipulate the pixels directly:

• Move: Click and drag inside the selection boundary to move the pixels to a new location.
• Scale / Resize: Click and drag any of the outer boundary nubs. Hold Shift while dragging to maintain the original aspect ratio.
• Rotate: Move the cursor outside the bounding box until a curved arrow appears, then click and drag to rotate. Hold Shift to snap rotation to 15-degree increments.
• Fine Adjustment: Use the Arrow keys on your keyboard to nudge the selected pixels by one pixel at a time. Hold Ctrl while pressing the arrow keys to move the selection in 10-pixel increments.