Gestures

On mobile devices and Microsoft Surface, use gestures to work faster and make things easier

Sketchbook on mobile devices has an assortment of gestures to help you work faster and make things easier. 

Use one, two, and three fingers to access an assortment of tools, along with preferences for customization. If you prefer to work UI free, try Rapid UI mode‍ for accessing just about everything, from sliders for resizing and changing brush opacity, to accessing editors, changing colors, and so much more.

Starting in Sketchbook version 6, you can also customize your tap options


Delete

NOTE: Sketchbook Pro for desktop doesn't have gestures. For a fast way to work, see Hotkey shortcuts.


1-finger gestures

Use one finger to tap certain parts of the canvas to access tools. The corner tools can be accessed by tapping with one finger. See Corner tools‍ for which tools are set by default and how to customize them.

Use your finger and the marking menu to access an assortment of tools. See Marking menus for more information.


Tap-hold for color picker

This setting is on by default, but you can toggle it off in Preferences‍ if you prefer. When enabled, a tap-hold of your finger or stylus will enable the Color Picker‍. 



2-finger gestures

Here is a list of the 2-finger gestures:


Rotate the canvas

Use your fingers to freely rotate the canvas. Just twist with two fingers to rotate the content on all layers.

Rotate gestures


Move the canvas

Use your finger(s) to freely move the canvas. Just drag with two fingers in any direction to move the canvas.

Fit To view


Zooming into and out of the canvas

In the canvas, drag with two fingers and expand to zoom in.

Zoom in and out gesture

Pinch your fingers together to zoom out.


Scaling content

While in the Transform tool, use your fingers for scaling. Select a layer with an image, drag with two fingers and expand to scale the image up, making it larger.

Zoom in and out gesture

Pinch your fingers together to scale it down, making it smaller.

While in the Transform tool, use your fingers to freely rotate the image. Just twist with two fingers to rotate the content on that layer.

Rotate gestures


Moving content

While in the Transform tool, use your finger(s) to freely move the image. Just drag with two fingers in any direction to move the image.

Fit To View


Customizing Tap options

Starting with version 6.0, you have the option to customize your tap options in Preferences

Y‍ou can customize the action applied to:

  • two finger double-tap (default is Frame Canvas)
  • three finger single-tap (default is Undo)
  • three finger double-tap (default is Full Screen view)


3-finger swipe gestures

In Preferences‍ there are also options for customizing your 3-finger swipe gestures.

Here are some tips to successfully use the 3-finger gestures:

  • Have your fingers slightly separated.
  • Swipe on an angle.

These are the default settings:

To learn how to set your own, see Customizing the 3-finger swipe menu‍.