Unity's shortcuts are mostly about the Scene view and the tools that act inside it. The editor lets you rebind everything through the Shortcuts Manager, and many teams do, so the bindings below are the factory defaults on Windows; on macOS, Cmd stands in for Ctrl.
View 6
GameObject 6
Scene Tools 8
Editing 5
Playback 3
Windows 6
The QWERTY tool row
Unity puts the transform tools on the left-hand home keys so you can drive the Scene view without letting go of the mouse: Q pans the view, W moves, E rotates, R scales, T is the rect tool for UI and sprites, and Y is the combined transform gizmo. Z toggles between pivot and centre for the handle position and X between local and global rotation — two toggles that explain most "my gizmo is in the wrong place" moments.
Getting around the scene
F frames the selected object in the Scene view and, if you press it again, focuses closer; with the Scene camera locked to the selection it follows the object. Shift + F keeps the view locked while the object moves. Holding Right Mouse + Drag looks around, Middle Mouse + Drag pans, and Alt + Left Mouse + Drag orbits around the current pivot. Combining right-mouse with the WASD keys gives fly-through navigation, which is the fastest way across a large level.
Hierarchy and play mode
Ctrl + Shift + N creates an empty GameObject and Ctrl + D duplicates the selection in place; Ctrl + Shift + D duplicates it at the origin. Ctrl + P enters and exits play mode, Ctrl + Shift + P pauses, and Ctrl + Alt + P steps a single frame while paused — the combination that lets you inspect physics one tick at a time. Remember that edits made during play mode are discarded when you exit.
Windows by number
Ctrl + 1 through Ctrl + 5 focus the Scene, Game, Inspector, Hierarchy and Project windows, and Ctrl + 9 focuses the Console. These bring a window to the front rather than opening a new one, so they work with any layout.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change Unity's shortcuts?
Yes. Edit › Shortcuts (Unity › Shortcuts on macOS) opens the Shortcuts Manager, where every command can be rebound and profiles can be saved.
What is the difference between Z and X in the toolbar?
Z toggles the handle position between the object's pivot and its centre. X toggles the handle orientation between local and global space.
How do I step one frame at a time?
Enter play mode with Ctrl + P, pause with Ctrl + Shift + P, then press Ctrl + Alt + P for each frame.
Why did my changes disappear after I stopped playing?
Edits made while in play mode are temporary by design. Exit play mode before changing values you want to keep.