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Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Actions for Simulink Modeling

You can use keyboard shortcuts and mouse actions to model systems in Simulink®. To open this page from a model, press Shift+? or click Keyboard Shortcuts on the navigation bar.

Note

When you use the keyboard shortcuts on macOS:

  • Press command (⌘) instead of Ctrl.

  • Press option instead of Alt.

View Keyboard Shortcuts in Editor

When you are in any of these modes, you can view a hints panel that displays keyboard shortcuts specific to the active mode.

ModeDefinitionHow to Enter ModeHow to View Hints Panel
SelectionUse the arrow keys to select a different block.Select a block in your model. Press M to switch from movement mode (the default) to selection mode.The hints panel appears when you enter selection mode.
MovementUse the arrow keys to move the selected block.

When you open Simulink, you are in movement mode by default.

To switch from selection mode to movement mode, press M.

The hints panel appears when you switch from selection mode to movement mode.

To hide the hints panel, click the canvas.

Signal tracing

Trace signal lines between the selected block or signal line and the source or destination blocks for the signal. For more information about signal tracing, see Highlight Signal Sources and Destinations.

Click a signal in your model. Pause on the ellipsis that appears. In the action bar that expands, click either Highlight Signal to Source or Highlight Signal to Destination .

The hints panel appears when you enter signal tracing mode.
Pan and zoomPan to move the view over the model. Zoom to change how close the model appears.When you open Simulink, you are in pan and zoom mode by default.

Press the space bar until the hints panel expands. If the hints panel is minimized, press the space bar until the ? button appears.

To hide the hints panel, click the canvas.

To minimize the hints panel, press ? on your keyboard. When the hints panel is minimized, only the ? button is visible.

To restore the hints panel, press ? on your keyboard.

Minimizing or restoring a hints panel in one mode does not affect the hints panels of other modes. Expanded hints panels remain expanded and minimized hints panels remain minimized across MATLAB® sessions.

For example, to see the Keyboard Selection hints panel for movement mode:

  1. Select a block in your model.

  2. Press M. The minimized hints panel appears in the lower right of the model window.

  3. To restore the hints panel, press ? on your keyboard.

The left image shows a model in keyboard selection mode with the hints panel expanded in the lower right corner of the model window. The ? button is in the lower right corner of the expanded hints panel. The right image shows the same model in the same mode with the hints panel minimized. Only the ? button is visible in the lower right corner.

Perform File and Clipboard Actions

TaskShortcuts
Open modelCtrl+O
Create modelCtrl+N
Print modelCtrl+P
Save all modified models in current model hierarchyCtrl+S
Save current referenced modelCtrl+Shift+S
Close modelCtrl+W
CutCtrl+X
PasteCtrl+V
UndoCtrl+Z
RedoCtrl+Y, Ctrl+Shift+Z (Simulink Online™)
Find search stringCtrl+F

Zoom and Pan

TaskShortcuts and Actions
Fit diagram to windowSpace bar
Fit selection to windowSpace bar + F
Zoom inCtrl+Plus (+) or space bar + Plus (+)
Zoom outCtrl+Minus (-) or space bar + Minus (-)
Zoom to 100%Ctrl+0, Alt+1, or space bar + 0
Zoom with scroll wheel

Scroll wheel

Ctrl + scroll wheel when Scroll wheel controls zooming is cleared

Zoom in on model elementDrag the Zoom button from the palette to the element.
View portion of block diagram visible in model window relative to full block diagram with miniature map

Zoom or pan to part of the model.

When only part of the model is visible, press the space bar until the miniature map appears.

View different portion of modelClick the destination in the miniature map.
Pan

Drag the highlighted area in the miniature map.

Drag with middle button.

Space bar + drag.

When a scroll bar is shown, to move the scroll bar with your keyboard, press Space bar + left, right, up, or down arrow.

Pan verticallyCtrl + scroll wheel
Pan horizontallyShift + scroll wheel
Pan by pageShift + space bar + left, right, up, or down arrow

Navigate Model

TaskShortcuts and Actions
Open model

Double-click.

Enter

Change tabsCtrl+Shift+Tab
Go to parent of current subsystem, referenced model, or Stateflow® stateEsc
Look under block maskCtrl+U
For linked blocks, go to library of parent blockCtrl+L
Open the Model ExplorerCtrl+H

Select and Move Model Elements

Selected elements have a solid blue outline. The most recently selected element has blue corner brackets in addition to the outline. To represent the cursor when you use the keyboard for selection, a blue box with dashed lines surrounds the element.

The Product block is selected, the Gain block was selected most recently, and the cursor is on the Sum block.

By default, the model is in movement mode. In movement mode, you have access to shortcuts for moving selected elements. To access shortcuts for selecting elements, enter selection mode by pressing M. To return to movement mode, press M again.

TaskModeShortcuts and Actions
Toggle between movement and selection modeMovement or Selection

M

Select all blocks, lines, and annotationsMovement or SelectionCtrl+A
Clear selectionMovement or SelectionCtrl+Alt+A
Select one or more model elementsMovement or SelectionDraw a selection box around the model elements you want to select. Start the selection box on an empty spot on the canvas.
Move any model element, including signal labelsMovement or SelectionDrag element.
Move selected elements

Movement or Selection for pointer actions

Selection mode for keyboard actions

Drag one of the selected elements.

Drag selection box.

After selecting elements with the keyboard, in selection mode, press the left, right, up, or down arrow.

Change selection to closest similar element in a directionSelection

Left, right, up, or down arrow

Move cursor to closest element in a direction, regardless of similaritySelection

Ctrl+Shift + left, right, up, or down arrow

Change selection to element at top-left of canvasSelection

Ctrl+Home

On macOS, press home.

Change selection to element at bottom-right of canvasSelection

Ctrl+End

On macOS, press end.

Change selection to leftmost element relative to cursorSelection

Home

On macOS, press control+left.

Change selection to rightmost element relative to cursorSelection

End

On macOS, press control+right.

Select additional adjacent elementsSelection

Shift + left, right, up, or down arrow

Press Shift while dragging a selection box around the additional elements.

Select additional elements that are not adjacentSelection

Shift + click.

Ctrl + left, right, up, or down arrow to change the current element. Ctrl + space bar to add the current element to the selection.

On macOS, to add the current element to the selection, press command+shift + space bar or shift + space bar.

Add and Edit Model Elements

TaskShortcuts and Actions
Open or hide the Property Inspector

Ctrl+Shift+I

On macOS, press command+option+O. (since R2023b)

Before R2023b, on macOS, press command+shift+I.

Set main parameter for selected blockAlt+Enter
Add block to model at current location with the quick insert menu

Double-click the Simulink Editor canvas and start typing the block name, then select the block from the menu.

Ctrl+Period (.) twice and start typing the block name, then press the down arrow to select the block from the list and press Enter to insert the block.

On AZERTY keyboards, press Ctrl+Shift+Period (.) instead of Ctrl+Period (.).

Choose block to connect to signal line

Move your pointer over the unconnected end of a signal line. When your pointer is over the end of the signal line, it becomes a circle. Double-click the end of the signal line. Using the Quick Insert menu that appears, add a block. The new block is connected to the end of the signal line that you double-clicked.

For information about how to use the Quick Insert menu, see Add Blocks to Models Using Quick Insert Menu.

Open the Library BrowserCtrl+Shift+L
Add annotation to model at current location with the quick insert menu

Double-click the Simulink Editor canvas and type the annotation content, then select the annotation option.

Ctrl+Period (.) twice and type the annotation content, then press the down arrow to select the annotation option and press Enter to insert the annotation.

On AZERTY keyboards, press Ctrl+Shift+Period (.) instead of Ctrl+Period (.).

Copy selected model elements

Drag elements with the right mouse button.

Ctrl + drag.

Copy selected model elements between Simulink Editor windowsDrag elements between windows.
Delete selected model elementsDelete or Backspace

Connect Model Elements

TaskShortcuts and Actions
Connect blocks with signal lines

Click a port. Click the blue chevron symbol port hint symbol that appears near a compatible port you want to connect to.

Select the first block, then Ctrl + click a second block.

Drag from port to port.

Click a port and press Shift as you connect to the next port. Press Shift to make multiple, consecutive connections.

Branch signal line

Click a port, move the cursor near the line you want to branch, and then click after you see the preview.

Select a line, move the cursor toward the element you want to connect with, and then click the blue chevron symbol port hint symbol that appears near the port.

Ctrl + drag line.

Right mouse button + drag.

Add ports to blocks that take multiple inputs

Drag toward the port from a compatible block or signal line.

Drag from the edge of the block that you want to add the port to.

Click the edge of the port, and then drag.

Click the edge of the port, move the cursor over the signal type — signal, bus, or connector — from the menu, and drag.

Disconnect selected blocks

Shift + drag block.

After selecting blocks with the keyboard, press M then Shift + left, right, up, or down arrow.

Comment through selected blocksCtrl+Shift+Y
Comment out or uncomment selected blocksCtrl+Shift+X

Name Model Elements

TaskShortcuts and Actions
Rename selected model element

Click or double-click the label.

Select the element and press F2.

On macOS, press command+return instead of F2.

Name signal lineDouble-click the signal and type its name.
Display name on branch of a named signal lineDouble-click the branch.
Name every branch of a signal lineRight-click the signal, select Properties, and use the Signal Properties dialog box.
Delete signal label and nameDelete characters in the label, or delete the name in Signal Properties dialog box.
Delete signal label only Right-click the label and select Delete Label.
Copy signal labelCtrl + drag the signal label.
Edit port labels on subsystem blocks

Point to the port label and click the interactive cue (blue box surrounding the label).

Select the port. Click the port label cue or press F2.

To switch between block name and signal name when editing labels on signal ports, press Ctrl+1,2.

To make successive port label edits on a subsystem block:

  • Select a port on the block, edit the label, and press Enter. This action enables keyboard selection of ports.

  • Use up or down arrow keys to select adjacent ports and press F2 for quick editing.

Format Block Diagram

TaskShortcuts and Actions
Automatically arrange modelCtrl+Shift+A
Resize block, maintaining ratio of width and heightShift + drag handle
Resize block from the centerCtrl + drag handle
Route lines around blocksShift + drag while drawing
Rotate blocks clockwiseCtrl+R
Rotate blocks counterclockwiseCtrl+Shift+R
Flip blocksCtrl+I
Create subsystem from selectionCtrl+G
Create subsystem or area from empty selection

To create the highlighted option, which you can change by using the arrow keys or mouse:

  • Click inside the selection box.

  • Press Enter.

Press the number key associated with an option.

Change signal label fontSelect the signal line (not the label), then on the Format tab, click the Font Properties button arrow, then click Fonts for Model.
Mask blockCtrl+M
Refresh Model blocksCtrl+K

Perform Generic Actions

TaskShortcuts and Actions
Perform generic action with the quick action search menu

Double-click the Simulink Editor canvas, select the Actions tab, and start typing the action name or description, then select the action from the list.

Ctrl+Period (.) and start typing the action name or description, then press the down arrow to select the action and press Enter to perform it.

On AZERTY keyboards, press Ctrl+Shift+Period (.) instead of Ctrl+Period (.).

Perform context-sensitive action

Before opening the quick action search menu, select a model element.

Simulate, Update, and Generate Code for Models

TaskShortcuts
Start simulationCtrl+T or F5
Stop simulationCtrl+Shift+T
Update modelCtrl+D
Open Configuration Parameters dialog boxCtrl+E
Build model (for code generation)Ctrl+B

Debug Simulations

Since R2023b

The keyboard shortcuts in the table are the same in the Simulink Editor, the Stateflow Editor, and the MATLAB Function Block Editor.

TaskShortcuts
Step over

F10

On macOS, press shift+command+O.

Step in

F11

On macOS, press shift+command+I.

Step out

Shift+F11

On macOS, press shift+command+U.

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