Little-known shortcuts in TIA Portal

If you work with TIA Portal on a daily basis, you already know the basic shortcuts: Ctrl + S, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V. They are universal and undisputed.

What is used far less are the shortcuts designed to reduce unnecessary interaction with the interface. They are rarely taught in courses and seldom mentioned in documentation, yet they have a direct impact on day-to-day workflow.

The following are some of the most useful ones.

It’s not about speed. It’s about flow.

1. F7 — Direct navigation through errors

   After compiling a block or a project, there is no need to move to the error list with the mouse. Pressing F7 jumps directly to the next error or warning, placing the cursor exactly at the problematic instruction.

   Compile → F7 → fix → F7 → fix

   Once this becomes part of your routine, going back to the error list feels unnecessary.

2. Shift + F7 — Reverse error navigation

   Shift + F7 moves through the error list in reverse order. Useful when you overshoot an error or need to quickly review a previously visited one.

3. F12 — Go to definition

   Place the cursor on a variable, FB, FC or DB and press F12 to jump directly to its definition, avoiding manual navigation through the project tree.

4. Shift + F12 — Return to the previous location

   Shift + F12 takes you back exactly to the point from which you jumped with F12. It works like the “Back” function in a modern IDE.

5. Ctrl + B — Cross-references

   Select a variable and press Ctrl + B to immediately display its cross-references, allowing you to assess the impact of a change before touching the code.

6. Alt + Enter — Direct access to properties

   Alt + Enter opens the properties of the selected object without navigating the project tree or context menus.

7. F2 — Direct editing

   F2 allows you to edit network titles, comments and table fields directly, without modal dialogs or unnecessary confirmations.