Pressing and holding the E key is used as an eraser in many digital art programs. Releasing the E key will return the tool to its previous state, which is typically the brush tool. This is a necessary operation because using the hand to control the current state is more intuitive than completely switching to an eraser tool after pressing a key. It also helps to avoid confusion about the current state of the tool.
Actually, it’s similar to the V key which, when pressed and held, temporarily activates the straight line tool and then returns to the regular tool when released. So why can’t the eraser tool work in the same way?
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I was thinking about it for some time. I also struggle with “what state of eraser and alpha preserve I’m right now”… I often erase when I want to paint, sometimes I try to paint and discover I’m still in Preserve Alpha… It’s frustrating. Sometimes I want preserve Alpha on one Preset but not the other and I have to constantly switch and change modes…
Problem is how to exactly fix it. It’s not “just change behavior to this one” because it can break somebodies workflow, for us it’s a problem for them it’s a feature. There are also other workflow issues that have to be addressed.
I was thinking about redesigning Tool-Presets workflow in Krita but it is a giga-task… the amount of UX research, gathering feedback, design, mock-ups and of course the actual code… is a bit terrifying…
Maybe one day I will have guts to start it…
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I like the way ‘E’ toggles the erasure when used from the pen/stylus button. In other apps where it is press and hold, I frequently accidentally double-click the pen button and end up in a state I don’t want to be in. I like tapping the button and being free to twist and fiddle with my pen/stylus in a natural way.
If this does get changed, I hope the new/alternate function is made optional
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@IssacBlndr You might like the Shortcut Composer Plugin.
It has the feature you’re looking for - hold E for temporary eraser. Release E to leave eraser mode.
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Hello,
You seem to be ‘suffering’ of two problems. Not knowing the state your brush currently is, and holding a modifier key to activate the eraser.
Both have solutions (although one of them is from an external plugin)
The first: Changing the cursor when in Eraser Mode
Go to Settings → Configure Krita → General → Use separate settings for eraser
The second: Holding a modifier key to activate the Eraser
Using the Plugin Shortcut Composer v1.1.1 - Plugin for Pie menus, Multiple key assignment, Mouse trackers and more!
P.S.: Hello @sooz I was slow answering because I’m on my Windows machine and had to update Krita to check the correct ‘path’ to the Eraser Cursor in the menu. 
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Hi @Daishishi 
Thank you for your replies. I feel your kindness, and I will try the methods you have suggested one by one. Thank you all for your responses. You are all wonderful.
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Navigate to Settings → Configure Krita → Shortcuts → type “eraser” → set “E” or any other key as the toggle eraser shortcut key.
Next, select two different brush presets; one should be in eraser mode or function as an eraser.
Now, use the toggle eraser shortcut key to switch between the two presets.
That’s all!
Hello @Lojith_Vinsuka and welcome to the forum 
Set Eraser mode and Toggle eraser preset are two separate things and they should not have the same keyboard shortcut.
Set eraser mode forces the currently used brush preset to paint in Eraser blending mode.
Toggle eraser preset makes krita believe that the user is using the ‘eraser end’ of a stylus that has two ends, a ‘painting tip’ and an ‘eraser tip’.
This can be useful for people who do not have a stylus with an ‘eraser tip’.
Here is a topic that discusses this:
Toggle Eraser Preset - How do I choose what's an eraser?
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