Final Cut Pro keyboard shortcuts
Goal: edit in Final Cut Pro without leaving the keyboard. Click a card to guess what it does, starting with the 26 letters.
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Question 1
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Type the key on your keyboard. This mode only offers single-key shortcuts.
Session score: 0 correct answer(s) out of 0
Understand it all, in six questions.
How many keyboard shortcuts are there in Final Cut Pro?
Final Cut Pro’s default command set contains several hundred commands. This page lists 241 essential ones based on Apple’s documentation, of which 26 fit on a single letter, from A (Select tool) to Z (Zoom tool).
Which shortcut cuts a clip in Final Cut Pro?
⌘B cuts the clip at the playhead, and ⇧⌘B cuts every clip at the same point. The B key on its own activates the Blade tool, for cutting with the mouse.
What are the J, K and L keys for in Final Cut Pro?
J plays backwards, L plays forwards and K pauses. Press J or L several times to speed up playback, and hold K with J or L for slow-motion playback.
How do I view and change Final Cut Pro’s shortcuts?
The shortcut ⌥⌘K opens the Command Editor, which lists every command and its shortcut. Duplicate the default set to create your own, then export it or import it on another Mac via the Final Cut Pro > Commands menu.
Which shortcut exports in Final Cut Pro?
⌘E shares the project to the default share destination. Export destinations are set up in Final Cut Pro’s settings, in the Destinations tab.
Where should I start?
This page brings together 241 essential Final Cut Pro keyboard shortcuts, based on the default command set documented by Apple. The foundation is the alphabet : 26 letters, from A for the Select tool to Z for the Zoom tool. Around them, J K L for playback, I and O for start and end points, then the ⌘ ⌥ ⌃ ⇧ modifiers, which multiply what each key can do.
Start with the alphabet, flip the cards, draw one at random, or take on the Arena’s daily challenge. Once you have learnt the 26, open the families by topic. The full list is in the last question below.
On an AZERTY keyboard, a few characters differ (numbers, brackets), and your custom shortcuts may vary: ⌥⌘K shows your actual configuration in the Command Editor.
Où voir la liste complète des 241 raccourcis ?
All the shortcuts on this page, sorted by category, based on Final Cut Pro’s default command set. The game’s search, above, also filters this list.
| Shortcut | What it does | Category |
|---|---|---|
| A | Select tool The default tool: select, move and trim clips. | Tools |
| B | Blade tool Cuts a clip where you click. ⌘B cuts at the playhead without switching tools. | Tools |
| C | Select Clip Selects the whole clip under the pointer in the timeline. | Selection |
| D | Overwrite Overwrites the primary storyline with the browser selection, at the playhead. | Editing |
| E | Append to Storyline Adds the selection to the end of the primary storyline (append). | Editing |
| F | Favorite Rates the selected range as a favourite in the browser. | Markers and ratings |
| G | Toggle Storyline Mode Allows or prevents the creation of storylines when you move clips. | Editing |
| H | Hand tool Scrolls the timeline as you drag it. | Tools |
| I | Set Range Start Sets the start point of the selection, in the browser or the timeline. | Selection |
| J | Play Reverse Plays backwards. Press repeatedly to speed up. | Playback |
| K | Pause Stops playback. K + J or K + L: slow-motion playback. | Playback |
| L | Playback Plays forwards. Press repeatedly to speed up. | Playback |
| M | Add Marker Adds a marker at the playhead. ⌥M opens it so you can rename it. | Markers and ratings |
| N | Turn Snapping On/Off Automatic alignment of clips in the timeline. | Editing |
| O | Set Range End Sets the end point of the selection. | Selection |
| P | Position tool Moves a clip freely, overwriting, without the magnetic timeline. | Tools |
| Q | Connect to Primary Storyline Connects the selection to the primary storyline, at the playhead. | Editing |
| R | Range Selection tool Selects a precise range inside a clip. | Tools |
| S | Turn Skimming On/Off Skimming: play wherever the pointer goes, without clicking. | Playback |
| T | Trim tool Roll, slip and slide edits directly on the edit points. | Tools |
| U | Unrate Removes the Favorite or Rejected rating from the selection (“unrated”). | Markers and ratings |
| V | Enable/Disable Clip Stops the clip from playing without removing it from the timeline. | Editing |
| W | Insert Inserts the selection into the primary storyline, at the playhead. | Editing |
| X | Select Clip Range Sets start and end points around the whole clip under the playhead. | Selection |
| Y | Open Audition Opens the selected audition so you can compare takes. | Editing |
| Z | Zoom tool Zooms in where you click in the timeline. ⇧Z: fit everything in the window. | Tools |
| ⌘Z | Undo | Application |
| ⇧⌘Z | Redo | Application |
| ⌘, | Open Settings | Application |
| ⌥⌘K | Open Command Editor The window that lists and customises every keyboard shortcut. | Application |
| ⌘O | Open Library | Application |
| ⌘H | Hide Final Cut Pro | Application |
| ⌥⌘H | Hide Others | Application |
| ⌘M | Minimize | Application |
| ⌘Q | Quit Final Cut Pro | Application |
| ˽ | Play/Pause The space bar starts or stops playback. | Playback |
| / | Play Selection Plays the selected range, then stops. | Playback |
| ⇧/ | Play Around Plays a few seconds around the playhead, so you can judge a cut. | Playback |
| ⌘L | Loop Playback Turns loop playback on or off. | Playback |
| ⇧⌘F | Play Full Screen | Playback |
| ⇧S | Turn Audio Skimming On/Off Hear the sound while skimming, or not. | Playback |
| ⌥⇧S | Scroll Timeline Continuously The timeline scrolls continuously during playback. | Playback |
| ⌃R | Render Selection | Playback |
| ⌃⇧R | Render All | Playback |
| ← | Go to Previous Frame | Navigation |
| → | Go to Next Frame | Navigation |
| ↑ | Go to Previous Edit | Navigation |
| ↓ | Go to Next Edit | Navigation |
| ⤒ | Go to Beginning The Home key (fn + ←) takes the playhead back to the start of the project. | Navigation |
| ⤓ | Go to End | Navigation |
| ⇧I | Go to Range Start | Navigation |
| ⇧O | Go to Range End | Navigation |
| ⌃P | Move Playhead Type a timecode value, then press Return. | Navigation |
| ⌥M | Add Marker and Modify | Markers and ratings |
| ⌃M | Delete Marker | Markers and ratings |
| ⌃; | Go to Previous Marker | Markers and ratings |
| ⌃' | Go to Next Marker | Markers and ratings |
| ⌘A | Select All | Selection |
| ⇧⌘A | Deselect All | Selection |
| ⌃⌘A | Select Connected Clips | Selection |
| ⌥X | Clear Selected Ranges Removes the start and end points. | Selection |
| ⇧⌘I | Set Additional Range Start To select several ranges within the same clip. | Selection |
| ⇧⌘O | Set Additional Range End | Selection |
| ⌘← | Select Previous Clip | Selection |
| ⌘→ | Select Next Clip | Selection |
| ⌘↑ | Select Above | Selection |
| ⌘↓ | Select Below | Selection |
| ⇧↑ | Extend Selection Up | Selection |
| ⇧↓ | Extend Selection Down | Selection |
| ⌃⌘→ | Extend Selection to Next Clip | Selection |
| ^ | Select Left Edge The left edge of the edit point, ready for trimming from the keyboard. | Selection |
| $ | Select Right Edge | Selection |
| \ | Select Left and Right Edit Edges | Selection |
| ⇧[ | Select Left Audio Edge | Selection |
| ⇧] | Select Right Audio Edge | Selection |
| ⇧\ | Select Audio Edit Edges | Selection |
| ⌃[ | Select Left Video Edge | Selection |
| ⌃] | Select Right Video Edge | Selection |
| ⌃\ | Select Video Edit Edges | Selection |
| ⌘B | Blade Cuts the clip at the playhead, without switching tools. | Editing |
| ⇧⌘B | Blade All Cuts every clip at the playhead, across all lanes. | Editing |
| ⌘C | Copy | Editing |
| ⌘X | Cut | Editing |
| ⌘V | Paste Insert at Playhead | Editing |
| ⌥V | Paste as Connected Clip | Editing |
| ⌫ | Delete / Reject Deletes from the timeline, or marks the selection as rejected in the browser. | Editing |
| ⇧⌫ | Replace with Gap Deletes the clip and leaves a gap in its place. | Editing |
| ⌥⌘⌫ | Delete Selection Only Connected clips stay attached to the resulting gap. | Editing |
| ⇧D | Overwrite – Backtimed Overwrites backwards from the playhead. | Editing |
| ⇧Q | Connect – Backtimed Connects so that the end of the selection lines up with the playhead. | Editing |
| ⇧R | Replace Replaces the timeline clip with the browser selection. | Editing |
| ⌥R | Replace from Start | Editing |
| ⌥W | Insert Gap | Editing |
| ⌥⌘W | Insert Default Generator | Editing |
| ⌥F | Insert/Connect Freeze Frame | Editing |
| ⌘G | Create Storyline From a selection of connected clips. | Editing |
| ⌥G | New Compound Clip | Editing |
| ⇧⌘G | Break Apart Clip Items Splits a compound or synchronised clip into its components. | Editing |
| ⌥⌘G | Synchronize Clips Automatically syncs the selected clips using their audio. | Editing |
| ⌥⌘↑ | Lift from Storyline Takes the selection out of the storyline and connects it above the gap that is created. | Editing |
| ⌥⌘↓ | Overwrite to Primary Storyline Moves the selected connected clip back down into the primary storyline. | Editing |
| ⇧⌘↓ | Collapse to Connected Storyline | Editing |
| ⌥↑ | Move Up / Nudge Up Moves connected clips or the selection up by one unit. | Editing |
| ⌥↓ | Move Down / Nudge Down | Editing |
| ⌥← | Move / Nudge Left Shifts the selection one frame to the left in the storyline. | Editing |
| ⌥→ | Move / Nudge Right | Editing |
| ⇧E | Detect Edits Detects scene changes and splits them into separate clips. | Editing |
| ⌥B | Enable Beat Detection Analyses the selection and shows a beat grid in the timeline. | Editing |
| ` | Override Connections Temporarily suspends clip connections (grave accent). | Editing |
| ⇧1 | Source Media: Audio and Video | Editing |
| ⇧2 | Source Media: Video Only | Editing |
| ⇧3 | Source Media: Audio Only | Editing |
| ⌘Y | Create Audition | Editing |
| ⌥Y | Duplicate as Audition | Editing |
| ⇧Y | Audition: Replace and Add | Editing |
| ⇧⌘Y | Audition: Duplicate Original | Editing |
| ⌃⇧Y | Add to Audition | Editing |
| ⌥⇧Y | Finalize Audition Dissolves the audition and keeps the chosen take. | Editing |
| ⌃← | Previous Pick (audition) | Editing |
| ⌃→ | Next Pick (audition) | Editing |
| ⌥C | Add Caption | Editing |
| ⌃⌥⌘C | Split Captions One caption per line of text from the original caption. | Editing |
| ⌥[ | Trim Start Removes everything before the playhead in the clip. | Trimming |
| ⌥] | Trim End Removes everything after the playhead in the clip. | Trimming |
| ⌥\ | Trim to Selection Trims the clip to the edges of the selected range. | Trimming |
| ⇧X | Extend Edit Extends the selected edit point to the playhead. | Trimming |
| ⌃D | Change Duration Type the duration you want on the numeric keypad, then press Return. | Trimming |
| , | Nudge Left Shifts the selection or the selected edge by one frame. | Trimming |
| . | Nudge Right | Trimming |
| ⇧, | Nudge Left 10 Frames | Trimming |
| ⇧. | Nudge Right 10 Frames | Trimming |
| ⌥, | Nudge Audio Edit Left By one subframe, creating a split edit. | Trimming |
| ⌥. | Nudge Audio Edit Right | Trimming |
| ⌥⇧, | Nudge Audio Edit Left 10 Subframes | Trimming |
| ⌥⇧. | Nudge Audio Edit Right 10 Subframes | Trimming |
| ⌃E | Show/Hide Precision Editor The expanded view of the edit point, for precise trimming. | Trimming |
| 1 | Cut and Switch to Angle 1 | Multicam |
| 2 | Cut and Switch to Angle 2 | Multicam |
| 3 | Cut and Switch to Angle 3 | Multicam |
| 4 | Cut and Switch to Angle 4 | Multicam |
| 5 | Cut and Switch to Angle 5 | Multicam |
| 6 | Cut and Switch to Angle 6 | Multicam |
| 7 | Cut and Switch to Angle 7 | Multicam |
| 8 | Cut and Switch to Angle 8 | Multicam |
| 9 | Cut and Switch to Angle 9 | Multicam |
| ⌥1 | Switch to Angle 1 (without cutting) | Multicam |
| ⌥2 | Switch to Angle 2 (without cutting) | Multicam |
| ⌥3 | Switch to Angle 3 (without cutting) | Multicam |
| ⌥4 | Switch to Angle 4 (without cutting) | Multicam |
| ⌥5 | Switch to Angle 5 (without cutting) | Multicam |
| ⌥6 | Switch to Angle 6 (without cutting) | Multicam |
| ⌥7 | Switch to Angle 7 (without cutting) | Multicam |
| ⌥8 | Switch to Angle 8 (without cutting) | Multicam |
| ⌥9 | Switch to Angle 9 (without cutting) | Multicam |
| ⌃⇧← | Previous Angle | Multicam |
| ⌃⇧→ | Next Angle | Multicam |
| ⌥⇧← | Previous Audio Angle | Multicam |
| ⌥⇧→ | Next Audio Angle | Multicam |
| ⇧⌘← | Previous Video Angle | Multicam |
| ⇧⌘→ | Next Video Angle | Multicam |
| ⌃= | Raise Volume 1 dB | Audio |
| ⌃- | Lower Volume 1 dB | Audio |
| ⌃L | Adjust Volume Relative Adjusts all the selected clips by the same amount in dB. | Audio |
| ⌃⌥L | Adjust Volume Absolute Sets all the selected clips to the same value in dB. | Audio |
| ⌥T | Audio Crossfade Applies a crossfade to the selected audio edit point. | Audio |
| ⇧⌘M | Match Audio Matches the sound of the clip to that of a reference clip. | Audio |
| ⌃S | Expand Audio Shows audio and video separately in the timeline. | Audio |
| ⌃⌥S | Expand/Collapse Audio Components | Audio |
| ⌃⇧S | Detach Audio Separates the clip’s audio into an independent connected clip. | Audio |
| ⌥S | Solo Isolates playback of the selected items. | Audio |
| ⌃Z | Zoom to Samples For audio editing finer than a single frame. | Audio |
| ⌥⌘8 | Record Voiceover Opens the Record Voiceover window. | Audio |
| ⌘T | Add Default Transition A cross dissolve in one shortcut, on the edit point or the selection. | Effects and colour |
| ⌥E | Add Default Video Effect | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⌘E | Add Default Audio Effect | Effects and colour |
| ⌥A | Add Adjustment Clip To apply a grade or an effect to several clips at once. | Effects and colour |
| ⌃T | Connect Default Title | Effects and colour |
| ⌃⇧T | Connect Default Lower Third | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⌘O | Add Color Adjustment | Effects and colour |
| ⌃⌥⌘O | Enhance Light and Color Final Cut Pro’s automatic AI enhancement. | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⌘B | Turn Color Balance On/Off | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⌘M | Match Color Matches the colours of the clip to a reference clip. | Effects and colour |
| ⌃⌘K | Add Automatic Mask | Effects and colour |
| ⌃⌘M | Add Magnetic Mask | Effects and colour |
| ⌃⌥⌘M | Show/Hide Magnetic Mask Editor | Effects and colour |
| ⌃⌘C | Color Board: Switch to Color Pane | Effects and colour |
| ⌃⌘E | Color Board: Switch to Exposure Pane | Effects and colour |
| ⌃⌘S | Color Board: Switch to Saturation Pane | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⌫ | Color Board: Reset Resets the controls in the active pane. | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⌘C | Copy Effects | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⌘V | Paste Effects | Effects and colour |
| ⇧⌘V | Paste Attributes Choose exactly which settings to paste onto the selection. | Effects and colour |
| ⇧⌘X | Remove Attributes | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⌘X | Remove Effects | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⇧C | Copy Keyframes | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⇧X | Cut Keyframes | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⇧V | Paste Keyframes | Effects and colour |
| ⌘R | Show/Hide Retime Editor The speed (retiming) editor for the selected clip. | Effects and colour |
| ⇧N | Retime: Normal Speed Returns the selection to 100%. | Effects and colour |
| ⇧H | Retime: Hold Creates a 2-second hold frame in the clip. | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⌘R | Retime: Reset | Effects and colour |
| ⌃⇧V | Solo Animation One effect at a time in the Video Animation editor. | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⇥ | Next Text Item | Effects and colour |
| ⌥⇧⇥ | Previous Text Item | Effects and colour |
| ⌘1 | Go to Browser | Interface and windows |
| ⌘2 | Go to Timeline | Interface and windows |
| ⌘3 | Go to Viewer | Interface and windows |
| ⌥⌘3 | Go to Event Viewer | Interface and windows |
| ⌘4 | Show/Hide Inspector | Interface and windows |
| ⌃⌘4 | Toggle Inspector Height Switches between half height and full height. | Interface and windows |
| ⌘5 | Show/Hide Effects Browser | Interface and windows |
| ⌘6 | Show/Hide Color Inspector | Interface and windows |
| ⌘7 | Show/Hide Video Scopes Waveform, vectorscope and histogram. | Interface and windows |
| ⇧⌘8 | Show/Hide Audio Meters | Interface and windows |
| ⌘9 | Show/Hide Background Tasks Rendering, transcoding, sharing: everything running in the background. | Interface and windows |
| ⇧⌘2 | Show/Hide Timeline Index The list of the project’s clips, markers and roles. | Interface and windows |
| ⇧Z | Zoom to Fit Adjusts the zoom so you see the whole project, or the whole clip. | Interface and windows |
| ⌘+ | Zoom In on Timeline | Interface and windows |
| ⌘- | Zoom Out on Timeline | Interface and windows |
| ⌘N | New Project | Organisation and library |
| ⌥N | New Event | Organisation and library |
| ⌘J | Project Properties The project settings: format, frame rate, rendering. | Organisation and library |
| ⌘K | Show/Hide Keyword Editor | Organisation and library |
| ⌃0 | Remove All Keywords | Organisation and library |
| ⌃1 | Apply Keyword 1 | Organisation and library |
| ⌃2 | Apply Keyword 2 | Organisation and library |
| ⌃3 | Apply Keyword 3 | Organisation and library |
| ⌃4 | Apply Keyword 4 | Organisation and library |
| ⌃5 | Apply Keyword 5 | Organisation and library |
| ⌃6 | Apply Keyword 6 | Organisation and library |
| ⌃7 | Apply Keyword 7 | Organisation and library |
| ⌃8 | Apply Keyword 8 | Organisation and library |
| ⌃9 | Apply Keyword 9 | Organisation and library |
| ⌘F | Search The Filter window of the browser or the timeline index. | Organisation and library |
| ⇧F | Reveal in Browser Finds the source clip of the clip selected in the timeline. | Organisation and library |
| ⇧⌘R | Reveal in Finder | Organisation and library |
| ⌘D | Duplicate Duplicates the selection in the browser. | Organisation and library |
| ⌃⌘R | Rename Clip | Organisation and library |
| ⌘I | Import Media From a device, a camera or an archive. | Import and export |
| ⌘E | Export Shares the project to the default share destination. | Import and export |
| ⌥⇧⌘C | Consolidate Motion Content | Import and export |
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