Final Cut Pro lives at the intersection of speed and precision. These shortcuts help you edit faster without breaking flow.
Playback and navigation
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Play / Pause | Space |
| Play reverse | J |
| Stop | K |
| Play forward | L |
| Play 2x, 4x, 8x | L L, L L L, L L L L |
| Frame by frame | Hold K + tap J or L |
| Go to previous edit | ↑ |
| Go to next edit | ↓ |
| Go to beginning | Fn + ← or Home |
| Go to end | Fn + → or End |
Marking and selection
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Set In point | I |
| Set Out point | O |
| Clear In point | ⌥ + I |
| Clear Out point | ⌥ + O |
| Clear In and Out | ⌥ + X |
| Select clip | C |
| Select range | X |
| Add marker | M |
| Add and modify marker | ⌥ + M |
Core edits
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Connect clip to primary storyline | Q |
| Insert clip (ripple) | W |
| Append clip to end | E |
| Overwrite clip | D |
| Delete and leave gap | Delete |
| Ripple delete | ⇧ + Delete |
| Enable / Disable clip | V |
Tools
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Select tool | A |
| Blade tool | B |
| Trim tool | T |
| Position tool | P |
| Zoom to entire timeline | ⇧ + Z |
| Snap toggle | N |
Precision trimming
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Nudge clip 1 frame | ⌥ + , or ⌥ + . |
| Ripple trim start | ⌘ + [ |
| Ripple trim end | ⌘ + ] |
| Extend edit to playhead | ⇧ + X |
| Roll edit forward | ⌥ + [ |
| Roll edit backward | ⌥ + ] |
Audio
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Raise audio 1 dB | ⌃ + = |
| Lower audio 1 dB | ⌃ + - |
| Toggle audio skimming | ⇧ + S |
| Solo clip | ⌃ + S |
Browser and preview
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Reveal clip in Browser | ⇧ + F |
| Toggle scopes | ⌘ + 7 |
| Favorite clip | F |
| Reject clip | ⌘ + Delete |
| Play around edit | ⇧ + ` |
Compound clips and storylines
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Create compound clip | ⌥ + G |
| Create connected storyline | ⌘ + G |
Effects and color
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Open Effects Browser | ⌘ + 5 |
| Open Color Board | ⌘ + 6 |
| Render selection | ⌃ + R |
| Render all | ⌃ + ⇧ + R |
| Copy attributes | ⌘ + ⇧ + C |
| Paste attributes | ⌘ + ⇧ + V |
| Remove attributes | ⌘ + ⇧ + X |
| Add default video transition | ⌘ + T |
| Add default audio transition | ⌘ + ⇧ + T |
Customize shortcuts
Open Final Cut Pro → Commands → Customize (⌥ + ⌘ + K) to view and customize all bindings.
Show your shortcuts on screen
Creating tutorials or presenting live? KeyScreen displays your keystrokes beautifully on screen so viewers always know what you pressed.