If you do a lot of video editing work, Adobe Premiere keyboard shortcuts will make your workday much easier. Learning these different commands will help you work faster and become a more productive editor.
In this article, you’ll also find a helpful video with tips on using keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflow, and a comprehensive list of Adobe Premiere keyboard shortcuts. Motion Array has even made an easy infographic guide just for you to share. With these great tips to help you, you’ll be editing like a true professional in no time.
Summary
Part 1: The most useful Premiere Pro keyboard shortcuts
While there are Adobe Premiere Pro shortcuts for almost every task, you won’t need to use every shortcut daily. The best way to reduce your editing time is to learn the shortcuts for what you do regularly. For example, quick select, copy, and paste shortcuts are always helpful, whereas only some people need to know the ripple effect shortcut off the top of their heads.
So focus on these easy, common ones first to power up your work day. Then you can look at less-used and customizable ones. Think of this as your quick cheat sheet for your most common tasks.
| Results | Windows | Mac OS |
| New Project | Ctrl+Alt+N | Opt+Cmd+N |
| New Sequence | Ctrl+N | Cmd+N |
| Import Media | Ctrl+I | Cmd+I |
| Export Media | Ctrl+M | Cmd+M |
| Save | Ctrl+S | Cmd+S |
| Save As | Ctrl+Shift+S | Cmd+Shift+S |
| Play/Stop | Space | Space |
| Shuttle Left | J | J |
| Shuttle Right | K | K |
| Render Effects in Work Area | Enter | Return |
| Selection Tool | V | V |
| Razor Tool | C | C |
| Ripple Edit Tool | B | B |
| Ripple Trim Previous | Q | Q |
| Ripple Trim Next | W | W |
| Ripple Delete | Shift+Del | Shift+Del |
| Extend Selected Edit to Playhead | E | E |
| Speed/Duration | Ctrl+R | Cmd+R |
| Zoom In | = | = |
| Zoom Out | – | – |
| Undo | Ctrl+Z | Cmd+Z |
| Redo | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Shift+Cmd+Z |
| Copy | Ctrl+C | Cmd+C |
| Cut | Ctrl+X | Cmd+X |
| Paste | Ctrl+V | Cmd+V |
| Insert | , | , |
| Overwrite | . | . |
Bonus: Premiere Pro keyboard shortcut infographic cheat sheet
We created a very handy infographic about Adobe Premiere Pro shortcuts for you to enjoy. Feel free to share this quick reference guide on your website.
<p><strong>Please include attribution to https://motionarray.com/premiere-pro/ with this graphic.</strong><br /><br /><a href=’https://motionarray.com/premiere-pro/ultimate-list-of-adobe-premiere-keyboard-shortcuts/’><img src=’https://ma-hub.imgix.net/wp-images/2019/02/27210748/Premeire-Pro-CC-Keyboard-Shortcuts.jpg’ alt=’Premiere Pro Keyboard Shortcuts’ width=’710′ border=’0′ /></a></p>With the most widely used Adobe Premiere Pro keyboard shortcuts under your belt, let’s look more closely at the default options.
Part 2: The main default Premiere Pro keyboard shortcuts
There are two types of Adobe Premiere shortcuts to know:
- Application shortcuts: Application shortcuts work throughout the application, even without a specific panel in focus.
- Panel shortcuts: Panel shortcuts will only work if you’re using that specific panel.
In some cases, the same keys can be used for different commands depending on the category, although this also depends on your shortcut settings. For instance, the C key within the main application is linked to the Razor tool. But when focused on the specific Titler panel, it toggles to the Vertical Type tool instead.
Adobe Premiere shortcuts can be further broken down into different segments. Understanding these types will make it easier to learn. You’ll see each of these in the next section.
- Command Shortcuts: Perform tasks such as starting, closing, and saving projects.
- Clipboard Shortcuts: Basic and advanced copy/paste commands.
- Tool Shortcuts: Action tasks related to Premiere Pro tools.
- Navigation Shortcuts: Helpful for reviewing your video projects.
Tools and Navigation shortcuts will be the same for both PC and Mac users.
1. Command shortcuts
The easiest way to think of command shortcuts is this: they’re related to the File menu options (the list below the title bar of the Window). Instead of having to click and scroll through the File dropdown, you can quickly press a couple of keys, and you’re done. By using these existing shortcuts, it will be easier to get started on a new project, to save, import, and more.
| Results | Windows | Mac OS |
| New Project/Production | Ctrl+Alt+N | Opt+Cmd+N |
| New Sequence | Ctrl+N | Cmd+N |
| New Bin | Ctrl+B | Cmd+B |
| Title | Ctrl+T | Cmd+T |
| Open Project/Production | Ctrl+O | Cmd+O |
| Browse in Adobe Bridge | Ctrl+Alt+O | Opt+Cmd+O |
| Close Project | Ctrl+Shift+W | Shift+Cmd+W |
| Close | Ctrl+W | Cmd+W |
| Save | Ctrl+S | Cmd+S |
| Save As | Ctrl+Shift+S | Shift+Cmd+S |
| Save a Copy | Ctrl+Alt+S | Opt+Cmd+S |
| Import from Media Browser | Ctrl+Alt+I | Opt+Cmd+I |
| Import Media | Ctrl+I | Cmd+I |
| Export Media | Ctrl+M | Cmd+M |
| Get Properties for Selection | Ctrl+Shift+H | Shift+Cmd+H |
| Exit/Quit Premiere Pro | Ctrl+Q | Cmd+Q |
2. Clipboard shortcuts
Need to make a bulk change or copy something throughout your project? Well, these shortcuts will be your new best friend. Clipboard shortcuts make editing easier. You may recognize this type from Word documents. Fortunately, most of these are pretty straightforward.
| Results | Windows | Mac OS |
| Undo | Ctrl+Z | Cmd+Z |
| Redo | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Shift+Cmd+Z |
| Cut | Ctrl+X | Cmd+X |
| Copy | Ctrl+C | Cmd+C |
| Paste | Ctrl+V | Cmd+V |
| Paste Insert | Ctrl+Shift+V | Shift+Cmd+V |
| Paste Attributes | Ctrl+Alt+V | Opt+Cmd+V |
| Clear | Delete | Forward Delete |
| Clear In & Out | Ctrl+Shift+X | Opt+X |
| Ripple Delete | Shift+Delete | Shift+Forward Delete |
| Duplicate | Ctrl+Shift+/ | Shift+Cmd+/ |
| Select All | Ctrl+A | Cmd+A |
| Deselect All | Ctrl+Shift+A | Shift+Cmd+A |
| Find | Ctrl+F | Cmd+F |
| Edit Original | Ctrl+E | Cmd+E |
If you did a double-take on Paste Insert, Paste Attributes, or Ripple Delete, don’t worry. Motion Array has got you covered. You might not have heard of these before, but here’s what to know:
- Paste Insert: Insert copied clips without overwriting others.
- Paste Attributes: Insert effects from another clip to your selected destination.
- Ripple Delete: Delete clips and keep the extra space and your sequence intact. You can also now fill that deleted clip with something else.
3. Tool shortcuts
Now, let’s talk about the video editing shortcuts that you’ll want to commit to memory. Why? Well, they cover all the tools you need to make top-notch videos. And luckily, the Premiere Pro shortcuts for Mac and PC are the same. To ensure that you’ve got this down perfectly, Motion Array has explained the function of each tool below for you, too.
| Results | Windows | Mac OS |
| Selection Tool | V | V |
| Track Select Forward Tool | A | A |
| Track Select Backward Tool | Shift+A | Shift+A |
| Ripple Edit Tool | B | B |
| Rolling Edit Tool | N | N |
| Rate Stretch Tool | R | R |
| Razor Tool | C | C |
| Slip Tool | Y | Y |
| Slide Tool | U | U |
| Pen Tool | P | P |
| Hand Tool | H | H |
| Zoom Tool | Z | Z |
So, what do these tools do? Let’s take a look.
- Selection Tool (V): This tool allows you to select specific points for basic trims and to select a particular section of your video from the timeline.
- Track Select Tool (A): This tool allows you to select all the clips available within a single sequence, except those in locked tracks.
- Ripple Edit Tool (B): This tool lets you trim a clip and ripple its effect to all remaining clips. It resolves any gaps between edited clips like magic.
- Rolling Edit Tool (N): This tool lets you edit clips by rolling their in and out points. You can move them backward or forward. The adjustment causes the next clip’s in-point to move as well.
- Rate Stretch Tool (R): This tool changes the speed of a specific clip while keeping it within its duration. It’s effective for creating faster or slower clips within a sequence.
- Razor Tool(C): You’ll be using the razor tool a lot. Staying true to its name, it splits a clip from where you select it. As a result, you can cut down a single clip into as many smaller clips as you would like.
- Slip Tool (Y): Adjust the in and out points of a clip without affecting its duration. The in and out points are adjusted together. However, this means the duration of the clip stays the same.
- Slide Tool (U): Move a clip to the left or right. This tool also adjusts the other clips in its vicinity. While the target clip’s duration remains intact, the other clips are adjusted.
- Pen Tool (P): The pen tool helps you add masks to your clips over any freeform shapes. You can use it to blur a part of the video or as part of your color-correction toolkit.
- Hand Tool (H): This navigation tool lets you drag your position on the video’s timeline.
- Zoom Tool (Z): This tool lets you zoom in and out on a Premiere Pro video. .
4. Navigation shortcuts
Navigation shortcuts let you review playback and move through a video. You’ll be using this one a lot, too, when reviewing your edits. As with the tool shortcuts, the Premiere Pro shortcuts for Mac and PC are the same.
| Results | Windows | Mac OS |
| Play/Stop Toggle | Space | Space |
| Step Back | Left (←) | Left (←) |
| Step Forward | Right (→) | Right (→) |
| Go to Next Edit Point | Down | Down |
| Go to Previous Edit Point | Up | Up |
| Mark In Point | I | I |
| Mark Out Point | O | O |
| Clear In & To Out | Ctrl+Shift+X | Opt+X |
| Go to In Point | Shift+I | Shift+I |
| Go to Out Point | Shift+O | Shift+O |
| Shuttle Left | J | J |
| Stop | K | K |
| Shuttle Right | L | L |
| Snap (Turn On/Off) | S | S |
Part 3: How to add, sync, and delete custom shortcuts
Not only does Premiere Pro have default shortcuts, but it also allows you to add your own. This might come in handy if you’re left-handed or want more control over your preferred workflows. Either way, the option is there for you, and adding custom shortcuts is so easy that it has its own Adobe Premiere Pro shortcut.
- Windows: Ctrl+Alt+K
- Mac: Cmd+Opt+K
You’ve now opened a virtual keyboard. This will give you the ability to add, change, sync, or delete shortcuts. The interface is simple to use and has a fairly simple drag-and-drop feature. You should take a look at this and see what’s possible. You might find a few edits that will help you work more quickly. That’s what shortcuts are all about, after all. Don’t forget that there are shortcuts throughout your computer you can use, too. Here’s a quick guide to the common shortcuts for Windows and Mac.
With keyword shortcuts, you can dramatically improve your workflows in Premiere Pro. Another benefit is that editing becomes more enjoyable. The more work you’re able to complete, the more videos you can produce, and the more money you can make — it’s a win-win! Motion Array hopes you enjoyed this shortcut guide and feel that you are on your way to becoming a video editing pro.
If you want to use shortcuts throughout your video editing tools, Motion Array has resources available for After Effects, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve as well. Be sure to check them out.
