Keyboard shortcuts are a great way to become a faster and more efficient video editor. Mastering them will help you save a ton of time when performing frequent and repetitive tasks, so let’s look at some of the basics to help you get started.
Note: If you’re on PC, Cmd = Ctrl and Opt = Alt
Playback Shortcuts
These shortcuts allow you to quickly play back or skim through your media (whether you’re in the Source Monitor or on the Timeline). These are some of the most used shortcuts, so memorize them well and they’ll soon become your best friends!
J Play Backward (increase speed up to 6x when tapping repeatedly)
K Stop Playback
L Play Forward (increase speed up to 6x when tapping repeatedly)
Space Start/Stop Playback
Left/Right Arrow Step back/forward one frame
Timeline Shortcuts
+ Zoom In – Zoom Out
Once your timeline starts filling up, it’s essential to be able to quickly navigate from one point to another. One way to do this is to zoom out and get an overview, move the playhead to the approximate desired location, and then zoom in to that area.
D Select Clip at Playhead
This will highlight and select the clip positioned under the playhead.
S Snap
When enabled, this feature makes it easier to automatically align or trim clips on the timeline.
Cmd + K Add Edit
Quickly create an edit in the clip where the playhead is positioned.
Tool Shortcuts
V Selection Tool
Select and move items around on the timeline and adjust their length.
C Razor Tool
Splice a clip.
B Ripple Edit Tool
When performing a ripple edit, all clips following the shortened or extended clip are automatically moved down the timeline.
A Track Select Tool
Selects all clips to the right of the cursor so that you can quickly move your entire timeline around.
Two Figures on a Keyboard by rolffimages
Project Management Shortcuts
Cmd + N New Sequence
Create a new sequence.
Cmd + B New Bin
Keep your project organized by quickly creating bins.
Cmd + I Import
Import media into your project.
Cmd + M Export
Export your timeline.
Marking Shortcuts
I Mark In
O Mark Out
Using In and Out points is extremely helpful when editing: they allow you to highlight a specific section of timeline.
/ Mark Selection
Once you have items on your timeline selected, you can use this shortcut to automatically set In and Out points for that section.
M Add Marker
Adding Markers on your timeline allows you stay to organized by setting points of reference, adding names/comments, etc.
Closeup of hand pressing keyboard buttons on desk by ra2studio
Other Useful Shortcuts
Cmd + D Apply Video Transition
Add a transition to an edit point. By default, this is set to Cross Dissolve (customizable).
` Maximize Selected Window
Useful when you quickly want to enlarge one of the Premiere windows (Project, Monitor, Timeline).
Cmd + ` Toggle Full Screen
View your media in full screen.
Cmd + L Unlink Video/Audio
When video has audio attached to it, use this shortcut to unlink the two.
Opt + Delete Ripple Delete
When ripple deleting a clip or a gap, Premiere automatically slides the items behind it.
Tip: Customize these shortcuts by opening the Keyboard Shortcuts window (using Cmd + Opt + K).
Got all of these down? Check out the full list of Premiere Pro shortcuts for even more!
Top Image: Computer Keyboard With Typographic Shortcut Button by vinnstock