Premiere Pro shortcut keys let you cut a video without hunting through menus. Tools answer to single letters: V gives Selection and C the Razor. Space plays and pauses, J, K and L shuttle backwards, pause and forwards, and Ctrl + K cuts every track at the playhead.
Q and W trim the clip before or after the playhead and close the gap, which is how most editors work fast. When the edit is ready, Ctrl + M opens Export. On a Mac, use Command in place of Ctrl.
Quick facts
Selection
VRazor
CCut at playhead
Ctrl + KRipple trim
Q and WShuttle
J, K, LExport
Ctrl + M
Premiere Pro shortcut keys for tools
| Key | Tool |
|---|---|
| V | Selection |
| A | Track Select Forward |
| B | Ripple Edit |
| N | Rolling Edit |
| R | Rate Stretch |
| C | Razor |
| Y | Slip |
| U | Slide |
| P | Pen |
| H | Hand |
| Z | Zoom |
| T | Type |
Playback and timeline keys
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Play or pause |
| L | Play forward; press again to speed up |
| J | Play backward |
| K | Pause |
| I | Mark In |
| O | Mark Out |
| M | Add marker |
| Up | Previous edit point |
| Down | Next edit point |
| = | Zoom into timeline |
| Minus | Zoom out of timeline |
| \ | Fit the whole sequence |
Editing keys that save the most time
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + K | Add edit (cut) at the playhead on targeted tracks |
| Q | Ripple trim the part before the playhead |
| W | Ripple trim the part after the playhead |
| Shift + Delete | Ripple delete the selected clip and close the gap |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Ctrl + Shift + Z | Redo |
| Ctrl + D | Apply default video transition |
File, import and export
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + I | Import media |
| Ctrl + S | Save project |
| Ctrl + M | Export media |
| Ctrl + Alt + K | Keyboard shortcuts editor |
The shortcut editor (Ctrl + Alt + K) shows a keyboard map with every assigned key and lets you change them. Keys can also differ slightly between versions, so check there if one does not respond. Many editors save a custom layout and export it, so the same keys follow them to every editing computer they use.
Before a big project, set the sequence settings to match your camera footage (frame size and frame rate) by dragging the first clip onto the New Item button. Proxies, small copies of heavy 4K files, make playback smooth on ordinary laptops; create them from the Project panel with right click, Proxy, Create Proxies.
When Premiere Pro keys do not work
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Letter keys type text | A text field or title is active; click the timeline first |
| Ctrl + K cuts nothing | No track is targeted; enable track targeting on the left |
| Keys behave differently | A custom keyboard layout is loaded; reset it in the shortcuts editor |
| Playback stutters | Lower playback resolution in the monitor to half or quarter |
Frequently asked questions
What are the most used Premiere Pro shortcut keys?
V, C, Space, J, K, L, Ctrl + K, Q, W and Ctrl + M.
How do I cut a clip at the playhead?
Press Ctrl + K, or Command + K on a Mac.
What do Q and W do in Premiere Pro?
They trim the clip before or after the playhead and close the gap.
How do I export in Premiere Pro?
Press Ctrl + M.
How do I change Premiere Pro shortcuts?
Open the keyboard shortcuts editor with Ctrl + Alt + K.
Are Premiere Pro shortcuts the same on Mac?
Nearly all of them. Swap Ctrl for Command and Alt for Option; tool letters are identical.