Master Final Cut Pro with these essential shortcuts
Master Final Cut Pro: Essential Shortcut Keys for Video Editors
Elevate your video editing workflow with these key shortcuts
Final Cut Pro, often abbreviated as FCP or FCPX, is a professional non-linear video-editing application developed by Apple Inc. for macOS. It's a powerful tool widely used by both hobbyists and industry professionals in film, television, advertising, and online content creation. Since its complete rewrite as a native 64-bit application, it efficiently utilizes all CPU cores and leverages GPU-accelerated processing for superior playback, rendering, and transcoding performance.
Key features that make Final Cut Pro a favorite among editors include:
- Magnetic Timeline: This innovative feature prevents clip collisions and eliminates gaps, automatically keeping your material in sync and allowing for flexible and intuitive editing.
- Multicam Editing: Combine video from up to 64 camera sources with automatic synchronization, mixed formats, and frame rates, offering a streamlined multicam workflow.
- 360° VR and Spatial Video Editing: Edit immersive 360-degree video and even spatial video for devices like Apple Vision Pro, with dedicated tools and effects.
- Advanced Color Grading: Comprehensive color correction tools, including color wheels, curves, and scopes, allow for precise control over your footage, supporting wide color gamuts and HDR content.
- Roles-Based Audio Editing: Organize your audio with assignable roles (e.g., Dialog, Music, Sound Effects) for easier mixing and exporting.
- Powerful Effects and Transitions: A wide range of built-in video transitions, filters, keying tools (including advanced chroma keying), and customizable 2D and 3D titles.
- Background Tasks: Final Cut Pro handles rendering, analysis, and transcoding in the background, allowing you to continue editing without interruption.
- Integration with Apple Ecosystem: Seamlessly integrates with other Apple Pro Apps like Motion (for motion graphics) and Compressor (for encoding), and supports features like Sidecar for using an iPad as a second display.
Final Cut Pro offers a robust and efficient editing environment, designed to streamline your post-production workflow and deliver high-quality results.
Mobile Tip: On touch devices, press & hold tables to scroll horizontally if needed.
🚀 Application & General
| Description | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Hide Final Cut Pro | Command + H |
| Hide Other Applications | Option + Command + H |
| Open Keyboard Customization (Command Editor) | Option + Command + K |
| Minimize Final Cut Pro | Command + M |
| Open Library | Command + O |
| Quit Final Cut Pro | Command + Q |
| Redo Last Command | Shift + Command + Z |
| Open Settings/Preferences | Command + , |
| Undo Last Command | Command + Z |
| New Project | Command + N |
| New Event | Option + N |
| Import Media | Command + I |
✨ Editing
| Description | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select Tool (Arrow Tool) | A |
| Trim Tool | T |
| Blade Tool | B |
| Blade All | Shift + Command + B |
| Position Tool | P |
| Range Tool | R |
| Append to Storyline | E |
| Connect to Primary Storyline | Q |
| Connect to Primary Storyline (Backtimed) | Shift + Q |
| Insert Selection | W |
| Overwrite Selection | D |
| Copy | Command + C |
| Cut | Command + X |
| Paste | Command + V |
| Delete | Delete |
| Delete Selection Only | Option + Command + Delete |
| Duplicate | Command + D |
| Enable/Disable Clip | V |
| Change Duration | Control + D |
| Expand Audio | Control + S |
| Expand/Collapse Audio Components | Control + Option + S |
| Create Storyline | Command + G |
| Break Apart Clip Items | Shift + Command + G |
| Add Default Transition | Command + T |
| Add Default Title | Control + T |
| Add Default Lower Third | Control + Shift + T |
| Adjust Volume (Relative) | Control + L |
| Adjust Volume (Absolute) | Control + Option + L |
| Paste Attributes | Shift + Command + V |
| Remove Attributes | Shift + Command + X |
▶️ Playback & Navigation
| Description | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Play/Pause | Spacebar |
| Rewind | J |
| Stop | K |
| Fast Forward | L |
| Play Reverse | Shift + Spacebar |
| Go Back One Frame | Left Arrow |
| Go Forward One Frame | Right Arrow |
| Go Back 10 Frames | Shift + Left Arrow |
| Go Forward 10 Frames | Shift + Right Arrow |
| Go to Beginning of Timeline | Home |
| Go to End of Timeline | End |
| Go to Previous Edit | Up Arrow / ; |
| Go to Next Edit | Down Arrow / ' |
| Mark In Point | I |
| Mark Out Point | O |
| Clear In Point | Option + I |
| Clear Out Point | Option + O |
| Clear In and Out Points | Option + X |
| Loop Playback | Control + L |
| Toggle Skimming | S |
| Toggle Snapping | N |
| Fit to Window (Timeline/Viewer) | Shift + Z |
📌 Markers & Organization
| Description | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Add Marker | M |
| Add Marker and Edit Text | Option + M |
| Delete Selected Marker | Control + M |
| Go to Next Marker | Shift + Down Arrow |
| Go to Previous Marker | Shift + Up Arrow |
| Show Keyword Editor | Command + K |
🪟 Windows & Views
| Description | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Go to Event Browser | Command + 1 |
| Go to Timeline | Command + 2 |
| Go to Viewer | Command + 3 |
| Show/Hide Inspector | Command + 4 |
| Show/Hide Effects Browser | Command + 5 |
| Show/Hide Color Board (or Color Inspector) | Command + 6 |
| Show/Hide Video Scopes | Command + 7 |
| Show/Hide Audio Enhancements (or Audio Inspector) | Command + 8 |
| Show Background Tasks | Command + 9 |
| Show/Hide Project Library | Command + 0 |
| Show/Hide Timeline Index | Shift + Command + 2 |
| Play Project Full Screen | Shift + Command + F |
📤 Export & Share
| Description | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Export Master File (Share) | Command + E |
| Render Selection | Control + R |
| Render All | Control + Shift + R |
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