Final Cut Pro keyboard shortcuts for Mac
60 shortcuts · Updated
These are the default Final Cut Pro keyboard shortcuts on macOS, curated from Apple's official Final Cut Pro User Guide. Editing in FCP is built around single-key commands - J K L for playback, E W Q D for the four edit types, and one-letter tools - so the shortcuts below cover the ones professional editors reach for constantly.
Nothing matches - try fewer letters, or an action word like "close" or "split".
Or stop looking them up. Super Shortcuts puts the Final Cut Pro commands you actually use one hyper key away: hold it, see every command for the app you're in, release a key to run it. No memorizing - the cheat sheet is the shortcut.
Get Super ShortcutsPlayback10
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| SpaceSpace | Start or pause playback |
| LL | Play forward (press again to speed up) |
| JJ | Play in reverse (press again to speed up) |
| KK | Stop playback |
| Option Space⌥Space | Play from the playhead position |
| Shift ?⇧? | Play around the playhead position |
| // | Play the selection |
| Command L⌘L | Turn looped playback on or off |
| SS | Turn skimming on or off |
| Shift S⇧S | Turn audio skimming on or off |
Editing12
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| EE | Append the selection to the end of the storyline |
| WW | Insert at the skimmer or playhead position |
| Connect the selection to the primary storyline | |
| DD | Overwrite at the skimmer or playhead position |
| Shift Q⇧Q | Connect to the primary storyline, backtimed |
| Command B⌘B | Blade - cut the clip at the skimmer or playhead |
| Command Shift B⌘⇧B | Blade all clips at the skimmer or playhead |
| Option W⌥W | Insert a gap clip |
| Command G⌘G | Create a storyline from selected connected clips |
| Option G⌥G | Create a new compound clip |
| VV | Enable or disable the selected clip |
| NN | Turn snapping on or off |
Trimming9
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ,, | Nudge the selection one unit to the left |
| .. | Nudge the selection one unit to the right |
| Shift ,⇧, | Nudge the selection 10 units to the left |
| Shift .⇧. | Nudge the selection 10 units to the right |
| Option [⌥[ | Trim the clip start to the skimmer or playhead |
| Option ]⌥] | Trim the clip end to the skimmer or playhead |
| Shift X⇧X | Extend the selected edit point to the playhead |
| [[ | Select the left edge of the edit point |
| ]] | Select the right edge of the edit point |
Timeline navigation11
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Left Arrow← | Move the playhead to the previous frame |
| Right Arrow→ | Move the playhead to the next frame |
| Shift Left Arrow⇧← | Move the playhead back 10 frames |
| Shift Right Arrow⇧→ | Move the playhead forward 10 frames |
| Up Arrow↑ | Go to the previous edit point |
| Down Arrow↓ | Go to the next edit point |
| Home↖ | Go to the beginning of the timeline |
| End↘ | Go to the end of the timeline |
| Shift Z⇧Z | Zoom the timeline contents to fit |
| Command Plus⌘+ | Zoom in to the timeline, browser, or viewer |
| Command -⌘- | Zoom out of the timeline, browser, or viewer |
Tools10
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| AA | Select (arrow) tool |
| TT | Trim tool |
| PP | Position tool |
| RR | Range Selection tool |
| BB | Blade tool |
| ZZ | Zoom tool |
| HH | Hand tool |
| Shift C⇧C | Crop tool |
| Shift T⇧T | Transform tool |
| Option D⌥D | Distort tool |
Markers & ranges8
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| MM | Add a marker at the skimmer or playhead |
| Option M⌥M | Add a marker and edit its text |
| Control M⌃M | Delete the selected marker |
| Control Shift M⌃⇧M | Delete all markers in the selection |
| Control '⌃' | Move the playhead to the next marker |
| Control ;⌃; | Move the playhead to the previous marker |
| II | Set the range start point |
| OO | Set the range end point |
Curated from the official Keyboard shortcuts in Final Cut Pro for Mac (Apple Support). Defaults only - shortcuts you've remapped will differ.
Frequently asked questions
How do I view or customize keyboard shortcuts in Final Cut Pro?
Open the Command Editor with ⌥⌘K (or Final Cut Pro → Commands → Customize). It shows every command, lets you search by key or name, and lets you save your own command sets - duplicate the default set first, since it can't be edited directly.
Which Final Cut Pro shortcuts should I learn first?
Start with playback and the four edit commands: J K L plus Space to move around, then E (append), W (insert), Q (connect), and D (overwrite). Add ⌘B to blade and Shift Z to fit the timeline and you can rough-cut without touching the mouse.
What do J, K, and L do in Final Cut Pro?
They shuttle playback: L plays forward, J plays in reverse, and K stops. Pressing J or L repeatedly speeds playback up, so you can scrub through footage at any speed from the keyboard.