About keyboard shortcuts

Understand how to use, customize, edit, and resolve conflicts for Premiere Pro shortcuts with the visual keyboard layout and drag-and-drop tools.

Visual keyboard layout for assigning keyboard shortcuts

Use the visual keyboard layout of Premiere Pro to see assigned keys and available ones. Hover over a key to see its full command name. Selecting a modifier key shows all shortcuts requiring that modifier. Press the modifier key on your hardware keyboard to achieve this.

Selecting a key displays all commands assigned to it, including those with modifiers. Premiere Pro detects your keyboard hardware and shows the appropriate layout. If your keyboard isn't supported, it defaults to the U.S. English layout. Changing a shortcut updates the preset menu to Custom, and you can save your customized shortcuts as a preset.

Color coding

Premiere Pro uses color coding to differentiate types of keyboard shortcuts.

• Purple keys: Used for application-wide shortcuts.
• Green keys: Used for panel-specific shortcuts.
• Purple and green keys: Used for commands assigned to the application and the panel.

Application shortcuts and panel shortcuts

Premiere Pro lets you assign and manage shortcuts for both application-wide and panel-specific commands.

• Application shortcuts: Works regardless of panel focus, with some exceptions.
• Panel shortcuts: Works only when the panel is in focus.
• Specific panels: Certain shortcuts work only in specific panels, allowing multiple shortcuts for the same key.
• Pop-up window: Displays shortcuts for specific panels, such as the timeline.
• Shortcut conflicts: Happen when a panel shortcut overrides an application shortcut, and the application shortcut won't function when that panel is focused.
• Command List: Search for commands and assign shortcuts by clicking in the shortcut column and tapping keys, including adding modifiers.

When working with keyboard shortcuts, you might encounter some conflicts. Here’s when a warning appears and how you can manage shortcuts:

• Application shortcut conflict: An application shortcut is already assigned to another application command.
• Panel shortcut conflict: A panel shortcut is already used by another command in the same panel.
• Panel overrides application shortcut: A panel shortcut takes priority when that panel is active.
• Assign commands manually: You can also select and drag commands onto keys in the keyboard layout or modifier list to customize shortcuts.

Shortcut assignment using Drag-and-Drop

Assigning shortcuts using drag-and-drop in Premiere Pro is quick and flexible.

• Drag a command: Drag a command from the Command list to a key in the Keyboard Layout.
• Assign with modifiers: Assign a shortcut with a modifier like Shift, Ctrl, or Alt, hold down the modifier key while dragging.
• Use the Key Modifier List: Drag a command onto a modifier combination displayed in the Key Modifier List.
  

Conflict resolution

When a shortcut conflict pops up in Premiere Pro, it’s easy to identify and fix.

• Warning message: A warning appears in the editor's lower panel.
• Undo and Clear options: The Undo and Clear buttons become active, and you can revert or remove assignments.
• Conflict highlight: The conflicting command is highlighted in blue. Select it to go to the command in the list.
• Easy reassignment: Easily change or update the shortcut without hunting through menus.