Table of Contents
Use your keyboard to do different things in iMovie quickly and easily. In the “Keyboard Shortcuts in iMovie on Mac” section, you can learn how to use the keyboard shortcuts for popular commands. To do a certain thing, press all the keys listed in the method at the same time. Shortcut buttons are another way to get to commands. They show a list of commands that apply to certain parts of the iMovie window.
To get to a shortcut window, just click on the item while holding down the Control key. You can find the list of keyboard shortcuts for iMovie by going to Help > Keyboard Shortcuts inside the program. Make sure to press the special keys shown, sometimes along with the Command key, so that the actions you want to take happen smoothly. Most keyboards put the Command key on either side of the Space bar. This key is generally marked with an Apple or propeller icon.
Why Are iMovie Keyboard Shortcuts Important?
Apple’s video editing software, iMovie, has keyboard tools that can help you in a number of important ways that can make your work with video editing much easier. Here’s why it’s important to know the iMovie keyboard shortcuts:
- Smooth Playback and Navigation: Shortcuts on your keyboard make it easy to play, stop, and move around in your timeline. This is especially helpful when you want to look over your changes or make accurate cuts.
- Efficient Editing: You can do common editing jobs like cutting clips, splitting segments, and putting footage in order more quickly with keyboard shortcuts than with the mouse alone.
- Quick changes and Effects: You can use keyboard shortcuts to make changes and effects happen faster. This is especially helpful if you want to try out different ways to make your movie look better.
Best iMovie Keyboard Shortcuts
It is possible to achieve more exact editing with keyboard shortcuts, such as frame-by-frame navigation, which would otherwise be difficult to accomplish using only a mouse. There are a few video editors that provide you the option to personalize the shortcuts on your keyboard to suit your needs. This can further simplify your workflow by allowing it to correspond with the way you already edit documents.
General Shortcuts:
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
Command + N | Create a new project |
Command + O | Open an existing project |
Command + S | Save the current project |
Command + Z | Undo the last action |
Command + Shift + Z | Redo the last action |
Command + Q | Quit iMovie |
Command + I | Import media |
Spacebar | Play/pause the project |
L | Play the project in reverse |
K | Pause the playback |
J | Play the project at a slower speed |
K | Play the project at normal speed |
L | Play the project at a faster speed |
Command + Period | Stop the playback |
Command + T | Create a new movie timeline |
Command + W | Close the current project |
Editing Shortcuts:
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
Command + A | Select all |
Command + X | Cut the selected clip(s) |
Command + C | Copy the selected clip(s) |
Command + V | Paste the copied or cut clip(s) |
Command + D | Duplicate the selected clip(s) |
Delete | Delete the selected clip(s) |
Option + Delete | Delete the selected clip(s) and close gaps |
Command + Z | Undo the last action |
Command + Shift + Z | Redo the last action |
Command + Up Arrow | Move the selected clip(s) up one track |
Command + Down Arrow | Move the selected clip(s) down one track |
Command + Left Arrow | Move the selected clip(s) to the left |
Command + Right Arrow | Move the selected clip(s) to the right |
Command + B | Split the selected clip at the playhead position |
Command + J | Trim the selected clip to the playhead position |
Command + Shift + R | Trim the selected clip to the project size |
Option + Command + T | Trim the selected clip to the timeline size |
Command + Shift + M | Add a marker at the playhead position |
Option + Command + M | Add a marker to the selected clip(s) |
Shortcut | Action |
---|---|
Left Arrow | Move Playhead Left |
Right Arrow | Move Playhead Right |
Up Arrow | Move Playhead to Previous Edit Point |
Down Arrow | Move Playhead to Next Edit Point |
Command + Up Arrow | Scroll Timeline Up |
Command + Down Arrow | Scroll Timeline Down |
Shift + Scroll Wheel | Scroll Timeline Horizontally |
Command + R | Show/Hide Range Selection |
Command + P | Show/Hide Precision Editor |
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
Command + Up Arrow | Scroll up |
Command + Down Arrow | Scroll down |
Command + Left Arrow | Scroll left |
Command + Right Arrow | Scroll right |
Option + Command + Up Arrow | Scroll to the beginning of the project |
Option + Command + Down Arrow | Scroll to the end of the project |
Option + Command + Left Arrow | Scroll to the previous edit point |
Option + Command + Right Arrow | Scroll to the next edit point |
Option + Command + Page Up | Scroll to the previous transition |
Option + Command + Page Down | Scroll to the next transition |
Audio Shortcuts:
Shortcut | Action |
---|---|
Command + Option + A | Show/Hide Audio Skimmers |
Command + Option + S | Solo Selected Clip |
Command + Option + M | Mute Selected Clip |
Command + Option + G | Group Selected Clips |
Command + Option + U | Ungroup Selected Clips |
Command + Option + L | Lock/Unlock Audio Clip |
Command + Option + K | Adjust Clip Volume |
Command + Option + C | Copy Audio Envelope Points |
Command + Option + V | Paste Audio Envelope Points |
Best imovie Keyboard Shortcuts for Different Platforms
Keyboard shortcuts allow you to concentrate more on the creative components of video editing by reducing the amount of time spent on mundane chores. Some examples of these creative aspects are narrating a story, adjusting the color, and adding effects. When you become proficient with keyboard shortcuts, you will be able to switch between various editing tasks, tools, and modes with ease, which will significantly improve your capacity for multitasking.
iOS/iPadOS
Shortcut | Action |
---|---|
Two-finger tap | Play/Pause |
Double-tap | Start/Stop recording |
Pinch | Zoom in/out |
Drag and drop | Move clips on the timeline |
Hold and drag | Trimming a clip |
Hold and drag with two fingers | Split a clip |
Tap and hold | Reveal the magnifying glass for precision control |
macOS
Shortcut | Action |
---|---|
Command + Z | Undo |
Command + Shift + Z | Redo |
Command + X | Cut |
Command + C | Copy |
Command + V | Paste |
Command + A | Select All |
Spacebar | Play/Pause |
Return/Enter | Start/Stop recording |
Option + Command + Z | Remove Clip |
Option + Command + X | Delete Selection |
Option + Command + C | Copy Selection |
Option + Command + V | Paste Selection |
Option + Command + B | Split Clip at Playhead |
Option + Command + J | Join Clips at Playhead |
Option + Command + G | Create Clip |
Option + Command + M | Mute Clip |
Option + Command + R | Detach Audio |
Option + Command + T | Add to Timeline |
Option + Command + Y | Show/Hide Timeline Viewer |
Option + Command + 1 | Fit to Window |
Option + Command + 2 | Actual Size |
Option + Command + 3 | Zoom In |
Option + Command + 4 | Zoom Out |
Option + Command + + | Increase Audio Volume |
Option + Command + – | Decrease Audio Volume |
Option + Command + F | Full Screen |
How Can I Customize the Shortcuts on My Keyboard in iMovie?
Here’s a general outline of how you can do this:
- Open System Preferences: Go to the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and choose “System Preferences.”
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Within System Preferences, click on “Keyboard,” then navigate to the “Shortcuts” tab.
- App Shortcuts: In the left sidebar, select “App Shortcuts.”
- Add a New Shortcut: Click the “+” button below the right-hand pane to add a new shortcut.
- Application: Choose “iMovie” from the Application dropdown menu.
- Menu Title: Enter the exact name of the menu command you want to create a shortcut for. This needs to match the menu command’s name in iMovie exactly.
- Keyboard Shortcut: Enter the keyboard shortcut you want to assign to the chosen menu command. Make sure it doesn’t conflict with existing shortcuts.
- Add: Click the “Add” button to save the new shortcut.
Questions and Answers
A: In iMovie, keyboard shortcuts are combinations of keys that perform specific functions or orders. This lets you quickly access different features and do tasks without using the mouse or going through menus.
A: In iMovie, you can see a list of keyboard shortcuts by going to the main menu, clicking “Help,” and then clicking “Keyboard Shortcuts.” This will open a window with a full list of all the keyboard options that can be used in iMovie.
A: No, iMovie doesn’t let you change how keyboard keys work. Shortcuts are already set up and can’t be changed.