Kdenlive is a free, open-source, non-linear video editor for Linux, Windows, and Mac OSX. Like Adobe AfterEffects and Davinci Resolve, it allows you to compose, edit, and render video footage straight from your desktop.
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Essential Kdenlive Keybindings
One of the most significant selling points of Kdenlive is that it uses open audio and video codec standards through FFmpeg. This means that, similar to MPV, it is possible to use the program with almost any media format you might need. Further, Kdenlive also provides you with a set of powerful features through its extensive plugin system.
By default, Kdenlive has several keybindings that you can use to do basic file manipulation, timeline editing and playback control. This cheatsheet aims to provide you with the basic set of keybindings for Kdenlive. Not only that, but it also aims to highlight some of Kdenlive’s little-known features.
| Linux/Windows | macOS | Function |
|---|---|---|
| File Manipulation | | |
| Ctrl + N | Command + N | Create a new video editing project. |
| Ctrl + S | Command + S | Save the current session to a project file. |
| Ctrl + Shift + S | Command + Shift + S | Save the current session to a different project file. |
| Ctrl + O | Command + O | Open an existing project file. |
| Ctrl + Q | Command + Q | Quit Kdenlive. |
| Window Control | ||
| Toggle the current item entry’s display. | ||
| X | X | Open the Razor Tool. |
| S | S | Open the Selection Tool. |
| M | M | Open the Spacer Tool. |
| Ctrl + Enter | Command + Enter | Open the “Render…” window. |
| Ctrl + Alt + I | Command + Option + I | Open the “Find Action…” window. |
| Ctrl + Shift + F | Command + Shift + F | Toggle the Fullscreen mode. |
| Ctrl + M | Command + M | Toggle the Menu Bar. |
| F1 | F1 | Open the Kdenlive Handbook. |
| Shift + F1 | Shift + F1 | Open the Help entry for the current action. |
| F2 | F2 | Open the “Rename…” window. |
| F11 | F11 | Toggle the Fullscreen mode for the playback monitor. |
| F12 | F12 | Open the Multitrack View. |
| Ctrl + Shift + , | Command + Shift + , | Open Kdenlive’s Configuration window. |
| Ctrl + Alt + , | Command + Option + , | Open Kdenlive’s Shortcuts window. |
| Playback Control | | |
| Space | Space | Play the project starting from the current playhead. |
| Ctrl + Space | Command + Space | Play the zone starting from the current playhead. |
| Ctrl + Shift + Space | Command + Shift + Space | Play the zone in a loop. |
| K | K | Pause the project at the current playhead. |
| L | L | Fast forward the project playback. |
| J | J | Rewind the project playback. |
| Right | Right | Fast forward the project playback by 1 frame. |
| Left | Left | Rewind the project playback by 1 frame. |
| Shift + Right | Shift + Right | Fast forward the project playback by 1 second. |
| Shift + Left | Shift + Left | Rewind the project playback by 1 second. |
| Timeline Navigation | ||
| Home | Go to the start of the current clip. | |
| End | Go to the end of the current clip. | |
| Ctrl + Home | Go to the start of the current project. | |
| Ctrl + End | Go to the end of the current project. | |
| Ctrl + Right | Command + Right | Go to the next guide in the project. |
| Ctrl + Left | Command + Left | Go to the previous guide in the project. |
| Alt + Right | Option + Right | Go to the next Snap Point in the project. |
| Alt + Left | Option + Left | Go to the previous Snap Point in the project. |
| Shift + I | Shift + I | Go to the start of the current zone. |
| Shift + O | Shift + O | Go to the end of the current zone. |
| P | P | Place the playhead to the current mouse position. |
| Ctrl + + | Command + + | Zoom in the timeline at the current playhead position. |
| Ctrl + – | Command + – | Zoom out the timeline at the current playhead position. |
| Timeline Selection | ||
| 1 | 1 | Select the first video track in the project. |
| 2 | 2 | Select the second video track in the project. |
| 3 | 3 | Select the third video track in the project. |
| 4 | 4 | Select the fourth video track in the project. |
| 5 | 5 | Select the fifth video track in the project. |
| 6 | 6 | Select the sixth video track in the project. |
| 7 | 7 | Select the seventh video track in the project. |
| 8 | 8 | Select the eighth video track in the project. |
| 9 | 9 | Select the ninth video track in the project. |
| Alt + 1 | Option + 1 | Select the first audio track in the project. |
| Alt + 2 | Option + 2 | Select the second audio track in the project. |
| Alt + 3 | Option + 3 | Select the third audio track in the project. |
| Alt + 4 | Option + 4 | Select the fourth audio track in the project. |
| Alt + 5 | Option + 5 | Select the fifth audio track in the project. |
| Alt + 6 | Option + 6 | Select the sixth audio track in the project. |
| Alt + 7 | Option + 7 | Select the seventh audio track in the project. |
| Alt + 8 | Option + 8 | Select the eighth audio track in the project. |
| Alt + 9 | Option + 9 | Select the ninth audio track in the project. |
| Ctrl + 1 | Command + 1 | Select “Target 1” in the current project. |
| Ctrl + 2 | Command + 2 | Select “Target 2” in the current project. |
| Ctrl + 3 | Command + 3 | Select “Target 3” in the current project. |
| Ctrl + 4 | Command + 4 | Select “Target 4” in the current project. |
| Ctrl + 5 | Command + 5 | Select “Target 5” in the current project. |
| Ctrl + 6 | Command + 6 | Select “Target 6” in the current project. |
| Ctrl + 7 | Command + 7 | Select “Target 7” in the current project. |
| Ctrl + 8 | Command + 8 | Select “Target 8” in the current project. |
| Ctrl + 9 | Command + 9 | Select “Target 9” in the current project. |
| Ctrl + G | Command + G | Create a new group for the currently selected tracks. |
| Ctrl + Shift + G | Command + Shift + G | Remove an existing group of tracks. |
| Shift + G | Shift + G | Grab the currently active clip. |
| Shift + X | Shift + X | Select the active zone in the current timeline. |
| + | + | Select the current clip. |
| – | – | Remove the active selection on the current clip. |
| Shift + + | Shift + + | Select the closest transition effect from the playhead. |
| Shift + – | Shift + – | Remove the active selection on the current transition effect. |
| Alt + + | Option + + | Add a new clip to the current selection. |
| Alt + Shift + + | Option + Shift + + | Add a new transition effect to the current selection. |
| Ctrl + Shift + A | Command + Shift + A | Remove any active selection. |
| Track Editing | ||
| T | T | Toggle between the Clip Monitor and Project Monitor. |
| I | I | Set the start of a zone at the current playhead position. |
| O | O | Set the end of a zone at the current playhead position. |
| G | G | Create a new guide at the current playhead position. |
| U | U | Mix the current clip with the ones adjacent to it. |
| Ctrl + I | Command + I | Place the currently selected zone in the Project Bin. |
| Alt + Shift + A | Option + Shift + A | Enable all the tracks in the current project. |
| Shift + A | Shift + A | Toggle the activation of all the tracks in the current project. |
| Shift + H | Shift + H | Disable the currently selected track. |
| Shift + L | Shift + L | Lock the currently selected track. |
| Ctrl + Shift + L | Command + Shift + L | Lock all the tracks in the current project. |
| ( | ( | Cut the start of the clip at the current playhead position. |
| ) | ) | Cut the end of the clip at the current playhead position. |
| Shift + R | Shift + R | Cut the active track at the current playhead position. |
| Ctrl + Shift + R | Command + Shift + R | Cut all tracks at the current playhead position. |
| Ctrl + C | Command + C | Copy the current selection to the clipboard. |
| Ctrl + V | Command + V | Paste the current selection under the current playhead. |
| Ctrl + Z | Command + Z | Undo the last action made on the project. |
| Ctrl + Shift + Z | Command + Shift + Z | Redo the last action made on the project. |
| Graphics Generation | ||
| Alt + T | Option + T | Create a text graphic in the current frame. |
| Alt + R | Option + R | Create a rectangle graphic in the current frame. |
| Alt + E | Option + E | Create a circle graphic in the current frame. |
| Alt + I | Option + I | Insert an external image in the current frame. |
| Alt + S | Option + S | Go back to the regular Selection mode. |
Image Credit: Unsplash and Wikimedia Commons. All alterations by Ramces Red.
