The difference between an amateur editor and a confident, efficient one often boils down to keyboard shortcuts.
They’re not just fancy tricks, they’re the secret handshake of fast, smooth editing. If you’ve ever watched a pro fly through cuts while you’re still right-clicking your way through ripple deletes… you know exactly what I mean.
So, here’s a list you’ll want to tape next to your monitor, 10 Premiere Pro shortcuts that save hours, impress clients, and make you feel like you’ve unlocked a cheat code.
1️⃣ Ctrl + K (Cmd + K on Mac) — Razor Tool Without Switching
What is Ctrl+K in Premiere Pro? This one’s a game changer: Ctrl + K instantly slices your clip at the playhead position. No need to pick the Razor Tool manually, just park your playhead and snip away.
2️⃣ Q — Ripple Trim Previous Edit to Playhead
One tap of Q trims everything from the start of your clip to the playhead and closes the gap. It’s perfect for chopping out awkward pauses.
Pair it with W (next shortcut) and your rough cuts will fly.
3️⃣ W — Ripple Trim Next Edit to Playhead
Same idea, opposite direction: W removes everything from the playhead to the end of your clip and shifts the rest back to fill the space. Fast, clean timeline!
4️⃣ Ctrl + Shift + E (Export Frame)
Want to grab a quick still for a thumbnail or mood board? Ctrl + Shift + E takes a snapshot of your current frame and saves it as a PNG. No need to export the whole video.
5️⃣ Ctrl + Y — New Transparent Video Layer
What does Ctrl Y do in Premiere Pro? Ctrl + Y instantly adds a new transparent video track above your timeline, perfect for adding adjustment layers, overlays, or graphics without messing up your clips.
6️⃣ Ctrl + E — Send to Adobe Media Encoder
What does Ctrl E do in Premiere Pro? Done editing? Ctrl + E sends your sequence straight to Adobe Media Encoder so you can queue up exports while you keep editing in Premiere. Huge time saver.
7️⃣ V — Selection Tool
This one seems basic, but muscle memory matters: V brings you back to your regular cursor (Selection Tool) from any other tool. When you’re bouncing between cut, ripple, and hand tools, V is home base.
8️⃣ Shift + Delete — Ripple Delete
Highlight an empty space or clip, hit Shift + Delete, and boom the gap is gone, and the timeline shifts cleanly. No dragging clips manually.
9️⃣ Ctrl + Alt + N — New Sequence
Starting fresh? Ctrl + Alt + N creates a brand new sequence without digging through menus. Great for rough cuts, reels, or different aspect ratios.
🔟 Ctrl + M — Export Sequence
When you’re ready to render the final masterpiece: Ctrl + M brings up the Export Settings window instantly. Pro tip: Always double-check your settings, or use custom presets (Brevidy is excellent for sharing your drafts and versions with collaborators).
Bonus: Want More?
- Premiere Pro Official Shortcuts Guide
- Connect with other editors for secret workflow tips on Reddit’s r/VideoEditing
- Organize your files properly. Read How to Build a Video Editing Workflow That Saves Time if you missed it!
Final Thoughts
Shortcuts alone won’t make you Spielberg but they will free up brainpower to focus on storytelling instead of fighting the software.
So, pick 2–3 shortcuts at a time, practice until they’re muscle memory, then add a few more.
One day you’ll look down, realize you haven’t touched your mouse in 20 minutes, and think: Wow. I really do feel like a wizard.