Why We Use Keyboard Shortcuts in Premiere Pro (plus our 5 favorite editing shortcuts!)
When I first started editing projects in Adobe’s Premiere Pro, I wanted to dive right in and bring the recipes to life. We had worked so hard planning, cooking, and filming, I jumped right past the phase of establishing good editing habits and just “made it work”.
What I quickly realized was that my inefficiencies in editing actually ate up the time I wanted to spend being creative with my carefully captured footage. Refining my process was worth the extra time and effort.
Using Keyboard Shortcuts in Premiere Pro
Some of the most helpful, efficiency-boosting tools I began utilizing in Premiere Pro, were keyboard shortcuts. As simple as they may seem, keyboard shortcuts have been game changers in my editing process. Tasks that used to take me hours soon require minutes, just by committing a few keystrokes to memory.
This doesn’t have to be an elaborate or overwhelming process. Before you edit your next project, take a few moments to look up one or two keyboard shortcuts that might be useful for you. Incorporate them into your next round of editing, then once they are familiar and committed to habit, look up a few more. The key is, don’t settle for just, “making it work”!
Quick and Easy Shortcuts to Get you Started
Don’t know where to begin? Consider the tasks that require the most time as you edit a video, then search for a shortcut that will help you cut down that time. You can look up a diagram to find all of Premiere’s preset keyboard shortcuts, but here are a few of our favorites:
W : Ripple trim next edit to playhead (just try it, you’ll see why we love it)
Q : Ripple trim previous edit to playhead
Y : Slip tool (use to explore the clip without having to mess with your length / placement)
L : Shuttle right (press it again, it’ll speed up the playback)
J : Shuttle left (press it again, it’ll speed up the playback)
(BONUS) Cmd-S : SAVE (I’m not kidding, force your fingers to use this 10x more than what feels natural!)
Advanced and Customized Shortcuts
If you are feeling adventurous, you can also customize your own keyboard shortcuts in Premiere. Check out this article to find out how.
If you want more tips on working in Adobe’s Premiere Pro, check out this post on customizing your workspace!
What are your favorite editing shortcuts in Premiere Pro?
Want to create food videos together? Don’t hesitate to reach out via our Contact Page!