The Ultimate Guide to DaVinci Resolve Keyboard Shortcuts

It’s not hard to see why DaVinci Resolve is the defacto software for so many people, given its powerful node-based tools, incredible options for filmmakers, and a wide array of keyboard shortcuts.

Video editing can often be a long and arduous task, making a good workflow an absolute must. Keyboard shortcuts. Can help you achieve an optimal workflow.

This tutorial (compatible for both DaVinci Resolve 17 and DaVinci Resolve 18) will provide you the ultimate guide for using DaVinci Resolve keyboard shortcuts for both macOS and Windows devices.

What are DaVinci Resolve keyboard shortcuts?

DaVinci Resolve keyboard shortcuts (or hotkeys) are commands that can be accessed entirely on your keyboard. Without a shortcut, these commands would take longer to execute.

For example, to save a project in DaVinci Resolve, you can go all the way to the top of the screen and go to File > Save or you can choose the much simpler option of pressing cmd + s (or ctrl + s) on your keyboard.

It may not seem like a lot, but simple hotkeys such as these can be huge timesavers when working on longer projects.

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The most useful DaVinci Resolve keyboard shortcuts

So what are the go-to shortcuts in DaVinci Resolve? Well, this is something that’s going to be subjective based on the user since every editor has a different workflow and different shortcuts that work best for them.

Most time spent in DaVinci Resolve though is usually within the timeline or in the node editor so these shortcuts are generally the most impactful

For instance, to zoom in on the timeline, you’ll want to press command (ctrl) plus = on the keyboard, and to zoom out you’ll want to press command (ctrl) plus - on the keyboard.

Below are some other useful keyboard shortcuts for DaVinci Resolve.

Other DaVinci Resolve keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts in DaVinci Resolve can be broken up into a few different sections. These classifications are based on the type of key that is pressed as well as the action you’re completing in Resolve.

The one’s we’ll be covering in this guide are application shortcuts, editing shortcuts, navigation shortcuts, effects shortcuts, marker shortcuts, and display shortcuts.

Application shortcuts

Application shortcuts are some of the most useful shortcuts in DaVinci Resolve. These shortcuts are notable for how they help you initially set up your project in Resolve as well as how they help you navigate.

Editing shortcuts

Editing shortcuts speed up the editing process while you’re in the DaVinci Resolve timeline. There are a lot of helpful shortcuts to help speed up your timeline workflow.

Navigation shortcuts

Navigation shortcuts provide even more navigation tools for users who wish to speed things up even further.

Effects shortcuts

The effects shortcuts are great if your videos use a bunch of effects.

Marker shortcuts

What markers do is help you keep track of specific moments or notable frames within your timeline. Marker shortcuts give you options for navigating markers in your timeline.

Display shortcuts

A display shortcut is perfect for switching and working within a multitude of workspaces. Switching between things like edit mode and color mode are a breeze with display shortcuts.

How to change keyboard shortcuts in DaVinci Resolve

Keyboard customization in DaVinci Resolve is as easy as clicking on DaVinci Resolve at the top left of the screen and going to keyboard customization. Clicking on this will bring up the DaVinci Resolve editor keyboard.

This will bring up a keyboard layout containing a cheat sheet of all the hotkeys available in DaVinci Resolve. Clicking on a key on this keyboard lets you assign a shortcut to it. You can also search for specific hotkey combinations in the search box at the bottom of the keyboard.

Conclusion

Leveraging hotkeys is one of the most simple yet effective things that can be done in DaVinci Resolve to speed up workflows. Plus, custom keyboard layouts and custom hotkeys can help you tailor the platform to your preferences.

When you want to improve your editing workflow, even more, Simon Says can prove another invaluable tool. The Resolve extension allows you to caption and transcribe videos natively in the platform, all without impacting your system’s performance.