A practical DaVinci Resolve keyboard-shortcut reference covering the default Resolve preset, navigation, cutting, timeline editing, Undo/Redo and Keyboard Customization.
Do not copy someone else's keyboard map blindly
DaVinci Resolve supports its own default preset, custom layouts and presets modeled after other NLEs. The same command can therefore be mapped differently on two systems. This guide gives exact keys only where they belong to the default Resolve preset; otherwise, learn the command name and verify it in Keyboard Customization.
The first shortcuts worth learning
- Space — play/pause.
- J / K / L — reverse / stop / forward; repeated J/L increases shuttle speed.
- Left / Right Arrow — one frame backward / forward.
- I / O — Mark In / Mark Out.
- Ctrl+B (Windows) / Cmd+B (macOS) — split at playhead.
- Ctrl+Z (Windows) / Cmd+Z (macOS) — Undo.
- D — Enable / Disable Clip in Edit and Fairlight timelines.
- M — add a marker; press M again on the marker to open its settings.
- F10 — Overwrite edit in the default Resolve preset.
- F12 — Place on Top in the default Resolve preset.
- Ctrl+Alt+K (Windows) / Option+Cmd+K (macOS) — Keyboard Customization.
Playback and navigation deliver the fastest return
J/K/L, Space and frame-step arrows are used constantly. Blackmagic teaches J/K/L as a transport system, including K+J/L for precise movement and repeated J/L presses for faster shuttle playback.
Cutting: Ctrl/Cmd+B and trim-to-playhead
Ctrl+B on Windows and Cmd+B on macOS splits at the playhead. For dialogue cleanup, Trim Start to Playhead and Trim End to Playhead can be even faster because they remove the unwanted edge directly.
Exact trim shortcuts depend on the keyboard preset. A Q/E-style setup is a custom workflow, not a universal Resolve default.
Timeline edits: Insert, Overwrite and Place on Top
Insert creates space and pushes later material, Overwrite replaces the occupied range, and Place on Top adds a higher-track layer. Understanding these operations matters more than the keys themselves.
In the standard Resolve training layout, F10 performs Overwrite and F12 performs Place on Top.
Undo, Redo and history
Ctrl+Z on Windows and Cmd+Z on macOS undoes the last action. For larger reversions, history is more controlled than repeatedly pressing Undo without knowing which step you are on.
Keyboard Customization: build a workflow preset
Open DaVinci Resolve → Keyboard Customization or press Ctrl+Alt+K on Windows / Option+Cmd+K on macOS. Search by command name, change only high-frequency actions and save the result as a custom preset.
Preset management includes import and export, which is useful when moving between workstations.
- Choose 8–12 daily commands.
- Check their current assignments.
- Remap only the uncomfortable ones.
- Work for a week.
- Export the stable preset as a backup.
How to learn shortcuts without memorizing a giant list
Do not try to memorize every shortcut at once. Pick a few commands you use every day and work with them for a week. Once they become automatic, add the next group such as navigation, trim or timeline editing.
Key takeaway
You do not need a hundred shortcuts. Start with 10–15 actions you repeat every day, then expand the preset around real workflow bottlenecks.