iMovie shortcuts
- 57 shortcuts
- 5 sections
- Apple Apps
- Verified against official docs
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Do these shortcuts work for you?
In Editing, single keys put the selection into the movie: Add the selection to the movie, Insert the selection at the playhead and Connect the selection at the playhead. Many of its shortcuts paste one kind of adjustment from a copied clip.
Start with these
- Play or pause video
- Add the selection to the movie
- Divide a clip at the playhead
- Select an entire clip
- Detach audio from a clip
- Open or close the clip trimmer
Tips for iMovie
- Paste all adjustments ⌥⌘V applies every adjustment of the copied clip. The other paste shortcuts apply one kind only, such as Paste color correction adjustments ⌥⌘C or Paste volume adjustments ⌥⌘A.
- Move playhead one frame forward Right and Move playhead one frame backward Left place the playhead exactly. Divide a clip at the playhead ⌘B then splits the clip there.
General5
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open the iMovie Help menu | |
| Import media | |
| Create a new movie project | |
| Move to Trash | |
| Open settings |
Playback11
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Play or pause video | |
| Play the selection | |
| Play from the beginning | |
| Move playhead one frame forward | |
| Move playhead one frame backward | |
| Jump forward to the next clip | |
| Jump to the beginning of the current clip | |
| Play the selected item full screen | |
| Exit full-screen view | |
| Loop playback | |
| Show or hide clip info when skimming |
Editing25
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select all clips | |
| Select an entire clip | |
| Deselect all clips | |
| Add the selection to the movie | |
| Connect the selection at the playhead | |
| Divide a clip at the playhead | |
| Paste volume adjustments | |
| Paste the map style | |
| Show the Cinematic Editor | |
| Insert the selection at the playhead | |
| Reset speed adjustments | |
| Paste the video effect | |
| Rate the selection as favorite | |
| Auto improve video and audio quality | |
| Paste all adjustments | |
| Paste the audio effect | |
| Unmark selected frames | |
| Cut the selected frames | |
| Paste color correction adjustments | |
| Paste speed adjustments | |
| Rate as rejected or delete from timeline | |
| Copy the selected frames | |
| Paste crop adjustments | |
| Paste video overlay settings | |
| Open or close the clip trimmer |
Audio6
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Toggle audio while skimming | |
| Mute audio in a clip | |
| Detach audio from a clip | |
| Undo the last action | |
| Open voiceover controls | |
| Redo the last action |
Window10
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Go to Projects view | |
| Show maps and backgrounds | |
| Show or hide the Libraries list | |
| Show sound effects | |
| Show my media in the browser | |
| Show transitions | |
| Minimize the iMovie window | |
| Show audio in the browser | |
| Go to Library view | |
| Show titles in the browser |
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Related resources
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many keyboard shortcuts does iMovie have on macOS?
iMovie has 57 keyboard shortcuts on macOS, organized into 5 sections: General, Playback, Editing, Audio, and more. This page lists all of them with searchable, organized shortcut tables.
Which iMovie shortcuts should I learn first?
Start with Play or pause video (Space), Add the selection to the movie (E), Divide a clip at the playhead (⌘B), Select an entire clip (X), Detach audio from a clip (⌥⌘B), Open or close the clip trimmer (⌘\). The sections on this page list the rest.
Can I download iMovie shortcuts as a PDF?
Yes. Click the download button at the top of this page to generate a printable PDF cheat sheet with all 57 iMovie shortcuts. The PDF includes organized sections, keycap-style key labels, and space for your own notes.
Where is the official iMovie keyboard shortcuts documentation?
The official iMovie keyboard shortcuts documentation is available on their website. Every shortcut on this page is sourced from and verified against the official documentation to ensure accuracy.
Do these iMovie shortcuts work on all Mac keyboards?
Yes. These shortcuts work on all Mac keyboards, including MacBook built-in keyboards and external Apple keyboards. The modifier keys are Command (⌘), Option (⌥), Control (⌃), and Shift (⇧). On keyboards without a Function row, some F-key shortcuts may require holding the Fn key.
Maintained by Vladik Didyk
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