A comprehensive reference for Pro Tools on macOS. Shortcuts marked with an asterisk (*) are particularly useful for media composers working to picture.
Transport
Action
Shortcut
Play / Stop
Space
Record
⌘ Space (with track armed)
Record (destructive)
⌘ ⌃ Space
Return to session start
Return
Go to end of session
⌥ Return
Rewind
1 (numpad)
Fast forward
2 (numpad)
Play from selection start
⌥ [
Play to selection end
⌥ ]
Half-speed playback
⇧ Space
Loop playback on/off
⌘ ⇧ L
Pre/post roll on/off
⌘ K
Online (sync to timecode)*
⌘ J
Wait for note
F11
Edit Modes
Mode
Shortcut
Shuffle
F1
Slip
F2
Spot*
F3
Grid
F4
Toggle Grid Absolute/Relative
Click Grid button again
Hot tip: Use the ~ to cycle through edit modes.
Edit Tools
Tool
Shortcut
Zoom
F5
Trim
F6
Selector
F7
Grabber
F8
Scrubber
F9
Pencil
F10
Smart Tool (Multi-tool)
F6 + F7 or F7 + F8 (press simultaneously)
Navigation & Zoom
Action
Shortcut
Zoom in horizontal
⌘ ] or T
Zoom out horizontal
⌘ [ or R
Zoom in vertical (audio)
⌘ ⌥ ]
Zoom out vertical (audio)
⌘ ⌥ [
Zoom to selection
⌥ F
Zoom to fit entire session
⌥ A
Zoom to fit selected tracks
⌥ ⇧ A
Zoom toggle (last two zoom states)
E
Store zoom preset
⌘ + number (1-5)
Recall zoom preset
number (1-5)
Scroll session left
⌥ Page Up
Scroll session right
⌥ Page Down
Scroll to playhead
⌃ Left Click on ruler
Go to beginning of session
Return
Go to end of session
⌥ Return
Selection
Action
Shortcut
Select all
⌘ A
Select all on track
⌘ ⇧ A (with track selected)
Extend selection to start
⇧ Return
Extend selection to end
⇧ ⌥ Return
Select from insertion to start
⇧ Home
Select from insertion to end
⇧ End
Tab to transient (next)
Tab
Tab to transient (previous)
⌥ Tab
Tab to transient on/off
⌘ ⌥ Tab
Move selection up (to track above)
P
Move selection down (to track below)
;
Extend selection up
⇧ P
Extend selection down
⇧ ;
Editing
Action
Shortcut
Cut
⌘ X
Copy
⌘ C
Paste
⌘ V
Clear (delete)
Delete
Duplicate
⌘ D
Repeat
⌘ ⌥ R
Undo
⌘ Z
Redo
⌘ ⇧ Z
Separate clip at selection
⌘ E
Heal separation
⌘ H
Trim start to insertion
⌥ ⇧ A (with clip selected)
Trim end to insertion
⌥ ⇧ S
Trim to selection
⌘ T
Consolidate selection
⌘ ⇧ 3
Fade in
⌘ ⌃ F (with selection at start)
Fade out
⌘ ⌃ F (with selection at end)
Crossfade
⌘ F
Batch fades
⌘ ⌥ F
Nudge forward
+ (numpad) or M
Nudge backward
- (numpad) or ,
Nudge value up
⌘ ⌥ +
Nudge value down
⌘ ⌥ -
Snap to grid
Hold ⌃ while dragging
Spot dialog (in Spot mode)*
Click clip with Grabber
Clips & Clip List
Action
Shortcut
Rename clip
Double-click clip name
Group clips
⌘ ⌥ G
Ungroup clips
⌘ ⌥ U
Ungroup all
⌘ ⌥ ⇧ U
Lock/unlock clip
⌘ L
Mute/unmute clip
⌘ M
Bring clip to front
⌘ ⌥ F
Send clip to back
⌘ ⌥ B
Clear clip list (unused)
⌘ ⇧ B
Export clip as file
⌘ ⇧ K
Recording
Action
Shortcut
Record enable selected track
⇧ R
Record enable all tracks
⌥ ⇧ R
Input monitor enable
⇧ I
QuickPunch on/off
⌘ ⇧ P
Pre-roll on/off
⌘ K
Set pre-roll length
Double-click pre-roll field
Loop record on/off
⌥ L
Destructive record on/off
Menu only
Tracks
Action
Shortcut
New track
⌘ ⇧ N
Duplicate track
⌥ ⇧ D
Delete track
⌘ ⇧ Delete
Make track inactive
⌘ ⌃ click track name
Solo track
S (or click Solo button)
Mute track
M (or click Mute button)
Solo safe
⌘ click Solo button
Clear all solos
⌥ click any Solo button
Clear all mutes
⌥ click any Mute button
Scroll track into view
Double-click track in Track List
Show/hide track
⌃ click track in Track List
Show all tracks
⌥ ⇧ T
Markers & Memory Locations*
Action
Shortcut
Create marker
Enter (numpad)
Create marker at selection
⌥ Enter (numpad)
Go to marker
. + marker number + . (numpad)
Memory locations window
⌘ 5 (numpad)
Create memory location
Enter (numpad)
Go to memory location
. + number + . (numpad)
Delete memory location
⌥ click marker in ruler
Mixing
Action
Shortcut
Show Mix window
⌘ =
Show Edit window
⌘ = (toggle)
Bypass insert
⌘ click insert
Make insert inactive
⌘ ⌃ click insert
Copy insert to another slot
⌥ drag insert
Open insert plugin
Click insert slot
Send to fader (default level)
⌥ click send
Bypass send
⌘ click send
Reset fader to 0 dB
⌥ click fader
Reset pan to center
⌥ click pan knob
Fine adjustment
Hold ⌘ while dragging
Write automation
⌘ /
Trim automation
⌘ ⌃ /
Suspend automation
⌘ ⌃ ⌥ click auto button
Automation
Action
Shortcut
Show automation lane
Click track view selector
Write automation to all
⌘ ⌥ /
Delete automation in selection
⌃ ⌥ click with Grabber
Copy automation
⌃ C (with automation selected)
Paste automation
⌃ V
Thin automation
⌘ ⌥ click breakpoints
Glide automation
⌃ drag breakpoint
Video & Scoring*
Action
Shortcut
Play video in window
⌘ 9 (numpad)
Video online on/off
⌘ J
Go to timecode
. + timecode + . (numpad)
Spot mode
F3
Spot clip to timecode
Click clip in Spot mode
Identify beat (tempo from selection)*
⌘ I
Tap tempo
T (in tempo field)
Open tempo operations
⌘ 1
Insert tempo change
⌘ ⇧ I (Tempo ruler)
Windows & Views
Action
Shortcut
Toggle Edit/Mix window
⌘ =
Transport window
⌘ 1
Big counter
⌘ 3
Memory locations
⌘ 5 (numpad)
Video window
⌘ 9 (numpad)
System usage
⌥ 5 (numpad)
MIDI editor
Double-click MIDI clip
Score editor
⌥ ⇧ =
Color palette
⌥ ⇧ C
Workspace browser
⌥ ;
Clip list show/hide
Click > in Edit window
Track list show/hide
Click < in Edit window
Narrow mix channels
⌥ ⇧ M
File & Session
Action
Shortcut
New session
⌘ N
Open session
⌘ O
Close session
⌘ ⇧ W
Save
⌘ S
Save as
⌘ ⇧ S
Save copy in
⌘ ⌥ S
Import audio
⌘ ⇧ I
Import session data
⌥ ⇧ I
Bounce to disk
⌘ ⌥ B
Export selected as files
⌘ ⇧ K
Key Modifiers Reference
Modifier
Symbol
Common Use
Command
⌘
Primary shortcut modifier
Option
⌥
Alternate/all/copy functions
Shift
⇧
Extend, add, or secondary action
Control
⌃
Contextual/right-click functions
Function
fn
Access F-keys on Mac keyboards
Tips
Enable standard function keys: System Settings → Keyboard → Function Keys → enable “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys” (or use Fluor for per-app switching)