Premiere Pro to DaVinci Resolve: The Shortcut Mapping Guide
The good news for switchers: the playback and marking keys you use most survive the move untouched. J / K / L shuttle, Space, I / O for in and out points, and M for markers are identical in Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. The relearning is concentrated in three areas: tool selection (Resolve's Selection mode is A, not V), cutting (Blade replaces the Razor), and Resolve's page-based layout (Shift+2–8). And if you need to be productive today, Resolve ships built-in keyboard presets that mimic other editing applications.
Table of Contents
Which editing shortcuts are identical in both apps?
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Space | Play / pause |
| J / K / L | Shuttle reverse / stop / forward (tap J or L again to speed up) |
| I / O | Mark In / Mark Out |
| M | Add marker |
| Left / Right | Step one frame |
| Up / Down | Jump between clips / edit points |
| Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Shift + Z | Undo / redo |
| Ctrl + S | Save project |
Because trimming in both apps is built around J/K/L plus In/Out marking, an editor who cuts primarily “on the keys” keeps most of their speed from day one.
Can DaVinci Resolve use the Premiere Pro keyboard layout?
Resolve has built-in presets for other applications' shortcuts. Open DaVinci Resolve → Keyboard Customization (Ctrl+Alt+K, or Cmd+Option+K on Mac) and use the drop-down at the top right to switch from the default DaVinci Resolve set to the one that mimics the editor you are coming from. Shortcuts can only be mapped to commands that exist in Resolve, so a feature with no Resolve equivalent may not be mapped the same way.
One caveat before you rely on it long-term: a preset does not teach you Resolve's own keys. If Resolve is your future primary editor, treat the preset as a transition bridge for deadline work while you learn the native map on new projects.
What are the key differences you must relearn?
| Task | Premiere Pro | DaVinci Resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Selection tool | V | A (Selection mode) |
| Cut / razor | C (Razor tool), then click the clip; Ctrl + K cuts at the playhead on targeted tracks | Ctrl + B cuts at the playhead; B enters Blade mode |
| Cut all tracks at playhead | Ctrl + Shift + K | Ctrl + \ (Split Clip, on every track with Auto Select on) |
| Trim tool / mode | B (Ripple Edit tool), N (Rolling Edit tool) | T (Trim Edit mode), W (Dynamic Trim mode) |
| Insert edit | , (comma) | F9 |
| Overwrite edit | . (period) | F10 |
| Replace edit | — | F11 |
| Fit to fill | — | Shift + F11 |
| Zoom timeline | = / - | Ctrl + = / Ctrl + - |
| Ripple delete | Shift + Delete | Forward Delete; the Delete (Backspace) key lifts the clip and leaves a gap |
V is not the selection tool — A is. V selects the edit point nearest the playhead and moves the playhead there, so pressing it out of habit does something you did not ask for.How do Resolve's page shortcuts work?
Premiere organizes everything in one window with workspaces; Resolve splits the pipeline into dedicated pages, each one keystroke away:
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Shift + 2 to Shift + 8 | Switch directly to one of the seven pages: Media, Cut, Edit, Fusion, Color, Fairlight, Deliver |
| Shift + 1 | Open the Project Manager |
| Shift + 9 | Open Project Settings |
This is the workflow difference with no direct Premiere equivalent: in Premiere, Shift plus a number moves focus between panels (Project, Source Monitor, Timeline and so on) inside one window.
What is the fastest way to rebuild muscle memory?
One possible schedule: days 1–3, finish existing deadline work on a familiar-keys preset so nothing ships late. From day 4, start every new project on Resolve's native layout, and drill the main changes deliberately — A for selection, Ctrl+B to cut, T to trim, F9/F10 for insert and overwrite, Shift+Z to fit the timeline. Print both cheat sheets side by side (each reference linked below has a Print button) and keep them at your desk while the new keys settle in.
Two smaller differences worth knowing before they surprise you. First, audio scrubbing — hearing sound while you drag the playhead — is on by default in Resolve; Shift+S (Timeline → Audio Scrubbing) switches it off if it distracts you. Second, Resolve's W Dynamic Trim mode turns J/K/L into a live trimming tool, trimming the selection while the edit plays; Premiere's counterpart is J-K-L dynamic trimming in its Trim mode.
Frequently asked questions
Do Premiere Pro shortcuts work in DaVinci Resolve?
The universal playback and marking keys do: J/K/L shuttle, Space, I/O for in and out points, M for markers, and frame stepping are identical. Tool selection, cutting, insert/overwrite edits, and page navigation use different keys and must be relearned or remapped.
How do I switch DaVinci Resolve to Premiere Pro shortcuts?
Open DaVinci Resolve → Keyboard Customization (Ctrl+Alt+K on Windows, Cmd+Option+K on Mac) and use the preset drop-down at the top right, which offers the default DaVinci Resolve set and sets that mimic other editing applications. A shortcut can only be mapped to a command that exists in Resolve, so not every key will behave as it did in Premiere.
What replaces the Premiere razor tool in Resolve?
Ctrl+B (Cmd+B on Mac) cuts the clip under the playhead without changing tools, Ctrl+\ splits every clip under the playhead on tracks with Auto Select on, and pressing B enters Blade mode, where each click on a clip adds a cut, much like Premiere's Razor tool.
Why does V not select clips in DaVinci Resolve?
Resolve assigns A to Selection mode and reserves other single letters for editing modes: T for Trim, B for Blade, W for Dynamic Trim. V selects the edit point nearest the playhead instead, so pressing it out of Premiere habit moves the playhead.