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March 02, 2025 23:07
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Adobe Premiere Pro Cheatsheet

A comprehensive cheat sheet for Adobe Premiere Pro, covering essential shortcuts, editing techniques, effects, and workflow tips to enhance video editing efficiency.

Keyboard Shortcuts

General Shortcuts

New Project

Ctrl+Alt+N (Windows) / Cmd+Opt+N (Mac)

Open Project

Ctrl+O (Windows) / Cmd+O (Mac)

Save Project

Ctrl+S (Windows) / Cmd+S (Mac)

Import

Ctrl+I (Windows) / Cmd+I (Mac)

Export Media

Ctrl+M (Windows) / Cmd+M (Mac)

Undo

Ctrl+Z (Windows) / Cmd+Z (Mac)

Redo

Ctrl+Shift+Z (Windows) / Cmd+Shift+Z (Mac)

Cut

Ctrl+X (Windows) / Cmd+X (Mac)

Copy

Ctrl+C (Windows) / Cmd+C (Mac)

Timeline Shortcuts

Razor Tool

C

Selection Tool

V

Track Select Forward Tool

A

Ripple Edit Tool

B

Rolling Edit Tool

N

Slip Tool

Y

Slide Tool

U

Hand Tool

H

Zoom Tool

Z

Navigation Shortcuts

Play/Stop

Spacebar

Go Forward 1 Frame

Right Arrow

Go Back 1 Frame

Left Arrow

Go Forward 5 Frames

Shift + Right Arrow

Go Back 5 Frames

Shift + Left Arrow

Go to In Point

Shift + I

Go to Out Point

Shift + O

Go to Start of Sequence

Home

Go to End of Sequence

End

Editing Techniques

Basic Editing

Importing Media: Drag and drop files into the Project panel or use Ctrl+I (Windows) / Cmd+I (Mac).

Creating a Sequence: Drag a clip onto the “New Item” icon at the bottom of the Project panel, or go to File > New > Sequence.

Adding Clips to Timeline: Drag clips from the Project panel onto the Timeline.

Cutting Clips: Use the Razor tool (C) to make cuts on the timeline. Then, remove unwanted sections using the selection tool (V) and Delete key.

Ripple Delete: Select a gap and press Shift + Delete to close the gap and shift all subsequent clips.

Adding Transitions: Drag transitions from the Effects panel (e.g., Cross Dissolve) onto the beginning or end of a clip, or between two clips.

Advanced Editing

J and L Cuts: Create more engaging edits by having the audio of the next clip start before the video transition (J-cut) or the audio of the previous clip continue after the video transition (L-cut). Drag the audio/video independently to achieve this.

Slip and Slide Edits: Use the Slip (Y) and Slide (U) tools to adjust the content within a clip without changing its duration or position on the timeline.

Using Markers: Press M to add a marker on the timeline. Markers can be used to add notes, identify sections, or sync to music.

Nested Sequences: Select a group of clips, right-click, and choose “Nest…” to create a nested sequence. This simplifies complex timelines and allows you to apply effects to a group of clips at once.

Multi-Camera Editing: Create a multi-camera sequence by right-clicking your clips, selecting “Create Multi-Camera Source Sequence,” and choosing your sync point. Then, use the multi-camera monitor to switch between angles in real-time.

Audio Editing

Adjusting Audio Levels: Use the Audio Gain and Audio Channel Mixer to adjust levels and pan audio.

Adding Audio Transitions: Apply audio transitions (e.g., Constant Power) to smooth audio cuts.

Using the Audio Track Mixer: Adjust track levels, add effects, and route audio using the Audio Track Mixer.

Noise Reduction: Use the DeNoise effect to reduce unwanted background noise.

EQ and Compression: Apply EQ and Compression effects to enhance the clarity and dynamics of your audio.

Effects and Color Correction

Video Effects

Applying Effects: Drag effects from the Effects panel onto clips on the timeline. Adjust effect parameters in the Effect Controls panel.

Transform Effects: Use the Transform effect (under Distort) for basic position, scale, rotation, and opacity adjustments.

Keying Effects: Use Ultra Key or Luma Key to remove backgrounds (green screen, etc.).

Stylize Effects: Explore effects like Posterize, Mosaic, and Color Emboss for creative looks.

Time Remapping: Adjust clip speed using the Time Remapping feature (right-click clip > Show Clip Keyframes > Time Remapping > Speed).

Color Correction

Lumetri Color Panel: Use the Lumetri Color panel (Window > Lumetri Color) for comprehensive color correction.

Basic Correction: Adjust exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks under the Basic Correction tab.

Creative Tab: Apply Looks and adjust Vibrance and Saturation.

Curves: Use the Curves tab for precise color and luma adjustments.

Color Wheels: Use the Color Wheels tab for lift, gamma, and gain adjustments.

HSL Secondary: Isolate and correct specific colors using the HSL Secondary tab.

Color Matching: Use the Color Matching feature to automatically match the color of two clips.

Keyframing Effects

Adding Keyframes: Click the stopwatch icon next to an effect parameter in the Effect Controls panel to add a keyframe.

Adjusting Keyframes: Move the playhead on the timeline and adjust the effect parameter to create a new keyframe. Premiere Pro will automatically interpolate between keyframes.

Keyframe Types: Adjust keyframe interpolation (right-click on a keyframe) to create smooth (Bezier) or linear animations.

Copying and Pasting Keyframes: Copy keyframes from one parameter to another, or from one clip to another.

Workflow Tips & Exporting

Workflow Optimization

Organizing Projects: Use bins to organize your media within the Project panel. Group footage, audio, graphics, and sequences into separate bins.

Proxy Workflow: Create proxy files (lower resolution copies) of your footage for smoother editing, especially with 4K or higher resolution footage. Right-click footage in the project panel > Proxy > Create Proxies.

Auto Save: Enable auto-save (Edit > Preferences > Auto Save) to automatically save your project at regular intervals.

Custom Workspaces: Create custom workspaces (Window > Workspaces > Save as New Workspace) tailored to specific tasks like editing, color correction, or audio mixing.

Labels: Use labels to color-code clips on the timeline for easy identification and organization.

Exporting Media

Export Settings: Press Ctrl+M (Windows) / Cmd+M (Mac) to open the Export Settings window.

Format: Choose the appropriate format (e.g., H.264 for web, ProRes for professional use).

Preset: Select a preset based on your desired output (e.g., YouTube 1080p Full HD, Vimeo 1080p HD).

Video Tab: Adjust video settings like resolution, frame rate, and bitrate.

Audio Tab: Adjust audio settings like sample rate and bitrate.

Multiplexer Tab: Adjust multiplexing settings (e.g., None, if you have separate audio and video files).

Queue vs. Export: Use “Queue” to send the export job to Adobe Media Encoder for background processing, or use “Export” to export directly from Premiere Pro.

Troubleshooting

Crashes: Ensure your graphics drivers are up to date. Clear your media cache (Edit > Preferences > Media Cache) and restart Premiere Pro.

Playback Issues: Reduce playback resolution (Program Monitor > Playback Resolution) or use proxy files.

Audio Problems: Check your audio input/output settings (Edit > Preferences > Audio Hardware). Ensure your audio tracks are properly routed in the Audio Track Mixer.

Rendering Errors: Ensure you have enough disk space. Try rendering the sequence in smaller chunks (Work Area Bar).

Effect Issues: Ensure effects are compatible with your hardware. Try disabling GPU acceleration (File > Project Settings > General > Renderer).