3 Premiere Pro Shortcuts That Saved Me Hours of Editing

If you're just getting started with Premiere Pro, these three shortcuts alone will cut your editing time in half. I use them on every single project.

1. Ripple Delete (Shift + Delete)

Most beginners select a clip, hit delete, and then manually drag everything over to close the gap. Ripple Delete does both in one step — it removes the clip AND closes the gap automatically.

When to use it: Anytime you're cutting out bad takes, pauses, or filler from your timeline.

2. Add Edit / Razor Cut (Cmd/Ctrl + K)

Instead of grabbing the razor tool, clicking, then switching back to the selection tool — just park your playhead where you want the cut and hit Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows). Instant cut, no tool switching.

When to use it: Every time you need to make a cut. Seriously, forget the razor tool exists.

3. Shuttle Playback (J, K, L)

• L = Play forward

• J = Play backward
  

• K = Stop

• Press L or J multiple times to speed up playback (2x, 4x, 8x)

When to use it: Reviewing footage, finding the right moment for a cut, scrubbing through long clips.

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These three shortcuts are just the beginning. Inside the Adobe Editing Masterclass, I break down the full professional editing workflow from scratch — keybindings, timeline management, effects, color grading, and exporting.

Drop a comment if you want me to cover more shortcuts 👇