Keyboard shortcuts

Descript includes a wide set of keyboard shortcuts to help you edit faster, move through your project, and switch tools more efficiently. This article includes shortcuts for both Mac and Windows, organized by feature area.

Some shortcuts only work in specific modes

Single-letter keyboard shortcuts will only be available when working in the Script Editor while not using Write Mode or Correct Mode.

Access the keyboard shortcut list in Descript

To view all available shortcuts in the app:

  • Press Option + / (Mac), or Ctrl + / (Windows)
  • Or click the Help icon in the upper-right corner of your Descript window, then select Keyboard Shortcuts

 

Keyboard Shortcuts.png

Playback

This section includes shortcuts for controlling playback, setting markers, scrubbing through your project, and adjusting playback speed.

Action Mac Windows
Play / Pause Space (while script tools are inactive), Cmd + S, Option + Click Space (while script tools are inactive), Ctrl + S, Alt + Click
Play from cursor Shift + Space Shift + Space
Spot audition Shift + Cmd + Space Ctrl + Shift + Space
Move playhead to beginning Home Home
Next marker Option + Cmd + . Ctrl + Alt + .
Previous marker Option + Cmd + , Ctrl + Alt + ,
Next scene Shift + Cmd + . Ctrl + Shift + .
Previous scene Shift + Cmd + , Ctrl + Shift + ,
Step forward by a frame Right arrow Right arrow
Step backward by a frame Left arrow Left arrow
Next clip Option + Shift + Cmd + . Ctrl + Alt + Shift + .
Previous clip Option + Shift + Cmd + , Ctrl + Alt + Shift + ,
Decrease playback speed Shift + J Shift + J
Reset playback speed Shift + K Shift + K
Increase playback speed Shift + L Shift + L
Autoscroll Esc Esc

Timeline

These shortcuts help you navigate and edit directly in the timeline — including tools for zooming, cutting clips, replacing content, and toggling the timeline view.

Action Mac Windows
Select tool A or hold A A or hold A
Range tool R or hold R R or hold R
Blade tool B or hold B B or hold B
Hand tool H or hold H H or hold H
Slip tool Y or hold Y Y or hold Y
Zoom in Cmd + Scroll down or Cmd + = Ctrl + Scroll down or Ctrl + =
Zoom out Cmd + Scroll up or Cmd + - Ctrl + Scroll up or Ctrl + -
Scroll left Shift + Scroll Down or H + Drag Right Shift + Scroll Down or H + Drag Right
Scroll right Shift + Scroll Up or H + Drag Left Shift + Scroll Up or H + Drag Left
Add clip boundary (split clip) S S
Replace with gap clip Shift + Delete Shift + Backspace
Replace with (requires visual selected) Option + R Alt + R
Toggle timeline Shift + Cmd + S Ctrl + Shift + S

Tools

The Tools section includes shortcuts for toggling text correction, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as searching for actions within the app.

Action Mac Windows
Toggle capitalization Hold Z, then click a word Hold Z, then click a word
Toggle punctuation Hold X, then click a word Hold X, then click a word
Correct the selection Highlight and press C Highlight and press C
Search actions Cmd + K Ctrl + K
You can also use Correct mode - smake a selection in the transcript and click the Correct text icon (pencil) in the hover toolbar — or use the Option + C (macOS) or Alt + C (Windows) keyboard shortcut. Learn more about correcting your transcript.

EnterCorrectText.gif

Tools

The Tools section includes shortcuts for toggling text correction, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as searching for actions within the app.

Action Mac Windows
Toggle capitalization Hold Z, then click a word Hold Z, then click a word
Toggle punctuation Hold X, then click a word Hold X, then click a word
Correct the selection Highlight and press C Highlight and press C
Search actions Cmd + K Ctrl + K

Selection

This section covers text- and clip-level shortcuts like ignoring, highlighting, commenting, duplicating, and quick duplication.

Action Mac Windows
Ignore Cmd + Delete Ctrl + Backspace
Bold text Cmd + B Ctrl + B
Italic text Cmd + I Ctrl + I
Highlight Shift + Cmd + H Ctrl + Shift + H
Paste attributes Shift + Cmd + V Ctrl + Shift + V
Edit sequence Shift + Cmd + O Ctrl + Shift + O
Auto-level clip Option + Shift + Cmd + L Ctrl + Alt + Shift + L
Comment Shift + Cmd + M Ctrl + Shift + M
Duplicate Shift + Cmd + C Ctrl + Shift + C
Quick duplicate Option + Shift + Cmd + C Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C

Insert

Insert shortcuts help you quickly add speaker labels, markers, text, shapes, or scenes into your script or video project.

Action Mac Windows
Speaker label @ @
Marker (not while the correction tool is active) # #
Regenerate D D
Text Option + Cmd + T Ctrl + Alt + T
Shape Option + Cmd + S Ctrl + Alt + S
Scene (not while the correction tool is active) / /

Canvas

Canvas shortcuts are used for adjusting layers and arranging visual elements — like moving objects forward or backward, locking layers, or toggling visibility.

Action Mac Windows
Bring to front ] ]
Move forward Shift + ] Shift + ]
Move backward Shift + [ Shift + [
Send to back [ [
Duplicate layer Cmd + D Ctrl + D
Hide layer Option + H Alt + H
Toggle layer lock Option + L Alt + L
Snap to guides Shift + Cmd + ' Ctrl + Shift + '
Expand / shrink scene editor Cmd + . Ctrl + .

View

These shortcuts control the layout of the Descript editor — including toggling panels like media library, layout picker, and project contents.

Action Mac Windows
Show / hide video Option + Cmd + V Ctrl + Alt + V
Move video Option + Shift + Cmd + V Ctrl + Alt + Shift + V
Toggle project contents Option + Cmd + C Ctrl + Alt + C
Media library Option + Cmd + L Ctrl + Alt + L
Toggle layout picker Option + Cmd + P Ctrl + Alt + P
Keyboard shortcuts Option + Cmd + K Ctrl + Alt + K

Edit

Edit shortcuts include project-level actions like undo, redo, find and replace, and toggling Write or Correct modes.

Action Mac Windows
New project Cmd + N Ctrl + N
New composition Option + Cmd + N Ctrl + Alt + N
Toggle write mode Cmd + E Ctrl + E
Toggle correct text mode Option + C Alt + C
Undo Cmd + Z Ctrl + Z
Redo Shift + Cmd + Z Ctrl + Shift + Z
Select all Cmd + A Ctrl + A
Find Cmd + F Ctrl + F
Find in project Shift + Cmd + F Ctrl + Shift + F
Find previous Shift + Cmd + G Ctrl + Shift + G
Find next Cmd + G Ctrl + G
Restore removed media Shift + Cmd + Delete Ctrl + Shift + Backspace

Share

These shortcuts help you share your project, copy the project link, or export to a Descript share page or local file.

Action Mac Windows
Project access Shift + Cmd + A Ctrl + Shift + A
Export to Descript share page Shift + Cmd + P Ctrl + Shift + P
Copy project link Cmd + L Ctrl + L
Local export Shift + Cmd + E Ctrl + Shift + E