Shortcuts
View, assign, and manage keyboard shortcuts for all commands in Subtitle Edit.
- Menu: Options → Shortcuts…
- Shortcut: Configurable

How to Use
- Open Options → Shortcuts…
- Browse or search for the command you want to configure
- Select the command in the list
- Assign a shortcut by selecting modifier keys (Ctrl, Alt, Shift, Win) and a key
- Click OK to save all changes
Shortcut Categories
Shortcuts are organized into the following categories:
- General — Global shortcuts available everywhere (conflicts with all other categories)
- Subtitle grid and text box — Shortcuts active when working with subtitle text
- Subtitle grid — Shortcuts active when the subtitle grid is focused
- Waveform — Shortcuts active when the audio visualizer is focused
Assigning a Shortcut
- Select a command from the list
- Check the desired modifier keys: Ctrl, Alt, Shift, Win
- Select the key from the dropdown
- The shortcut is applied immediately in the list
- Double-click a command to open the key capture dialog, which lets you press the desired key combination directly
Configurable Commands
Some commands have additional configuration beyond the shortcut key:
- Set color 1–8 — Choose a color for each color shortcut
- Surround with 1–3 — Define the left/right text to surround selected text with
- Video move custom 1–2 back/forward — Set the number of milliseconds to skip
Select a configurable command and click Configure to adjust its settings.
Resetting Shortcuts
- Reset — Clear the shortcut for the selected command
- Reset all — Restore all shortcuts to their default values (requires confirmation)
Filtering
Use the filter dropdown to narrow the list:
- All — Show all commands
- Assigned — Show only commands with a shortcut assigned
- Unassigned — Show only commands without a shortcut
Use the search box to filter commands by name.
Duplicate Detection
When saving, Subtitle Edit checks for duplicate shortcut assignments. If duplicates are found within the same category (or if a “General” shortcut conflicts with any other category), you will be warned and can choose to save anyway or go back and fix them.
Import / Export
- Import — Load shortcuts from a
.shortcuts file (JSON format)
- Export — Save all configured shortcuts to a
.shortcuts file
This is useful for sharing shortcut configurations between machines or team members.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key |
Action |
| Escape |
Close shortcuts window |
| F1 |
Open help |
Double-clicking a command opens the key capture dialog, allowing you to press the desired key combination directly.