Basic Keyboard Shortcuts in Compressor

Quick Take

Here are some of the more simple keyboard shortcuts for Apple’s Compressor.

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Standard Compression

Apple’s Compressor is the standard for any Mac user trying to edit with Final Cut Pro and make DVDs with DVD Studio Pro. For file conversion and export, Compressor is a relatively efficient program to get your job done. To make the process go even smoother, you can begin to integrate the keyboard shortcuts that Apple has relied on in their Final Cut Suite.

The Keyboard

One complicated part of the quick key shortcut process is that on Mac keyboards different keys are named more than one key. The Apple key, located directly to the left of the space bar, is also called the Command key. Here it will be referred to only as the Apple key.

File Options

To start a new compression batch, you can just press Apple and N. If you want to open one that already exists and is saved, you can just go with Apple and O.

To save the batch that you are working on, you can first Save As by pressing Shift, Apple, and S, and just Apple and S for periodic saves later on during the compression process. Once you have already put your settings into the project that you are looking to compress, you can submit it by hitting Option, Apple, and S.

Common Modifiers

Most of the basic editing quick key shortcuts are the same as with the rest of the Final Cut Suite. Apple Z is to undo and action, and Shift, Apple and Z is to redo that action.

Cut is Apple and X. Copy is Apple and C, and Paste is Apple and V. To “select all”, you can go ahead with Apple and A.

Quick Functioning

If you are trying to hide the available toolbar in the program, you can press Option, Apple and T. If you want to minimize Compressor to the bottom tray, you can just press Apple and M.

Since there are a variety of different functions in compressor, you may want to call them up individually. The display the Inspector you can press Option, Apple and 1. History is Apple and 1, the compressed video Preview menu is Apple and 2. The settings list is Apple and 3, and to view Destinations you click Apple and 4. If you want to begin a new job from a saved file, you hit Apple and I.

Just the Basics

These are just the most basic shortcut functions in Compressor, but there are more keyboard shortcuts out there. See if you can make the quick keys a natural way of using the software.

This post is part of the series: Compressor

Articles dealing with Final Cut Suite’s video compression program, Compressor.