> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openrecorder.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Open Recorder keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys guide

> All keyboard shortcuts in Open Recorder: start and stop recordings, edit the timeline, control playback, and navigate between app sections.

Open Recorder registers keyboard shortcuts both globally (available system-wide while the app is running) and locally (active only when the editor window is focused). Using shortcuts speeds up your editing workflow significantly — especially the timeline editing shortcuts, which work without needing to target a specific UI control.

<Note>
  Timeline editing shortcuts (`Space`, `Z`, `S`, `T`) are active only when the video editor is focused and no text input field is selected. They do not require any modifier key.
</Note>

## Recording

These shortcuts are available globally, including from the menu bar, whenever Open Recorder is running.

| Shortcut | Action                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `⌘ R`    | Toggle recording — starts a new recording if you are on the ready screen, or stops the current recording if one is in progress. Also registered as a system-wide hotkey so it works even when Open Recorder is in the background. |
| `⌘ N`    | Start a new recording (opens capture setup).                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| `⇧ ⌘ N`  | Take a new screenshot (opens capture setup in screenshot mode).                                                                                                                                                                   |

## App navigation

| Shortcut | Action                                           |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `⌘ 1`    | Switch to the Projects section.                  |
| `⌘ 2`    | Switch to the Editor section.                    |
| `⌘ O`    | Open a project file (`.openrecorder`) from disk. |
| `⌘ Q`    | Quit Open Recorder.                              |

## Timeline editing

These shortcuts work in the video editor when no text field is focused. They act on the playhead position at the moment you press the key.

| Shortcut | Action                                                                                                                             |
| -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `Space`  | Toggle playback — plays from the current playhead position or pauses if already playing.                                           |
| `Z`      | Add a zoom region at the current playhead position.                                                                                |
| `S`      | Cycle through clip speed options at the current playhead position (applies a speed change to the clip segment under the playhead). |
| `T`      | Add a clip split at the current playhead position, dividing the timeline at that point.                                            |

## Undo and redo

Standard macOS undo and redo are supported in both the video timeline editor and the screenshot editor.

| Shortcut | Action                                     |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| `⌘ Z`    | Undo the last timeline or screenshot edit. |
| `⇧ ⌘ Z`  | Redo the last undone edit.                 |

<Note>
  Undo and redo are scoped to the currently active editor. Timeline edits and screenshot edits maintain separate undo histories.
</Note>