SRT Editor Keyboard Shortcuts & Power-User Workflow (2025)

Keyboard shortcuts transform subtitle editing from a click-heavy chore into a smooth, rhythm-based workflow. This guide teaches you the essential shortcuts, power-user patterns, and speed-edit cycles that professional creators use to cut editing time in half—so you can finish caption projects faster without losing precision.

Category hub: /creator/captions

Quick Start

1. Open the SRT Editor with your subtitle file
2. Learn core navigation: ↑/↓ (move between cues), Enter (edit mode), Escape (cancel)
3. Master timing shortcuts: ⌘/Ctrl + ⌥/Alt + ←/→ (adjust timing), ⌘/Ctrl + K (split cue)
4. Practice the speed-edit cycle: Navigate → Edit → Time → Save (⌘/Ctrl + S)
5. Reference the cheatsheet (⌘/Ctrl + /) until shortcuts become automatic

Open SRT Editor →

Essential Keyboard Shortcuts

Mastering these shortcuts eliminates mouse movement and creates a consistent editing rhythm. Start with navigation and editing, then add timing shortcuts as you build muscle memory.

Navigation Shortcuts

Navigate between cues without touching the mouse. Arrow keys move focus, Page Up/Down jumps larger sections, and Home/End reach the first or last cue instantly.

• ↑/↓ Arrow Keys — Move between cues (up/down the list)
• Page Up / Page Down — Jump 10 cues at a time
• Home / End — Jump to first or last cue
• ⌘/Ctrl + F — Search cues by text content
• ⌘/Ctrl + G — Jump to specific timestamp
• Space — Play/pause video at current cue position

Editing Shortcuts

Enter edit mode with one keystroke, make changes, and confirm or cancel without clicking. Tab moves between text and timing fields within a cue.

• Enter — Edit the selected cue (focuses text field)
• Escape — Cancel editing and revert changes
• Tab — Move between text and timing fields
• ⌘/Ctrl + S — Save current changes
• ⌘/Ctrl + Z — Undo last change
• ⌘/Ctrl + Shift + Z — Redo undone change
• ⌘/Ctrl + D — Duplicate current cue
• Delete / Backspace — Delete selected cue (with confirmation)

Timing Shortcuts

Adjust cue start and end times with precision using keyboard shortcuts. These are the most powerful time-savers for professional editors—no dragging timelines or typing timestamps manually.

• ⌘/Ctrl + ⌥/Alt + ← — Nudge start time earlier by 100ms
• ⌘/Ctrl + ⌥/Alt + → — Nudge end time later by 100ms
• ⌘/Ctrl + Shift + ← — Nudge start time earlier by 1 second
• ⌘/Ctrl + Shift + → — Nudge end time later by 1 second
• ⌘/Ctrl + K — Split cue at current playhead position
• ⌘/Ctrl + M — Merge selected cue with next cue
• ⌘/Ctrl + L — Set cue start to playhead position
• ⌘/Ctrl + ; — Set cue end to playhead position

Power-User Workflow

Professional subtitle editors follow a repeatable cycle that minimizes context switching and maximizes throughput. The key is maintaining rhythm: read, edit, time, save, next—without breaking flow to reach for the mouse.

Set Up Your Workspace

Before starting, optimize your workspace for keyboard-only editing. If you have dual monitors, place the video preview on one screen and the SRT Editor on the other. This lets you watch playback while editing captions without switching windows.

• Dual monitor setup: Video preview on left, SRT Editor on right
• Single monitor: Use picture-in-picture or split view (50/50)
• Keyboard positioning: Keep hands on home row; avoid mouse entirely
• Playback speed: Set to 1.0x for initial timing pass, 1.25x for QC pass
• Shortcuts reference: Open cheatsheet (⌘/Ctrl + /) until shortcuts become automatic

Speed-Edit Workflow (Step by Step)

This cycle is how professionals edit hundreds of cues per hour. Each step uses shortcuts to maintain flow without interrupting focus.

1. Navigate: Use ↑/↓ to move to the next cue needing attention
2. Play: Press Space to play video from cue start; watch and listen
3. Edit Text: Press Enter to edit; make changes; Tab to timing fields if needed
4. Adjust Timing: Use ⌘/Ctrl + ⌥/Alt + ←/→ to nudge timing without exiting edit mode
5. Confirm: Press Escape to confirm changes (or ⌘/Ctrl + S to save explicitly)
6. Next: Press ↓ to move to the next cue; repeat cycle

Pro tip: Use the SRT Editor's playback controls (Space to play/pause, J/K/L for rewind/play/fast-forward) to stay in the keyboard-only zone. Avoid clicking video controls entirely.

Timing-First vs Text-First Approaches

Different projects benefit from different workflow patterns. Choose based on source material quality and project requirements.

• Timing-First: Best for auto-generated captions with accurate text but poor timing. Navigate through all cues adjusting timing first, then do a second pass for text cleanup. Uses timing shortcuts heavily (⌘/Ctrl + ⌥/Alt + ←/→).
• Text-First: Best for manual transcription or heavily edited interviews. Get text accurate first (Enter, edit, Escape), then do a timing pass afterward. Uses edit shortcuts heavily (Enter, Tab, Escape).
• Hybrid (recommended): Fix both text and timing during the same pass. This is the speed-edit workflow above—most efficient for moderate-quality auto-captions.

Advanced Techniques

Once you master the basic shortcuts, these techniques unlock even more speed for complex projects.

Batch Operations with Shortcuts

Select multiple cues to apply timing adjustments, merge operations, or deletions all at once. This is especially useful for fixing systematic timing issues like consistent offsets or gaps.

• Shift + ↑/↓ — Select multiple adjacent cues
• ⌘/Ctrl + Click — Select non-adjacent cues (hold ⌘/Ctrl, click each cue)
• ⌘/Ctrl + A — Select all cues
• ⌘/Ctrl + ⌥/Alt + ←/→ — Nudge timing for all selected cues
• Delete — Delete all selected cues (with confirmation)
• ⌘/Ctrl + M — Merge selected cues into one (if adjacent)

QC Pass with Keyboard-Only Navigation

After completing your initial edit, do a quality-check pass using keyboard-only navigation and playback. This catches timing errors, overlaps, and text mistakes without needing to re-watch the entire video.

1. Press Home to jump to the first cue, then use ⌘/Ctrl + G to jump to specific timestamps flagged by the validator
2. Press Space to play from current cue position; watch captions in real-time
3. Use J/K/L shortcuts for rewind/play/fast-forward without clicking video controls
4. Press ↓ to advance to the next cue after confirming it looks correct
5. Fix issues with Enter (text) or ⌘/Ctrl + ⌥/Alt + ←/→ (timing) without breaking flow
6. Press ⌘/Ctrl + S periodically to save progress during QC

Split and Merge Strategies

Splitting and merging cues are the most common bulk operations. Use these strategies to maintain readability while staying keyboard-only.

• Split long cues: Press ⌘/Ctrl + K at the playhead position (set playhead with ⌘/Ctrl + L). The editor splits text at the nearest sentence boundary and adjusts timing proportionally.
• Merge short cues: Select two adjacent cues (Shift + ↓), then press ⌘/Ctrl + M. Text combines with a space; timing extends from first cue start to second cue end.
• Auto-split batch: Use the "Split long cues" feature (⌘/Ctrl + Shift + K) to split all cues exceeding 84 characters at once. Review splits afterward with ↑/↓ navigation.

Keyboard Shortcut Cheatsheet

This cheatsheet groups shortcuts by category for quick reference. Press ⌘/Ctrl + / in the SRT Editor to open an interactive version that stays visible while editing.

Platform Differences (Mac vs Windows)

Most shortcuts work identically across platforms, with one key difference: Mac uses ⌘ (Command) where Windows uses Ctrl. Alt on Windows is equivalent to ⌥ (Option) on Mac.

• Mac: ⌘ + ⌥ + → (nudge timing) = Cmd + Option + Right Arrow
• Windows: Ctrl + Alt + → (nudge timing) = Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow
• Linux: Follows Windows conventions (Ctrl + Alt)

All other navigation and editing shortcuts (Enter, Escape, Arrow keys, Space, etc.) work identically on all platforms.

Common Mistakes & Fixes

• Clicking to navigate between cues → Use ↑/↓ arrow keys to move 10× faster without reaching for the mouse.
• Adjusting timing with mouse drag → Use ⌘/Ctrl + ⌥/Alt + ←/→ for precise 100ms nudges; much faster and more accurate than dragging.
• Forgetting to save frequently → Press ⌘/Ctrl + S after every few edits; build muscle memory to prevent data loss on browser crashes.
• Not learning split shortcut → ⌘/Ctrl + K splits cues instantly at playhead without toolbar clicks; essential for long cues.
• Ignoring the cheatsheet → Keep ⌘/Ctrl + / reference visible until shortcuts become automatic (usually 2-3 editing sessions).

FAQs

What are the most important shortcuts to learn first?

Start with navigation (↑/↓ arrows, Space to play), editing (Enter, Escape), and basic timing (⌘/Ctrl + ⌥/Alt + ←/→). These five shortcuts cover 80% of editing tasks. Add split (⌘/Ctrl + K) and save (⌘/Ctrl + S) next.

Can I customize keyboard shortcuts in the SRT Editor?

The SRT Editor uses standard browser shortcuts that cannot be customized directly. However, you can use browser extensions like Vimium or Surfingkeys to remap keys if needed. Most users find the defaults intuitive after a few editing sessions.

Do shortcuts work the same on Mac and Windows?

Almost identical. Mac uses ⌘ (Command) where Windows uses Ctrl; Mac uses ⌥ (Option) where Windows uses Alt. All other shortcuts (arrows, Enter, Escape, Space) work identically.

How do I split a cue at the playhead without clicking?

Press ⌘/Ctrl + K while the cue is selected. The editor splits text at the nearest sentence boundary to the playhead position and adjusts timing proportionally. Set playhead position with ⌘/Ctrl + L first if needed.

What's the fastest way to adjust timing by exact milliseconds?

Use ⌘/Ctrl + ⌥/Alt + ←/→ for 100ms increments, or ⌘/Ctrl + Shift + ←/→ for 1-second jumps. For precise values, Tab into the timing field and type the exact timestamp (HH:MM:SS,mmm).

Can I undo changes with a keyboard shortcut?

Yes. Press ⌘/Ctrl + Z to undo the last change, or ⌘/Ctrl + Shift + Z to redo. The editor maintains a full undo stack so you can revert multiple changes if needed.

How do I navigate between cues without scrolling?

Use ↑/↓ for one cue at a time, Page Up/Down to jump 10 cues, or Home/End to reach the first/last cue. Press ⌘/Ctrl + G to jump to a specific timestamp if you know the time code.