REAPER keyboard shortcuts

REAPER is a lightweight, deeply customizable digital audio workstation famous for its low price and its Actions system, where every function can be bound to a key. Even before you customize anything, the default shortcuts cover recording, splitting, markers, and window management, and learning them is the fastest way to speed up tracking and editing sessions. This cheat sheet covers 44 default shortcuts for Windows and Mac.

Project & Files

New project	`Ctrl`+`NCmd`+`N`
New project tab	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`NCmd`+`Option`+`N`
Open project	`Ctrl`+`OCmd`+`O`
Save project	`Ctrl`+`SCmd`+`S`
Save project as	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`SCmd`+`Option`+`S`
Next project tab	`Ctrl`+`TabCmd`+`Tab`
Previous project tab	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`TabCmd`+`Shift`+`Tab`
Render project	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`RCmd`+`Option`+`R`
Preferences	`Ctrl`+`PCmd`+`,`

Transport

Play / stop	`SpaceSpace`
Play / pause	`EnterEnter`
Record	`RR`
Go to start of project	`WW`
Go to end of project	`Ctrl`+`EndCmd`+`End`

Editing

Undo	`Ctrl`+`ZCmd`+`Z`
Redo	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`ZCmd`+`Shift`+`Z`
Open undo history window	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`ZCmd`+`Option`+`Z`
Cut items	`Ctrl`+`XCmd`+`X`
Copy items	`Ctrl`+`CCmd`+`C`
Paste items	`Ctrl`+`VCmd`+`V`
Delete selected items	`DeleteDelete`
Split items at edit cursor	`SS`
Split items at time selection	`Shift`+`SShift`+`S`
Select all	`Ctrl`+`ACmd`+`A`
Item properties	`F2F2`
Group selected items	`GG`
Ungroup selected items	`UU`

Tracks & Envelopes

Insert new track	`Ctrl`+`TCmd`+`T`
Toggle volume envelope for selected tracks	`VV`
Toggle pan envelope for selected tracks	`PP`

Markers & Regions

Insert marker at current position	`MM`
Insert region from time selection	`Shift`+`RShift`+`R`
Jump to marker 1-10	`1-01-0`

Navigation & Zoom

Zoom in horizontally
Zoom out horizontally	`--`
Move edit cursor left / right	`Arrow keysArrow keys`

Windows & Views

Open actions list	`??`
Toggle mixer	`Ctrl`+`MCmd`+`M`
Open media explorer	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`XCmd`+`Option`+`X`
Open routing matrix	`Alt`+`ROption`+`R`
Open track manager	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`MCmd`+`Shift`+`M`
Toggle virtual MIDI keyboard	`Alt`+`BOption`+`B`

Options

Toggle snapping	`Alt`+`SOption`+`S`
Cycle ripple editing mode	`Alt`+`POption`+`P`

Put your top REAPER shortcuts on real keys

The five REAPER actions most worth binding to a physical macropad key:

SS Split items at edit cursor The single most repeated editing action in REAPER; a dedicated key makes chop sessions effortless.

RR Record Instant punch-in from a physical key when your hands are on an instrument.

MM Insert marker Tagging takes and mistakes in real time during tracking without breaking flow.

Ctrl+TCmd+T Insert new track Constantly used while building sessions; deserves one press instead of a chord.

Alt+SOption+S Toggle snapping Editors flip snapping on and off dozens of times an hour when aligning versus nudging.

I hand-build small-batch programmable macropads (QMK/VIA) in Barcelona. One press, any shortcut, any app.

See the macropads

REAPER shortcut FAQs

How do I see every keyboard shortcut in REAPER?

Press ? to open the Actions list. It shows every action, its current binding, and lets you assign your own shortcuts to any of REAPER's thousands of actions.

What is the shortcut to split an item in REAPER?

Select the item, place the edit cursor, and press S. Shift+S splits at the edges of the current time selection instead.

How do I record in REAPER with the keyboard?

Arm a track for recording, then press R to start recording. Space stops playback or recording.

Can I change REAPER's default shortcuts?

Yes, almost everything is remappable. Open the Actions list with ?, find the action, and click Add to bind any key or key combination, including MIDI controllers.

How do I add markers and regions in REAPER?

Press M to drop a marker at the play or edit cursor, and Shift+R to create a region from the current time selection. Number keys 1 through 0 jump to markers 1 through 10.