Nuke Studio Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows Ctrl as the primary modifier, Alt for secondary actions. Function-key shortcuts (F5/F7 to render Comp containers or Write nodes) work directly.

Mac Cmd replaces Ctrl throughout, per Foundry's own note. Alt is written as Option here, the same physical key on a Mac keyboard. Every other key, including the mouse-button and drag-based shortcuts, works the same as on Windows.

Timeline editing. D enables or disables a shot, M and N insert a source Viewer's contents at the playhead (overwriting or rippling downstream), and the razor/move/edit tool cycles (Q, R, T) switch between related tool modes with one key.

Single-key node insertion. In the compositing side, the same letters as core Nuke drop nodes into the Node Graph: B (Blur), C (ColorCorrect), G (Grade), M (Merge), R (Read), W (Write).

Shared playback convention. J plays backward, K pauses, L plays forward, in both the Timeline and the compositing Viewer.

Versioning. Alt+Up/Down (Option+Up/Down on Mac) steps a clip or shot's version up or down, in the Timeline, the Timeline Viewer, and the Project/Tags/Versions Bin alike.

A printable PDF of Nuke Studio shortcuts is available for each platform. The Timeline editing keys and the node-insertion shortcuts are the ones worth keeping at your desk.

Nuke sits right next to Nuke Studio since it's the same compositing core without the editorial layer. Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, and Camtasia touch nearby stages of a video or VFX pipeline that Nuke Studio's editorial and compositing work feeds into or draws from.

What's the difference between Nuke and Nuke Studio shortcuts?

Nuke Studio includes every compositing shortcut from core Nuke (Node Graph, Viewer, Roto, Curve Editor) plus a dedicated Timeline and Timeline Viewer for editorial work: cutting shots, adding transitions, and managing versions across a sequence.

Do the node-insertion shortcuts (B, C, G, M, R, W) work the same in Nuke Studio?

Yes. They insert the same nodes (Blur, ColorCorrect, Grade, Merge, Read, Write) into the Node Graph exactly as they do in core Nuke, since Nuke Studio uses the same compositing engine.

How do I cycle between Nuke Studio's editing tools?

Q cycles between the move tools (Multi, Move/Trim, Select), R cycles between the edit tools (Ripple, Roll, Retime), and T cycles between the razor tools (Razor, Razor All, Join). Each press switches to the next tool in that set.

Are Nuke Studio's shortcuts the same on Windows and Mac?

Almost entirely. Foundry's documentation says to replace Ctrl with Cmd on Mac; every other key, including Shift combinations and the mouse-button gestures, stays the same.

This section lists official sources and documentation for Nuke Studio. Use these references to verify shortcut behavior instead of trusting old notes, screenshots, or memory.