Reaper Keyboard Shortcuts: Complete Cheat Sheet (2026)

Reaper is the most customizable DAW on the planet, and that extends to its keyboard shortcuts. Every single action in the software, over 3,000 of them, can be bound to any key combination you choose. But before you customize, you need to know the defaults. This cheat sheet covers every essential keyboard shortcut across Reaper's main editing, transport, MIDI Editor, track management, and FX workflows, with both Windows and Mac key bindings listed for every entry.

At $60 for a personal license, Reaper gives you a production environment that you can shape to match exactly how your brain works. No other DAW at any price offers this. Print this sheet, tape it to your desk, and start building the muscle memory that wins Audeobox beat battles.

Battle Tip: In a timed beat battle, every menu click costs you creative time. The producers who consistently place on Audeobox are not necessarily more talented. They are faster. These shortcuts are the foundation of that speed.

Why Reaper Shortcuts Matter for Battles

Reaper's shortcut system goes beyond simple key bindings. Every shortcut maps to an Action in the Actions List, and you can chain Actions into Custom Actions (macros) that execute multi-step operations in a single keypress. This means the shortcut list below is just your starting point. Once you master the defaults, you can build custom shortcuts that automate your entire battle workflow.

The other unique advantage is that Reaper shortcuts are context-sensitive. The same key can do different things depending on which window is focused (arrange view, MIDI Editor, Media Explorer). This means you get more functionality from fewer keys without conflicts.

Transport controls handle playback, recording, and cursor movement. These are the shortcuts you use in every single session.

Action	Windows	Mac
Play / Stop	`Space`	`Space`
Pause	`Enter`	`Return`
Record	`Ctrl`+`R`	`Cmd`+`R`
Stop and move cursor to start	`W`	`W`
Move cursor to project start	`Home`	`Home`
Move cursor to project end	`End`	`End`
Move cursor left by grid	`Left`	`Left`
Move cursor right by grid	`Right`	`Right`
Move cursor to next beat	`.` (period)	`.` (period)
Move cursor to previous beat	`,` (comma)	`,` (comma)
Toggle repeat / loop	`R`	`R`
Toggle metronome	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`M`	`Cmd`+`Shift`+`M`
Zoom in horizontally	`+` or `Ctrl`+`=`	`+` or `Cmd`+`=`
Zoom out horizontally	`-`	`-`
Zoom to fit project	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`E`	`Cmd`+`Shift`+`E`
Zoom to time selection	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Z`	`Cmd`+`Shift`+`Z`
Scroll view left	`Alt`+`Left`	`Option`+`Left`
Scroll view right	`Alt`+`Right`	`Option`+`Right`

Editing Shortcuts

Editing shortcuts control Items, splitting, copying, and arrangement operations in the main arrange view.

Action	Windows	Mac
Split Item at cursor	`S`	`S`
Undo	`Ctrl`+`Z`	`Cmd`+`Z`
Redo	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Z`	`Cmd`+`Shift`+`Z`
Cut selected Items	`Ctrl`+`X`	`Cmd`+`X`
Copy selected Items	`Ctrl`+`C`	`Cmd`+`C`
Paste	`Ctrl`+`V`	`Cmd`+`V`
Duplicate Items	`Ctrl`+`D`	`Cmd`+`D`
Delete selected Items	`Delete`	`Delete`
Glue selected Items	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`G`	`Cmd`+`Shift`+`G`
Group selected Items	`G`	`G`
Ungroup selected Items	`U`	`U`
Toggle snap to grid	`Alt`+`S`	`Option`+`S`
Dynamic split	`D`	`D`
Heal split (rejoin)	`H`	`H`
Select all Items	`Ctrl`+`A`	`Cmd`+`A`
Open Item Properties	`F2`	`F2`
Cycle through Takes	`T`	`T`
Nudge Item left	`N`, then configure	`N`, then configure

Track Management

Track shortcuts handle creating, deleting, arming, and organizing tracks in your project.

Action	Windows	Mac
Insert new track	`Ctrl`+`T`	`Cmd`+`T`
Delete selected tracks	`Ctrl`+`Delete`	`Cmd`+`Delete`
Toggle track mute	`M` (with track selected)	`M` (with track selected)
Toggle track solo	`S` (with track selected, no Items)	`S` (with track selected, no Items)
Toggle record arm	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`R`	`Cmd`+`Shift`+`R`
Rename selected track	`F2` (with track header selected)	`F2` (with track header selected)
Move track up	`Alt`+`Shift`+`Up`	`Option`+`Shift`+`Up`
Move track down	`Alt`+`Shift`+`Down`	`Option`+`Shift`+`Down`
Select previous track	`Up`	`Up`
Select next track	`Down`	`Down`
Toggle folder track	`Shift`+`Tab`	`Shift`+`Tab`
Freeze track	`Ctrl`+`F5`	`Cmd`+`F5`

MIDI Editor Shortcuts

These shortcuts are active when the MIDI Editor is focused. They control note entry, selection, and manipulation in the piano roll.

Action	Windows	Mac
Select all notes	`Ctrl`+`A`	`Cmd`+`A`
Quantize notes	`Q`	`Q`
Humanize notes	Actions List (search "humanize")	Actions List (search "humanize")
Transpose up 1 semitone	`Shift`+`Up`	`Shift`+`Up`
Transpose down 1 semitone	`Shift`+`Down`	`Shift`+`Down`
Transpose up 1 octave	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Up`	`Cmd`+`Shift`+`Up`
Transpose down 1 octave	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Down`	`Cmd`+`Shift`+`Down`
Split note at cursor	`S`	`S`
Join selected notes	`J`	`J`
Delete selected notes	`Delete`	`Delete`
Move notes left by grid	`Left`	`Left`
Move notes right by grid	`Right`	`Right`
Toggle snap to grid	`Alt`+`S`	`Option`+`S`
Zoom to fit all notes	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Home`	`Cmd`+`Shift`+`Home`

FX and Routing

FX and routing shortcuts control plugin management and signal flow.

Action	Windows	Mac
Open FX Chain for track	`F` (with track selected)	`F` (with track selected)
Open FX Browser	`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`F`	`Cmd`+`Shift`+`F`
Open Take FX	`Shift`+`E`	`Shift`+`E`
Open track routing	`Alt`+`R`	`Option`+`R`
Bypass all FX on track	`B` (with track selected)	`B` (with track selected)
Open Actions List	`?`	`?`
Open Preferences	`Ctrl`+`P`	`Cmd`+`,`

Selection and Markers

Selection and marker shortcuts manage time selections, regions, and navigation markers for arranging.

Action	Windows	Mac
Set time selection start	`[`	`[`
Set time selection end	`]`	`]`
Remove time selection	`Escape`	`Escape`
Insert marker at cursor	`M`	`M`
Insert region from selection	`Shift`+`R`	`Shift`+`R`
Go to next marker	`]` (with no time sel)	`]` (with no time sel)
Go to previous marker	`[` (with no time sel)	`[` (with no time sel)
Jump to marker by number	`1`-`0` (numpad)	`1`-`0` (numpad)

Battle Combo Shortcuts

These shortcut sequences chain together for maximum production speed during beat battles.

Battle Technique	Shortcut Sequence
Quick track setup	`Ctrl`+`T` / `Cmd`+`T` to create track, then `F` to open FX Chain and add your instrument.
Rapid pattern building	Double-click to create MIDI Item, program your pattern, then `Ctrl`+`D` / `Cmd`+`D` to duplicate across bars.
Chop and rearrange	Select Item, press `D` for Dynamic Split, delete unwanted pieces with `Delete`, then `G` to group remaining Items.
Quick render check	Set time selection with `[` and `]`, then `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`R` / `Cmd`+`Option`+`R` to render the selected area.
Save project version	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`S` / `Cmd`+`Option`+`S` saves as a new version without overwriting. Use this before risky edits.

Remember: Every shortcut in this list can be changed. Press ? to open the Actions List, find any action, and reassign its key binding. Reaper is the only DAW where the shortcut system is fully programmable. Build the configuration that matches your hands and your brain, and you will outpace producers locked into fixed shortcut schemes on DAWs that cost ten times more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I customize keyboard shortcuts in Reaper?

Yes. Reaper has the most comprehensive shortcut customization of any DAW. Open the Actions List with the ? key, find any action, select it, and click Add in the Shortcuts section to assign any key combination. You can also remove or reassign existing shortcuts. Every action in Reaper, including custom actions you create, can be bound to any key.

Are Reaper shortcuts the same on Windows and Mac?

Most shortcuts follow the standard convention where Ctrl on Windows becomes Cmd on Mac, and Alt on Windows becomes Option on Mac. Some shortcuts like S for split, M for mute, and the transport controls (Space, R) are identical on both platforms. The Actions List shows the correct key binding for your operating system.

What is the most important Reaper shortcut to learn first?

The ? key to open the Actions List. This is the gateway to every operation in Reaper. If you forget any shortcut, press ? and search for the action by name. From there you can run the action directly or see what key it is bound to. It is the shortcut that teaches you all the other shortcuts.

How do I find what shortcut is assigned to a specific action?

Press ? to open the Actions List, then type the action name in the filter field. The shortcut column shows the current key binding for each action. If the column is empty, no shortcut is assigned and you can add one. You can also right-click any menu item in Reaper to see its assigned shortcut.

Why are some of my Reaper shortcuts not working?

Reaper shortcuts are context-sensitive. Shortcuts assigned in the Main section only work when the arrange view is focused. MIDI Editor shortcuts only work when the MIDI Editor is focused. Click inside the window you want to control before using shortcuts. Also check the Actions List to verify the shortcut is still assigned, as custom configurations can sometimes override defaults.