Ableton Live keyboard shortcuts for Mac
The 38 Ableton Live shortcuts people reach for most, grouped by task. Keys are shown as macOS prints them: ⌘ Command, ⌥ Option, ⇧ Shift, ⌃ Control.
Single-letter shortcuts need ⇧ while Live’s computer MIDI keyboard is on.
Updated
Transport
| Play from start / stop | Space |
| Continue from stop point | ⇧Space |
| Record | F9 |
| Arm Arrangement recording | ⇧F9 |
| Record to Session View | ⇧⌘F9 |
| Back to Arrangement | F10 |
| Metronome on / off | O |
Views
| Switch Session / Arrangement | Tab |
| Switch Device / Clip View | ⇧Tab |
| Show / hide Browser | ⌥⌘B |
| Show / hide Mixer | ⌥⌘M |
| Toggle full screen | ⌃⌘F |
| Open Settings | ⌘, |
Tracks
| New audio track | ⌘T |
| New MIDI track | ⇧⌘T |
| New return track | ⌥⌘T |
| Arm selected tracks | C |
| Solo selected tracks | S |
| Group tracks | ⌘G |
| Freeze / unfreeze tracks | ⌥⇧⌘F |
Editing
| Undo | ⌘Z |
| Redo | ⇧⌘Z |
| Duplicate | ⌘D |
| Rename | ⌘R |
| Split clip at selection | ⌘E |
| Consolidate to clip | ⌘J |
| Quantize | ⌘U |
| Loop selection on / off | ⌘L |
| Draw Mode | B |
Session View
| Launch selected clip | Return |
| Insert MIDI clip | ⇧⌘M |
| Insert scene | ⌘I |
Files & export
| New Live Set | ⌘N |
| Open Live Set | ⌘O |
| Save Live Set | ⌘S |
| Save Live Set as | ⇧⌘S |
| Export audio / video | ⇧⌘R |
| Export MIDI file | ⇧⌘E |
Checked against Ableton’s documentation (Ableton Live 12, Reference Manual chapter 42 'Live Keyboard Shortcuts' (checked 2026-10-06)): ableton.com/en/manual/live-keyboard-shortcuts/. Shortcuts can change between versions and with your own key settings. Spotted a mistake? support@remolo.app.
The same keys on your iPhone
Remolo turns your iPhone into a panel of buttons for your Mac. This set switches on by itself when Ableton Live is in front, so the keys you use most are one tap away — no reaching across the desk.
- Play / stopSpace
- Continue⇧Space
- RecordF9
- MetronomeO
- Session / Arr.Tab
- Loop⌘L
- Undo⌘Z
- Redo⇧⌘Z
- Save⌘S
- Duplicate⌘D
- Split⌘E
- Back to Arr.F10
With the next Remolo update you’ll add this set with one tap from this page. Until then, build it in Buttons → Edit, or start from the ready-made profiles in Remolo’s gallery. Button profiles are part of Remolo Pro.
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