vMix Shortcuts

As your live productions become more complex, vMix makes it easy to access commands via your keyboard or MIDI device using shortcuts. Nearly anything you can do in vMix, you can do with just a keystroke or button press.

Getting Started

To get started, just click on the settings button in the upper right corner of your interface. Then select Shortcuts from the options in the left column. If you have yet to set up any shortcuts, you will see a blank screen. Across the top, you will see tabs for the multiple options for assigning shortcuts to different devices, including the keyboard, MIDI controller, control surface, ShuttlePROv2, or joystick. Start by learning how to set up a keyboard shortcut.

Setting Up a Keyboard Shortcut

Click the Add button at the bottom of the screen. That will open up the Add Shortcut dialog box. You can either type in the key in the Key/Control field or hit the Find button. If you hit the Find button, another box will open and wait for you to press a key. Once you do and it is correct, press OK.

The next field down sets the function for that key. Click the down arrow to see all possible functions arranged by categories. Click to choose the process you wish to assign to that key. Next, you can select the duration for transition effects. Then, select the input you would like to apply the transition to. That can either be the preview window or any of the existing inputs. By ticking the box below, you can assign the shortcut to a specific input number. 

You can then add a title and description to the shortcut and determine whether this will be a global shortcut available anywhere in vMix or local, assigned only to the current preset. You can also tick the box if you want this preset to be available in the vMix web controller. Then just click OK.

Once you have shortcuts set up, you can go to the shortcuts menu to add new shortcuts, edit, or even clone existing shortcuts. During the cloning process, you will find that you can assign multiple shortcuts to the same key. This is useful if you want to trigger multiple functions with one click.

Setting Up Shortcuts on External Devices

The process of adding shortcuts for a MIDI device, control surface, ShuttlePROv2, or a joystick is similar. Before starting, be sure that your device is connected and set up in vMix. From there, simply click Add. Next click Find and then press or activate the button you wish to use. The rest of the process is the same.

If you want to set up a lot of shortcuts at once, you may want to look at the templates found at the lower right corner of the shortcut’s menu. There are multiple templates for keyboards, MIDI devices, and other controllers. They come preloaded with functions assigned to keys, but they are entirely customizable to fit your specific needs.

Start Learning vMix

• What is vMix. Learn here
• Getting Started with the vMix interface here
• Learn how to work with vMix inputs here
• Mixing Inputs Together with vMix Multiview here
• Learn about vMix titles here
• Learn how to mix Audio in vMix here
• Learn how to use VST3 audio plugins with vMix here
• Learn all about vMix settings here
• Learn about how to use vMix Full Screen and Multiview here
• Learn how to record video with vMix here
• Learn how to live stream with vMix here
• Learn how to use vMix video overlay channels here
• Learn how to make Stinger Transitions in vMix here
• Learn how to use social media comments in your live stream with vMix Social here
• Learn how to use vMix shortcuts here
• Learn how to use GT Title Editor to make custom vMix titles here
• How to use vMix Call to bring guests in your live stream here
• How to control vMix remotely with the web controller here
• How to use vMix color correction tools here
• How to use virtual sets with vMix here
• How to use NDI with vMix here
• How to control PTZ cameras in vMix here
• Learn how to connect vMix with Zoom using the virtual webcam output here
• Learn how to use automated playlists with vMix here
• Learn how to use data sources with vMix here
• Learn how to use vMix triggers here