Configuration Keys

Location

If an appdatadir folder is supplied (see below), the configuration file is named shotcut.ini in the folder. Otherwise, where the configuration lives depends on the operating system:

Windows

The settings are stored in the registry at key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Meltytech\Shotcut\.

Linux

The settings are stored in ~/.config/Meltytech/Shotcut.conf, which is a text file in INI format.

macOS

The settings are stored in ~/Library/Preferences/com.meltytech.Shotcut.plist, which is a binary plist file.

Keys

How the category appears depends on the config file format. Linux conf and Windows INI file uses sections (square brackets), Windows registry uses a sub-key (except General), and macOS plist prefixes the key name followed by a period and the key (except General). In Windows registry, a bool is stored as a string: true or false.

Key Type Description    
General        
language string lowercase, two-letter ISO 639 language code, or <language>_<country> where <country> is an uppercase, two- or three-letter ISO 3166 country code (Settings > Language)    
imageDuration real number the default duration of a newly opened image file    
openPath string the file system path for the file-open dialog    
savePath string the file system path for the file-save dialog    
recent string list list of recent media and XML files with full path: comma-separated in Linux or Windows INI, multi-string in Windows registry, and array of strings in macOS plist (View > Recent)    
    This is no longer saved here as of version 23.05.07 and moved to a separate recent.ini text file.    
clearRecent bool Setting > Clear Recent on Exit    
theme string UI theme, one of: dark, light, or system (Settings > Theme)    
titleBars bool whether to show the title bar for UI panels (View > Show Title Bars)    
toolBar bool whether to show the main tool bar at the top of the main window (View > Show Toolbar)    
geometry binary before version 23.05.07, the size and position of the windows    
geometry2 binary as of version 23.05.07, the size and position of the windows    
geometryDefault binary used to save View > Layout > Restore Default Layout    
windowState binary before version 23.05.07, the current layout of the UI panels    
windowState2 binary as of 23.05.07, the current layout of the UI panels    
windowStateDefault binary used to save View > Layout > Restore Default Layout    
showConvertClipDialog bool whether to continue to show the Convert to Edit-friendly dialog for variable frame rate or non-seekable files    
opengl integer Settings > Display Method, in decimal: 0 (Automatic), 15 (OpenGL), 16 (DirectX, Windows only), or 17 (Software)    
    This is no longer used on Windows and macOS as of version 23.05.07.    
noupgrade bool whether to show the prompt to check for upgrade upon app launch    
appdatadir string the file system path where to load configuration. If this is set, then all the remaining configuration keys are read from shotcut.ini instead of the registry (Windows), plist (macOS), or ~/.config (Linux).    
checkUpgradeAutomatic bool whether to check for an update automatically at startup (default false)    
askUpgradeAutomatic bool whether to ask if you want to check for an update automatically (default true)    
projectsFolder string the file system path in which project folders are created    
undoLimit integer the maximum number of undo commands in View > History (default 1000)    
exportFrameSuffix string the last used format for File > Export Frame (default .png)    
convertAdvanced bool whether to keep the Advanced section of the Convert dialog open (default false)    
jobPriority string the priority of background melt and ffmpeg jobs such as export and proxy: low (default) or normal    
audioInput string the most recently chosen audio device in Open Other > Audio/Video Device (default first input)    
videoInput string the most recently chosen video device in Open Other > Audio/Video Device (default first input)    
glaxnimatePath string the path to the glaxnimate executable if glaxnimate (default “glaxnimate” in same dir as shotcut executable)    
exportRangeMarkers bool File > Export > Markers as Chapters > Include ranges    
warnLowMemory bool whether to check for low CPU RAM memory and show a warning dialog (default true)    
backupPeriod integer how frequently to backup the project file in minutes (default 1440 daily)    
markers        
color string the color to use for a new marker (default green)    
columns/color bool whether to show the Color column (default true)    
columns/text bool whether to show the Text column (default true)    
columns/start bool whether to show the Start column (default true)    
columns/end bool whether to show the End column (default true)    
columns/duration bool whether to show the Duration column (default true)    
sortColumn integer the column on which to sort (default -1, unsorted or natural order)    
sortOrder integer whether to sort ascending (0, default) or descending (1)    
proxy        
enabled bool for Settings > Proxy > Use Proxy (default false)    
folder string for Settings > Proxy > Storage > Set…. (default a sub-folder “proxies” of the App Data Directory)    
projectFolder bool for Settings > Proxy > Storage > Use Project Folder (default true)    
useHardware bool for Settings > Proxy > Use Hardware Encoder (default false)    
playlist        
viewMode string one of: detailed, icons, or tiled    
thumbnails string how to show the thumbnails in the Playlist panel, one of: hidden, wide, tall, small, large    
autoplay bool whether to automatically start playing after opening a clip from the playlist    
previewScale integer the vertical resolution to use for preview scaling, default 0 means none/inactive    
encode        
path string the file system path for Export > Export File    
freeSpaceCheck bool whether to continue checking if a storage volume has sufficient space for storing Video    
hardware string list list of hardware encoders available on this system: comma-separated in Linux or Windows INI, multi-string in Windows registry, and array of strings in macOS plist (View > Recent)    
useHardware bool whether to use hardware encoding if available (default false)    
advanced bool whether to always show the Advanced mode for Export (default false)    
player        
audioChannels integer the number of audio channels to use (Settings > Audio Channels)    
audioDriver string Settings > Player > Audio API (only on Linux or Windows)    
deinterlacer string one of: onefield, linearblend, yadif-nospatial, or yadif (Settings > Deinterlacer)    
external string for Settings > External Monitor, one of: sdi (Linsys card), decklink:<N> (Blackmagic Design peripheral), or <N> (screen)    
gpu bool before version 23.05.07, whether Settings > GPU Effects is on (default false)    
gpu2 bool as of v23.05.07, whether Settings > GPU Effects is on (default false)    
warnGPU bool before version 23.05.07, whether to show warning dialog when GPU Effects is on (default true)    
jack bool whether Settings > Use JACK Audio is on    
interpolation string for Settings > Interpolation, one of: nearest, bilinear, bicubic, or hyper (Lanczos)    
keyer integer for Settings > External Monitor > Decklink Keyer, one of: 0 (Off), 1 (Internal), 2 (External)    
muted bool whether the player volume is muted    
profile string for Settings > View Mode, see file names in share/mlt/profiles for a list of values or blank for Automatic    
progressive bool whether Settings > Progressive is on    
realtime bool whether Settings > Realtime is on    
scrubAudio bool whether Settings > Scrub Audio is on    
videoDelayMs real number for Settings > Synchronization… (default 0)    
volume integer the player volume level as a percentage    
zoom real number the player’s current zoom level as a factor from 0 to 2 where 0 means “Fit”    
timeline        
dragScrub bool Timeline > Scrub while dragging (default false)    
thumbnails bool Timeline > menu > Show Video Thumbnails    
waveforms bool Timeline > menu > Show Audio Waveforms    
ripple bool Timeline > Ripple trim and drop    
rippleAllTracks bool Timeline > menu > Ripple All Tracks    
rippleMarkers bool Timeline > toolbar > Ripple timeline markers with edits (default false)    
scrollZoom bool Timeline > menu > Scroll to Playhead on Zoom    
snap bool Timeline > Toggle snapping    
trackHeight integer Timeline > menu > Make Tracks Shorter/Taller    
audioReferenceTrack integer Timeline > menu > Align To Reference Track > Reference audio track (last used)    
audioReferenceSpeedRange real number Timeline > menu > Align To Reference Track > Speed adjustment range (default 0)    
previewTransition bool transition Properties > Preview (default true)    
scrolling integer Settings > Timeline > Scrolling, one of: 0 (No), 1 (Center), 2 (Page, default), 3 (Smooth)    
autoAddTracks bool Settings > Timeline > Automatically Add Tracks (default false)    
rectangleSelect bool Settings > Timeline > Rectangle Select (default true)    
filter        
favorite/<filterId> string whether a filter is chosen as favorite, one of: yes or no. See all the meta.qml files in share/shotcut/qml/filters for the filter IDs.    
askOutput bool whether to show warning dialog about adding filters to Timeline Output    
audioInDuration real number the default Fade Audio In duration in seconds    
audioOutDuration real number the default Fade Audio Out duration in seconds    
videoInDuration real number the default Fade Video In duration in seconds    
videoOutDuration real number the default Fade Video Out duration in seconds    
scope        
loudness/integrated bool View > Scopes > Audio Loudness > menu > Integrated Loudness    
loudness/shortterm bool View > Scopes > Audio Loudness > menu > Short Term Loudness    
loudness/momentary bool View > Scopes > Audio Loudness > menu > Momentary Loudness    
loudness/range bool View > Scopes > Audio Loudness > menu > Loudness Range    
loudness/peak bool View > Scopes > Audio Loudness > menu > Peak    
loudness/truepeak bool View > Scopes > Audio Loudness > menu > True Peak    
layout        
layouts string list the names of all of the custom saved layouts    
mode integer which of the layout modes is selected: 0 = custom, 1 = Logging, 2 = Editing, 3 = FX, 4 = Color, 5 = Audio, 6 = Player    
<custom layout name>_geometry binary the size and position of the windows    
<custom layout name>_state binary the layout of the UI panels    
shortcuts        
* string These store the custom keyboard shortcuts. There can be many of these keyed roughly on their English name. The value is one or two “   “-separated key sequences.
slideshow        
clipDuration real number Clip duration in seconds, default 10    
aspectConversion integer Aspect ratio conversion: 0 for pad black, 1 for center crop (default), 2 for crop and pan, 3 for blur pad    
zoomPercent integer Zoom effect in %, default 10    
transitionDuration real number Transition duration in seconds, default 2    
transitionStyle integer Transition type, default 2 (dissolve)    
transitionSoftness real number Transition softness in %, default 20    

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Shotcut is a free, open source, cross-platform video editor for Windows, Mac and Linux. Major features include support for a wide range of formats; no import required meaning native timeline editing; Blackmagic Design support for input and preview monitoring; and resolution support to 4k.

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