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.
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) | ||
| timeFormat | integer | Settings > Time Format, one of: 0 (Frames), 1 (Clock), 2 (Timecode Drop-Frame, default), 3 (Timecode Non-Drop Frame) | ||
| 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 | ||
| columns/clip | bool | whether to show the Clip name column in the details view (default true) | ||
| columns/date | bool | whether to show the Date column in the details view (default true) | ||
| colunms/duration | bool | whether to show the Duration column in the details view (default true) | ||
| columns/in | bool | whether to show the In point column in the details view (default true) | ||
| columns/start | bool | whether to show the Start time column in the details view (default true) | ||
| columns/thumbnails | bool | whether to show the Thumbnails column in the details view (default true) | ||
| 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” | ||
| keyframes | ||||
| dragScrub | bool | Keyframes > Scrub while dragging (default false) | ||
| 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 | ||
| subtitles | ||||
| 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) | ||
| trackTimeline | bool | Subtitles > menu > Track Timeline Cursor (default true) | ||
| showPrevNext | bool | Subtitles > menu > Show Previous/Next (default true) |