Adjusting Panels in the User Interface

Shotcut features a highly flexible, dockable user interface based on the Qt framework. This allows you to rearrange, resize, stack, or even float panels to create a workspace that fits your specific hardware (such as dual monitors) and editing style.

Key UI Components

The interface is composed of several functional panels including the Playlist, Filters, Properties, Timeline, and various Scopes. You can toggle these on or off using the View menu. The main toolbar buttons either open the panel or if it is in a background tab, brings that tab to the front.

Resizing Panels

You can change the amount of screen real estate dedicated to any panel by dragging its edges. Hover your mouse over the border between two panels. The cursor will change to a double-headed arrow. Click and drag to resize both panels simultaneously.

Moving and Reordering Panels

Each panel (except the central player) has a title bar. You can use this to move the panel to a new location.

• To Move: Click and hold the title bar of a panel, then drag it toward another area of the screen.
• Drop Zones: As you drag, you will see blue “drop zones” appear.
  • Edge Zones: Dropping here will snap the panel to the side, top, or bottom of an existing panel.
  • Center Zone: Dropping in the center of an existing panel will create a Tabbed Group.

Tabbed Groups

To save space, you can stack multiple panels in the same area.

• Accessing Tabs: When panels are grouped, tabs appear at the bottom or top of the panel area. Click a tab (e.g., switching between “Playlist” and “Filters”) to bring that panel to the front.
• Reordering Tabs: You can click and drag the tabs themselves to change their left-to-right order.

Floating and Undocking Panels

If you use multiple monitors, you may want to move certain panels (like Scopes or the Timeline) to a second screen.

• Undock: Click the “undock” icon (two overlapping boxes) in the panel’s title bar, or simply drag the panel completely outside of the main Shotcut window.
• Redock: Drag the floating window back over the main Shotcut interface until a blue drop zone appears, then release.

Hiding and Showing Title Bars

For a cleaner look, you can hide the title bars of all panels.

• Menu: Go to View > Show Title Bars to toggle them.
• Note: You must have title bars visible to move or close panels using the mouse.

Closing Panels

If your workspace becomes cluttered, you can close any panel you aren’t using.

• Method 1: Click the X in the corner of the panel’s title bar.
• Method 2: Toggle the panel off in the View menu or the main toolbar.
• Method 3: Use the dedicated keyboard shortcut (e.g., Ctrl+6 for Filters).

Restoring the Layout

If your interface becomes disorganized or a panel “disappears,” you can quickly return to a known state.

• Restore Default: Go to View > Layout > Restore Default Layout.
• Presets: Shotcut includes several specialized layout presets such as Editing, Audio, Color, and FX. These can be found under the View > Layout menu.