How to Use the Option-Delete Keyboard Shortcut in Final Cut Pro to Reset Color Correction Controls

Keyboard shortcut: OptionDelete

In Final Cut Pro, Option-Delete runs the command Color Correction: Reset Current Effect Pane. It resets the controls in the current color correction pane, the active color wheel, or the active color curve. It's a color correction shortcut, not a general reset for transforms, keyframes or audio.

Where It Works

Option-Delete works while you're adjusting a color correction in the Color inspector. Depending on what is active, it resets:

  • The current pane of a color correction effect, such as the pane you're working in on the Color Board.
  • The active color wheel in Color Wheels.
  • The active curve in Color Curves.

Only that part of the correction goes back to its defaults. The rest of your grade, and your other effects, stay as they are.

How to Use It

  1. Select a clip in the timeline and open the Color inspector.
  2. Add or choose a color correction and make some adjustments.
  3. Click the wheel, curve or pane you want to start over on, so it's active.
  4. Press Option-Delete. Those controls return to their default values.

When to Use It

  • You pushed the shadows wheel too far but like what you did with highlights and midtones.
  • Your luma curve went off the rails and you want a straight line again without losing your other curves.
  • You're comparing looks and want to quickly start one part of the grade from scratch.

Tips

  • Pay attention to which control is active before you press it, since that's what gets reset.
  • To compare against the original image, you can also turn the whole correction off with its checkbox in the inspector instead of resetting it.
  • If you reset the wrong control, Command-Z brings it back.

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