Hotkey Editor

Lets you assign predefined commands, MEL scripts, or marking menus to keys and key combinations.

Related topics

Categories and Commands

Maya includes a large number of useful pre-defined hotkey commands. You can use these commands instead of writing your own MEL script.

Click a category in the Categories list to see the list of available pre-defined Commands in the category.

Click a command in the Commands list to see its current hotkey(s) or assign it to a new key.

Current hotkeys

List box: Shows all hotkeys that active the selected command.
Remove: Select a hotkey and click Remove to unassign the hotkey.
List All: Opens a window listing every assigned hotkey and its command. In this window you can use the tabs to switch from listing the hotkeys by key, or by category.
Restore Defaults: Returns all hotkey assignments to their “factory defaults” (the original commands they were assigned to when Maya was installed).

Assign New Hotkey

Key: Enter the key you want to assign to the selected command. Enter a letter from A to Z (upper and lower case are different keys) or a number from 0 to 9. You cannot use more than one letter or number.

Or, select a special key from the pull-down list. For example, if you want the right arrow key to act as the trigger, assign it here.

ImportantThe + W hotkey is reserved and cannot be assigned to Maya functions.
Modifier: Select either (Windows and Linux)/ (Mac OS X) or or (Mac OS X) for the hotkey modifier.
Direction: Use Press or Release to associate a command with the press or a release of a key. For example, you can create a hotkey to instruct Maya to snap to a curve when you press a key, then turn off the snapping when you release it.

If you added a key to an operation ending with (Press) or (Release), add the same key to the corresponding (Release) or (Press) operation.
Add to Recent Command List: Turn on so that this hotkey can appear in the Edit > Recent Commands List window.
Assign: Assigns the key in the Key field along with the Modifier and Direction to the select command in the Commands list. If your hotkey combination is already assigned to a command, a prompt appears asking if you would like to overwrite the assignment.
Query: Click Query to determine whether the specified key settings have already been assigned to a command.
Find: Click Find to highlight the category and command for the key you enter in the Key field.

Edit area

New: Create a new user-defined command which you can then assign to a hotkey.
Edit: Edit the selected user-defined command in the Commands list.
Delete: Delete the selected user-defined command in the Commands list.
Name: The name of the selected command.
Description: A description of the command’s purpose and effect.
Category: The category in which the command appears (in the Categories list box).
Command: The script that runs when the command is activated.
Accept: Click to save the command you are creating or editing. This button is only available after you click New or Edit to create or edit a command.
Cancel: Click to cancel editing a command. This button is only available after you click New or Edit to create or edit a command.
Search: Lets you search for text in the name or script of all defined commands. Use asterisks as wildcards.

List Hotkeys

This window appears when you click the List All button.

No Modifiers: Lists only single hotkeys, without or (Windows and Linux) or (Mac OS X).
Ctrl or Control: Lists only hotkeys with a -key combination.
Alt or Option: Lists only hotkeys with an or -key combination.
Command: Lists only hotkeys with a Command + key combination. Available for Mac OS X only.
List All: Lists all hotkeys.
Ignore Release: Turn on to ignore the hotkeys that activate when you release the key, versus when you press the key. Turn off to see all hotkeys, including the ones activated when you release the key.