Assign a predefined command to a hotkey

User Guide > General > Basics > Preferences and customization > Maya Hotkeys >

Maya includes a number of pre-made commands that correspond to the actions you can accomplish with the user interface (for example, opening editors or creating objects). These commands are organized into categories.

To assign a command to a hotkey

Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Hotkey Editor.
Click a category name in the Categories list to show a sublist of commands, then click the command you want to assign a hotkey to.
To find a command in the categories, click Search (near the bottom of the hotkey editor window) and type some text to find. Use * to match anything. To find all commands that start with Delete, type delete*. To find all commands with the word “light”, type *light*.
Type a key name in the Key text box and turn on any modifiers you want on the hotkey.
For example, type m in the text box and turn on the Alt setting to assign the marking menu to + m.

As you edit these settings, Maya shows the command currently assigned to the hotkey, if any. Only assign the hotkey if you don’t mind overriding this command.
Set the Direction option. If you select Press, Maya runs the command when you press the key down. If you select Release, Maya runs the command when you let the key up.
The distinction between Press and Release can be important, for example when you assign a hotkey to a snapping mode. You want to assign the command to turns the snapping mode on to the key press, and the command that turns the snapping mode off to the key release.
Click Assign.
If the hotkey you set already has a command assigned, Maya asks if you want to override it.