Keyboard shortcuts
Driving the show from the laptop's keyboard, for when the iPad is out of reach.
Downstage 0.9.0 · updated 13 Oct 2026These work in the Downstage window on the Mac — or in any browser showing the show screen, with a keyboard attached.
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| Space | Play, when Live is stopped. |
| Hold Space | Stop, when Live is playing. The same press-and-hold as the button: a tap does nothing. |
| → | Next song in the setlist. |
| ← | Previous song in the setlist. |
| L | Loop the section you are in, or release the loop. |
In the setlist editor:
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ on a row's handle | Move that song up or down the setlist. |
| Return in a note | Save the note. |
| Esc in a note | Leave it as it was. |
In the docs:
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| ⌘K | Search these docs. |
When they are switched off
So that typing never drives the transport, the show shortcuts do nothing while:
- Backstage is open,
- you are typing in a field,
- a panel such as Click & cues is open.
The arrow keys and L respect Lock in the same way the buttons do: L is ignored while locked; Space and the arrows are transport, and still work.
Pedals
A Bluetooth page-turner pedal sends key presses, usually the arrow keys, to whichever app is in front. On an iPad in Split View that should be your charts app, and Downstage is built not to take focus away from it. Pedal control of Downstage itself is not available yet.