App Basics
Opening Files
File Menu
Use the File menu to load media into QCView:
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open Media | Ctrl + O |
| Open Project | Ctrl + Shift + O |
| New Project | Clears the current project |
| New Playlist | Creates an empty playlist |
| New Dual View | Opens side-by-side comparison |
Drag and Drop
You can also drag files directly into the app. The Viewer border highlights when a drop target is detected.
To load files already in your project, double-click them in the Project Manager or drag them into the Viewer.
Layout
Panels
Toggle panels from the View menu or with keyboard shortcuts:
| Panel | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Project | Ctrl + 1 |
| Inspector | Ctrl + 2 |
| Timeline | Ctrl + 3 |
| Color | Ctrl + 4 |
| Annotations | Ctrl + 5 |
Layout Presets
| Preset | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Default View | Ctrl + 0 | Standard layout with key panels |
| Show All Panels | Ctrl + 9 | Opens every panel |
| Minimal View | Ctrl + - | Viewport and timeline only (toggle) |
| Full Screen | F | Viewer only, no UI. Press F or Esc to exit |
Panel Shortcuts
Right-clicking the Show All Panels button also reveals panel toggles.
Resizing and Closing Panels
Drag the dividers between panels to resize them. Click the X in a panel’s top-right corner to close it.
Use Ctrl + R or View > Reset Layout to restore default proportions.
Backgrounds and Overlays
Backgrounds
QCView provides four background options for reviewing alpha-channel media: grey (default), black, dark checkerboard, and light checkerboard. Alpha channels in any media pass through to the selected background.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open background panel | Ctrl + Shift + B |
| Cycle backgrounds | B |
Title Safety Guides
Open the Title Safety panel with Ctrl + / to overlay broadcast and social-media safety guides on the Viewer. Choose a guide color with the color picker — your selection is saved in settings. Toggle the button again to remove the overlay.
OCIO Presets
Open the OCIO Color Preset panel with Ctrl + C to apply a color correction preset to the Viewer. Presets use OCIO node trees — see the Color page for details.
Themes
QCView can use your Windows Accent Color for UI highlights, or you can choose from several built-in color themes.
