How to Save Custom Workspace Layout in Kdenlive

This article provides a quick, step-by-step guide on how to arrange, save, and manage your custom workspace layouts in Kdenlive. By tailoring the interface to your specific video editing needs, you can significantly speed up your editing workflow and easily switch between different editing phases like cutting, color grading, and audio mixing.

Step 1: Customize Your Workspace

Before saving a layout, you need to arrange the Kdenlive interface to your liking.

1. Move Panels: Click and drag the title bar of any tab or panel (such as the Project Bin, Properties, or Timeline) to dock it in a new position.
2. Open/Close Windows: Go to the View menu at the top of the screen and check or uncheck specific tools (like the Audio Mixer or Effect Palette) to show or hide them.
3. Resize Areas: Hover your mouse over the borders between panels and drag to resize them.

Step 2: Save Your Custom Layout

Once you have arranged the interface to suit your workflow, you can save it as a custom template.

1. Click on the View menu in the top menu bar.
2. Hover over Layouts (in some versions, this option is directly under View as Save Layout As…).
3. Click on Save Layout As….
4. A dialog box will appear. Type a descriptive name for your custom layout (e.g., “Color Grading” or “Audio Editing”).
5. Click OK to save.

Step 3: Switch Between Layouts

You can quickly switch between Kdenlive’s default layouts and your new custom layout:

• Using the Menu: Go to View > Layouts and select your saved layout from the list.
• Using Keyboard Shortcuts: You can load layouts using keyboard shortcuts (typically Ctrl + F10 through Ctrl + F12 depending on your configuration).
• Using the Layout Toolbar: If enabled, you can click on the layout names in the top-right corner of the Kdenlive window to swap workspaces instantly.

How to Manage or Delete Custom Layouts

If you need to rename, update, or delete a saved workspace:

1. Go to View > Layouts > Manage Layouts….
2. Select your custom layout from the list.
3. Click Delete to remove it, or use the save option again with the same name to overwrite and update your existing layout.