Cheatsheet - Darktable
1. Global Navigation & Setup
| View / Action | Shortcut | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lighttable (Import/Culling) | L |
The main DAM/catalog view. |
| Darkroom (Editing) | D |
Where image processing happens. |
| Map View | M |
View images by location metadata. |
| Tethering View | T |
For connecting a camera and shooting directly to the application. |
| Toggle Panels/Borders | Tab |
Hides all side and top panels for a clear view. |
| Full Screen Mode | F11 |
Toggles darktable's window full screen. |
| Show All Shortcuts | H |
Contextual help: Shows all available shortcuts for the current view. |
| Undo / Redo (Global) | Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y |
|
| Preferences | Ctrl+comma (,) |
2. Lighttable (Culling & Organization)
Use this view for sorting, rating, and quick adjustments.
| Action | Shortcut Key(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rating (Stars) | 1 to 5 |
Set star rating for selected images. |
| Reject Image | R |
Mark as rejected (will be excluded from export). |
| Zero Rating | 0 (Zero) |
Remove star rating. |
| Color Labels | F1 to F5 |
Assign a color label (e.g., Red, Yellow, Green). |
| Toggle Culling Mode | X |
View multiple selected images side-by-side for comparison. |
| Full Preview (Sticky) | Ctrl+Alt+W |
Display a single image full screen with focus detection overlay. |
| Duplicate Image | Ctrl+Shift+D |
Creates a copy of the image and its history stack. |
| Copy History Stack | Ctrl+C |
Copies the entire edit history from the selected image. |
| Paste History Stack | Ctrl+V |
Pastes the history onto the target image(s). |
| Export Selected | Ctrl+E |
Jumps to the Export Module in the right panel. |
3. Darkroom (Editing & Processing)
The heart of darktable, where you apply modules to the image.
| Action | Shortcut Key(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle Overexposure/Clipping | O |
Shows clipped highlights (Red) and shadows (Blue). Crucial for exposure setting. |
| Toggle Focus Peaking | Ctrl+Shift+F |
Visual aid to see which areas are in focus (heat map). |
| Toggle Black/White Preview | Z |
Preview the image in monochrome. |
| Full Preview (Toggle Mask) | Ctrl+B |
Toggle the full mask view for active drawn/parametric masks. |
| Zoom to 100% / 200% | Middle Mouse Button |
Toggles between fit-to-screen, 100%, and 200% zoom. |
| Toggle Module On/Off | Shift+Click |
Click on the module name while holding Shift. |
| Mask Hardness (Drawn Masks) | Shift+Scroll Wheel |
Adjusts the feathering of the brush. |
| Mask Opacity (Drawn Masks) | Ctrl+Scroll Wheel |
Adjusts the transparency of the brush. |
4. Scene-referred Workflow Module Quick Reference
The recommended darktable workflow is Scene-referred, processing the RAW data linearly before tone mapping. This generally produces superior results to the older "Display-referred" (Base Curve) method.
| Module | Purpose in Workflow | Key Action / Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Exposure | Set the overall brightness. This is often the first module in the pixel pipeline. | Use the eyedropper to sample a neutral-grey area for automatic correction, or manually adjust. Set the black point. |
| White Balance | Correct color cast. | Set to 'camera' or 'as shot' initially. Use the eyedropper on a neutral grey/white in the scene. |
| Lens Correction | Fix lens distortions (vignetting, barrel/pincushion distortion). | Simply activate the module; darktable automatically detects the lens data. |
| Denoise (profiled) | Remove image noise. | Place early in the pipeline. Start with default settings, which are usually excellent. |
| Filmic RGB or Sigmoid | Tone Mapping (Contrast Curve). Maps the scene's dynamic range to the display's smaller range. | Choose ONE (Sigmoid is often simpler for beginners). Adjust the Contrast and ensure the histogram fits within the boundaries. |
| Color Calibration | Precise white balance and color shifts. | Offers advanced controls beyond the simple White Balance module. Use the Chromatic Adaptation tab for accurate color temperature. |
| Color Balance RGB | Color Grading and Final Pop. Used for saturation, contrast, and adding mood/color shifts. | Use the Global Chroma/Luma controls to fine-tune saturation and contrast for a final "pop." |
| Tone Equalizer | Adjust specific brightness levels (shadows, highlights) locally. | Use the Compress/Expand controls with the parametric mask. It is an extremely powerful tool for taming dynamic range. |
| Diffuse or Sharpen | Sharpening, local contrast, and adding diffusion/bloom effects. | Use presets like "Sharpen Demosaicing" or "Local Contrast" for quick results. |
| Crop and Rotate | Straighten and compose the image. | Use to level the horizon (R in Lighttable or C in Darkroom to enter Crop mode). |