diff --git a/toonz/sources/include/toonzqt/menubarcommand.h b/toonz/sources/include/toonzqt/menubarcommand.h
index b1b677b..eb30a07 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/include/toonzqt/menubarcommand.h
+++ b/toonz/sources/include/toonzqt/menubarcommand.h
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ public:
                       const QString &offText);
 
   std::string getIdFromAction(QAction *action);
+
+  // load user defined shortcuts
+  void loadShortcuts();
 };
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/main.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/main.cpp
index a73a30b..bc28d1b 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/main.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/main.cpp
@@ -522,8 +522,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
   loadShaderInterfaces(ToonzFolder::getLibraryFolder() + TFilePath("shaders"));
 
-  splash.showMessage(offsetStr + "Initializing OpenToonz ...",
-                     Qt::AlignCenter, Qt::white);
+  splash.showMessage(offsetStr + "Initializing OpenToonz ...", Qt::AlignCenter,
+                     Qt::white);
   a.processEvents();
 
   TTool::setApplication(TApp::instance());
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/mainwindow.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/mainwindow.cpp
index a14fa28..e9b13f7 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -380,6 +380,8 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(const QString &argumentLayoutFileName, QWidget *parent,
   m_toolsActionGroup->setExclusive(true);
   m_currentRoomsChoice = Preferences::instance()->getCurrentRoomChoice();
   defineActions();
+  // user defined shortcuts will be loaded here
+  CommandManager::instance()->loadShortcuts();
   TApp::instance()->getCurrentScene()->setDirtyFlag(false);
 
   // La menuBar altro non è che una toolbar
@@ -2357,9 +2359,9 @@ RecentFiles::~RecentFiles() {}
 
 void RecentFiles::addFilePath(QString path, FileType fileType) {
   QList<QString> files =
-      (fileType == Scene) ? m_recentScenes : (fileType == Level)
-                                                 ? m_recentLevels
-                                                 : m_recentFlipbookImages;
+      (fileType == Scene)
+          ? m_recentScenes
+          : (fileType == Level) ? m_recentLevels : m_recentFlipbookImages;
   int i;
   for (i = 0; i < files.size(); i++)
     if (files.at(i) == path) files.removeAt(i);
@@ -2484,9 +2486,9 @@ void RecentFiles::saveRecentFiles() {
 
 QList<QString> RecentFiles::getFilesNameList(FileType fileType) {
   QList<QString> files =
-      (fileType == Scene) ? m_recentScenes : (fileType == Level)
-                                                 ? m_recentLevels
-                                                 : m_recentFlipbookImages;
+      (fileType == Scene)
+          ? m_recentScenes
+          : (fileType == Level) ? m_recentLevels : m_recentFlipbookImages;
   QList<QString> names;
   int i;
   for (i = 0; i < files.size(); i++) {
@@ -2513,9 +2515,9 @@ void RecentFiles::refreshRecentFilesMenu(FileType fileType) {
     menu->setEnabled(false);
   else {
     CommandId clearActionId =
-        (fileType == Scene) ? MI_ClearRecentScene : (fileType == Level)
-                                                        ? MI_ClearRecentLevel
-                                                        : MI_ClearRecentImage;
+        (fileType == Scene)
+            ? MI_ClearRecentScene
+            : (fileType == Level) ? MI_ClearRecentLevel : MI_ClearRecentImage;
     menu->setActions(names);
     menu->addSeparator();
     QAction *clearAction = CommandManager::instance()->getAction(clearActionId);
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonzqt/menubarcommand.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonzqt/menubarcommand.cpp
index 723cfda..2ab4af3 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonzqt/menubarcommand.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonzqt/menubarcommand.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "toonzqt/dvdialog.h"
 #include "toonzqt/gutil.h"
 #include "toonz/toonzfolders.h"
+#include "tsystem.h"
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <QObject>
 #include <QAction>
@@ -130,36 +131,12 @@ void CommandManager::define(CommandId id, CommandType type,
 
   m_qactionTable[qaction] = node;
   qaction->setShortcutContext(Qt::ApplicationShortcut);
-
-  TFilePath fp = ToonzFolder::getModuleFile("shortcuts.ini");
-  QSettings settings(toQString(fp), QSettings::IniFormat);
-  settings.beginGroup("shortcuts");
+  // user defined shortcuts will be loaded afterwards in loadShortcuts()
   QString defaultShortcutQString =
       QString::fromStdString(defaultShortcutString);
-  /*-
-          Some shortcuts may just removed from the default settings.
-          So you need to distinguish between "shortcut is not defined by user"
-  and "shortcut is removed (i.e. defined as "") by user".
-  -*/
-  QString shortcutString = settings.value(id, "undefined").toString();
-  settings.endGroup();
-
-  if (shortcutString != "" && shortcutString != "undefined") {
-    // User-defined shortcuts. It may have been assigned as a shortcut by
-    // default to some other command
-    QAction *other = getActionFromShortcut(shortcutString.toStdString());
-    if (other) other->setShortcut(QKeySequence());
-  } else if (defaultShortcutQString != "" && shortcutString == "undefined") {
-    // Shortcut key set by default. Check if the key already been assigned to
-    // another action
-    QAction *other =
-        getActionFromShortcut(defaultShortcutQString.toStdString());
-    if (!other) shortcutString = defaultShortcutQString;
-  }
-
-  if (shortcutString != "" && shortcutString != "undefined") {
-    qaction->setShortcut(QKeySequence(shortcutString));
-    m_shortcutTable[shortcutString.toStdString()] = node;
+  if (!defaultShortcutQString.isEmpty()) {
+    qaction->setShortcut(QKeySequence(defaultShortcutQString));
+    m_shortcutTable[defaultShortcutString] = node;
   }
 
   if (type == ToolCommandType) updateToolTip(qaction);
@@ -407,6 +384,44 @@ std::string CommandManager::getIdFromAction(QAction *action) {
     return "";
 }
 
+//---------------------------------------------------------
+// load user defined shortcuts
+
+void CommandManager::loadShortcuts() {
+  TFilePath fp = ToonzFolder::getMyModuleDir() + TFilePath("shortcuts.ini");
+  if (!TFileStatus(fp).doesExist()) {
+    // if user shortcut file does not exist, then try to load from template
+    TFilePath tmplFp =
+        ToonzFolder::getTemplateModuleDir() + TFilePath("shortcuts.ini");
+    if (TFileStatus(tmplFp).doesExist()) TSystem::copyFile(fp, tmplFp);
+    // if neither settings exist, do nothing and return
+    else
+      return;
+  }
+
+  QSettings settings(toQString(fp), QSettings::IniFormat);
+  settings.beginGroup("shortcuts");
+  QStringList ids = settings.allKeys();
+  for (int i = 0; i < ids.size(); i++) {
+    std::string id   = ids.at(i).toStdString();
+    QString shortcut = settings.value(ids.at(i), "").toString();
+    QAction *action  = getAction(&id[0], false);
+    if (action) {
+      QString oldShortcut = action->shortcut().toString();
+      if (oldShortcut == shortcut) continue;
+      if (!oldShortcut.isEmpty())
+        m_shortcutTable.erase(oldShortcut.toStdString());
+      if (!shortcut.isEmpty()) {
+        QAction *other = getActionFromShortcut(shortcut.toStdString());
+        if (other) other->setShortcut(QKeySequence());
+        m_shortcutTable[shortcut.toStdString()] = getNode(&id[0]);
+      }
+      action->setShortcut(QKeySequence(shortcut));
+    }
+  }
+  settings.endGroup();
+}
+
 /*
 //---------------------------------------------------------