This page is a complete keyboard shortcut reference for After Effects on macOS, covering all 244 shortcuts organized into 30 sections. Whether you’re new to After Effects or looking to master advanced features, this cheat sheet has every key combination you need — from basic editing and navigation to app-specific power-user actions.
Keyboard shortcuts are the fastest way to work in After Effects. Every time you use a shortcut instead of reaching for the mouse, you save a few seconds — and those seconds compound into hours over weeks and months. Start with the shortcuts you use most (copy, paste, undo, save), then gradually add app-specific ones as they become relevant to your workflow. Bookmark this page or download the PDF cheat sheet for quick reference.
Using keyboard shortcuts in After Effects reduces context switching between keyboard and mouse, helping you maintain focus and work more efficiently. Research shows that shortcut-driven workflows can save up to 8 working days per year compared to menu-driven navigation. On macOS, most After Effects shortcuts follow standard conventions — once you learn the modifier key patterns, new shortcuts become intuitive.
Tips for Learning Shortcuts
- Practice one new After Effects shortcut each day. Muscle memory builds faster when you focus on a single combination at a time rather than trying to learn them all at once.
- Print or bookmark this page for quick reference while working in After Effects. Having shortcuts visible nearby helps bridge the gap between looking them up and recalling them from memory.
- Start with the shortcuts you use most. In After Effects, common actions like copy, paste, undo, and save are worth learning first since they apply across nearly every workflow.
Project & Files6
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New Project | ⌘N |
| Open Project | ⌘O |
| Save | ⌘S |
| Save As | ⇧⌘S |
| Import File | ⌘I |
| Close Project | ⌘W |
Composition & Timeline8
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Composition Settings | ⌘K |
| New Composition | ⇧⌘C |
| Set Work Area Begin | B |
| Set Work Area End | N |
| Go To Beginning | Home |
| Go To End | End |
| Prev Keyframe | J |
| Next Keyframe | K |
Preview2
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Play Pause | Space |
| Audio Preview | . |
Layers6
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New Solid | ⇧⌘N |
| Duplicate Layer | ⌘D |
| Bring Forward | ⌘] |
| Send Backward | ⌘[ |
| Bring To Front | ⇧⌘] |
| Send To Back | ⇧⌘[ |
Layer Properties (single-key reveals)7
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Position | P |
| Scale | S |
| Rotation | R |
| Opacity | T |
| Anchor Point | A |
| Show Keyframes | U |
| Show Effects | E |
Tools7
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Selection Tool | V |
| Rotation Tool | W |
| Pan Behind Tool | Y |
| Pen Tool | G |
| Shape Tool | Q |
| Zoom Tool | Z |
| Hand Tool | H |
General12
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.selectAll | ⌘A |
| shortcuts.after-effects.deselectAll | F2 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.renameSelectedLayerCompositionFolderEffectGroupOrMask | ↩ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveSelectedLayersMasksEffectsOrRenderItemsDownOrUpInStackingOrder | ⌥⌘↓ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveSelectedLayersMasksEffectsOrRenderItemsToBottomOrTopOfStackingOrder | ⌥⇧⌘↓ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.extendSelectionToNextItemInProjectPanelRenderQueuePanelOrEffectControlsPanel | ⇧↓ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.extendSelectionToPreviousItemInProjectPanelRenderQueuePanelOrEffectControlsPanel | ⇧↑ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.quit | ⌘Q |
| shortcuts.after-effects.undo | ⌘Z |
| shortcuts.after-effects.redo | ⇧⌘Z |
| shortcuts.after-effects.interruptRunningAScript | Esc |
| shortcuts.after-effects.displayFilenameCorrespondingToTheFrameAtTheCurrentTimeInTheInfoPanel | ⌥⌘E |
Projects5
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.newProject2 | ⌥⌘N |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openMostRecentProject | ⌥⇧⌘P |
| shortcuts.after-effects.newFolderInProjectPanel | ⌥⇧⌘N |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openProjectSettingsDialogBox | ⌥⇧⌘K |
| shortcuts.after-effects.findInProjectPanel | ⌘F |
Preferences1
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.openPreferencesDialogBox | ⌥⌘; |
Panels, viewers, workspaces21
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrCloseProjectPanel | ⌘0 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrCloseRenderQueuePanel | ⌥⌘0 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrCloseToolsPanel | ⌘1 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrCloseInfoPanel | ⌘2 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrClosePreviewPanel | ⌘3 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrCloseAudioPanel | ⌘4 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrCloseEffectsPresetsPanel | ⌘5 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrCloseCharacterPanel | ⌘6 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrCloseParagraphPanel | ⌘7 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrClosePaintPanel | ⌘8 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrCloseBrushesPanel | ⌘9 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOrCloseEffectControlsPanelForSelectedLayer | F3 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openFlowchartPanelForProjectFlowchart | ⌘F11 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.switchToWorkspace | ⇧F10, ⇧ F11, |
| shortcuts.after-effects.closeActivePanelOrAllViewersOfTypeOfActiveViewerForExampleIfATimelinePanelIsActiveThisCommandClosesAllTimelinePanels | ⇧⌘W |
| shortcuts.after-effects.maximizeOrRestorePanelUnderPointer | ` |
| shortcuts.after-effects.resizeApplicationWindowOrFloatingWindowToFitScreen | ⌘\\ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveApplicationWindowOrFloatingWindowToMainMonitorResizeWindowToFitScreen | ⌥⌘\\ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.toggleActivationBetweenCompositionPanelAndTimelinePanelForCurrentComposition | \\ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.cycleToPreviousOrNextItemInActiveViewer | ⇧, |
| shortcuts.after-effects.cycleToPreviousOrNextPanelInActiveFrame | ⌥⇧, |
Activate5
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.activateRotoBrushTool | ⌥W |
| shortcuts.after-effects.activateAndCycleThroughCameraTools | C |
| shortcuts.after-effects.activateAndCycleThroughTypeTools | ⌘T |
| shortcuts.after-effects.activateAndCycleThroughBrushCloneStampAndEraserTools | ⌘B |
| shortcuts.after-effects.activateAndCycleThroughPuppetTools | ⌘P |
Composition5
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.setWorkAreaToDurationOfSelectedLayersOrIfNoLayersAreSelectedSetWorkAreaToCompositionDuration | ⌥⌘B |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openCompositionMiniflowchartForActiveComposition | Tab |
| shortcuts.after-effects.activateTheMostRecentlyActiveCompositionThatIsInTheSameCompositionHierarchyAsTheCurrentlyActiveComposition | ⇧Esc |
| shortcuts.after-effects.trimCompositionToWorkArea | ⇧⌘X |
| shortcuts.after-effects.newCompositionFromSelection | ⌥\\ |
Previews6
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.displaySnapshotInActiveViewer | F5, F6, F7, |
| shortcuts.after-effects.fastPreviewsOff | ⌥⌘1 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.fastPreviewsAdaptiveResolution | ⌥⌘2 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.fastPreviewsDraft | ⌥⌘3 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.fastPreviewsFastDraft | ⌥⌘4 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.fastPreviewsWireframe | ⌥⌘5 |
Views20
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.toggleShowingStraightRgbColor | ⌥⇧4 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showAlphaBoundaryInLayerPanel | ⌥5 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showAlphaOverlayInLayerPanel | ⌥6 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showRefineEdgeXray | ⌥X |
| shortcuts.after-effects.zoomoutInCompositionLayerOrFootagePanel | , |
| shortcuts.after-effects.zoomToFitInCompositionLayerOrFootagePanel | ⇧/ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.zoomUpTo100toFitInCompositionLayerOrFootagePanel | ⌥/ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openViewOptionsDialogBoxForActiveCompositionPanel | ⌥⌘U |
| shortcuts.after-effects.zoomInTimelinePanelToSingleframeUnits | ; |
| shortcuts.after-effects.zoomOutInTimelinePanelToShowTheEntireCompositionDuration | ⇧; |
| shortcuts.after-effects.preventImagesFromBeingRenderedForPreviewsInViewerPanels | Caps Lock |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOrHideSafeZones | ' |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOrHideGrid | ⌘' |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOrHideProportionalGrid | ⌥' |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOrHideRulers | ⌘R |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOrHideGuides | ⌘; |
| shortcuts.after-effects.turnSnappingToGridOnOrOff | ⇧⌘' |
| shortcuts.after-effects.turnSnappingToGuidesOnOrOff | ⇧⌘; |
| shortcuts.after-effects.lockOrUnlockGuides | ⌥⇧⌘; |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOrHideLayerControls | ⇧⌘H |
Footage10
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.importMultipleFilesOrImageSequences | ⌥⌘I |
| shortcuts.after-effects.addSelectedItemsToMostRecentlyActivatedComposition | ⌘/ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.replaceSelectedSourceFootageForSelectedLayersWithFootageItemSelectedInProjectPanel | ⌥⌘/ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.deleteAFootageItemWithoutAWarning | ⌘Delete |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openInterpretFootageDialogBoxForSelectedFootageItem | ⌥⌘G |
| shortcuts.after-effects.rememberFootageInterpretation | ⌥⌘C |
| shortcuts.after-effects.editSelectedFootageItemInApplicationWithWhichItsAssociated | ⌘E |
| shortcuts.after-effects.replaceSelectedFootageItem | ⌘H |
| shortcuts.after-effects.reloadSelectedFootageItems | ⌥⌘L |
| shortcuts.after-effects.setProxyForSelectedFootageItem | ⌥⌘P |
Effects and animation presets3
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.deleteAllEffectsFromSelectedLayers | ⇧⌘E |
| shortcuts.after-effects.applyMostRecentlyAppliedEffectToSelectedLayers | ⌥⇧⌘E |
| shortcuts.after-effects.applyMostRecentlyAppliedAnimationPresetToSelectedLayers | ⌥⇧⌘F |
Layers27
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.newSolidLayer | ⌘Y |
| shortcuts.after-effects.newNullLayer | ⌥⇧⌘Y |
| shortcuts.after-effects.newAdjustmentLayer | ⌥⌘Y |
| shortcuts.after-effects.selectNextLayerInStackingOrder | ⌘↓ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.selectPreviousLayerInStackingOrder | ⌘↑ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.extendSelectionToNextLayerInStackingOrder | ⇧⌘↓ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.extendSelectionToPreviousLayerInStackingOrder | ⇧⌘↑ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.deselectAllLayers | ⇧⌘A |
| shortcuts.after-effects.scrollTopmostSelectedLayerToTopOfTimelinePanel | X |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOrHideParentColumn | ⇧F4 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOrHideLayerSwitchesAndModesColumns | F4 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.settingTheSamplingMethodForSelectedLayers | ⌥B |
| shortcuts.after-effects.settingTheSamplingMethodForSelectedLayers2 | ⌥⇧B |
| shortcuts.after-effects.turnVideoSwitchOnOrOffForSelectedLayers | ⌥⇧⌘V |
| shortcuts.after-effects.turnOffVideoSwitchForAllVideoLayersOtherThanSelectedLayers | ⇧⌘V |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openSettingsDialogBoxForSelectedSolidLightCameraNullOrAdjustmentLayer | ⇧⌘Y |
| shortcuts.after-effects.pasteLayersAtCurrentTime | ⌥⌘V |
| shortcuts.after-effects.splitSelectedLayers | ⇧⌘D |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openEffectControlsPanelForSelectedLayers | ⇧⌘T |
| shortcuts.after-effects.reverseSelectedLayersInTime | ⌥⌘R |
| shortcuts.after-effects.enableTimeRemappingForSelectedLayers | ⌥⌘T |
| shortcuts.after-effects.setInPointOrOutPointByTimestretching | ⇧⌘, |
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveSelectedLayersSoThatTheirInPointIsAtBeginningOfComposition | ⌥Home |
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveSelectedLayersSoThatTheirOutPointIsAtEndOfComposition | ⌥End |
| shortcuts.after-effects.lockSelectedLayers | ⌘L |
| shortcuts.after-effects.unlockAllLayers | ⇧⌘L |
| shortcuts.after-effects.cycleForwardOrBackwardThroughBlendingModesForSelectedLayers | ⇧(hyphen) |
Showing properties and groups in the Timeline panel15
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.toggleExpansionOfSelectedLayersToShowAllProperties | ⌘` |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyAudioLevelsProperty | L |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyMaskFeatherProperty | F |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyMaskPathProperty | M |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyMaskOpacityProperty | TT |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyTimeRemapProperty | RR |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyInstancesOfMissingEffects | FF |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyMaskPropertyGroups | MM |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyMaterialOptionsPropertyGroup | AA |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyExpressions | EE |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyModifiedProperties | UU |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyPaintStrokesRotoBrushStrokesAndPuppetPins | PP |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlyAudioWaveform | LL |
| shortcuts.after-effects.showOnlySelectedPropertiesAndGroups | SS |
| shortcuts.after-effects.addOrRemovePropertyOrGroupFromSetThatIsShown | ⇧property |
Modifying layer properties17
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.openAutoorientationDialogBoxForSelectedLayers | ⌥⌘O |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openOpacityDialogBoxForSelectedLayers | ⇧⌘O |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openRotationDialogBoxForSelectedLayers | ⇧⌘R |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openPositionDialogBoxForSelectedLayers | ⇧⌘P |
| shortcuts.after-effects.centerselectedLayersInView | ⌘Home |
| shortcuts.after-effects.centerAnchorPointInTheVisibleContent | ⌥⌘Home |
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveSelectedLayers1frameEarlierOrLater | ⌥Page Up |
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveSelectedLayers10framesEarlierOrLater | ⌥⇧Page Up |
| shortcuts.after-effects.increaseOrDecreaseRotationOfSelectedLayersBy1 | (plus) |
| shortcuts.after-effects.increaseOrDecreaseRotationOfSelectedLayersBy10 | ⇧(plus) |
| shortcuts.after-effects.increaseScaleOfSelectedLayersBy1 | ⌘(plus) |
| shortcuts.after-effects.decreaseScaleOfSelectedLayersBy1 | ⌘(minus) |
| shortcuts.after-effects.increaseScaleOfSelectedLayersBy10 | ⇧⌘(plus) |
| shortcuts.after-effects.decreaseScaleOfSelectedLayersBy10 | ⇧⌘(minus) |
| shortcuts.after-effects.scaleAndRepositionSelectedLayersToFitComposition | ⌥⌘F |
| shortcuts.after-effects.scaleAndRepositionSelectedLayersToFitCompositionWidthPreservingImageAspectRatioForEachLayer | ⌥⇧⌘H |
| shortcuts.after-effects.scaleAndRepositionSelectedLayersToFitCompositionHeightPreservingImageAspectRatioForEachLayer | ⌥⇧⌘G |
3D Layers8
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.switchTo3dView1 | F10 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.switchTo3dView2 | F11 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.switchTo3dView3 | F12 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.newLight | ⌥⇧⌘L |
| shortcuts.after-effects.newCamera | ⌥⇧⌘C |
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveTheCameraAndItsPointOfInterestToLookAtSelected3dLayers | ⌥⇧⌘\\ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.withACameraToolSelectedMoveTheCameraAndItsPointOfInterestToLookAtAll3dLayers | ⇧⌘F |
| shortcuts.after-effects.turnCastsShadowsPropertyOnOrOffForSelected3dLayers | ⌥⇧C |
Keyframes and the Graph Editor11
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.toggleBetweenGraphEditorAndLayerBarModes | ⇧F3 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.selectAllVisibleKeyframesAndProperties | ⌥⌘A |
| shortcuts.after-effects.deselectAllKeyframesPropertiesAndPropertyGroups | ⇧F2 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveKeyframe1frameLaterOrEarlier | ⌥→ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveKeyframe10framesLaterOrEarlier | ⌥⇧→ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.setInterpolationForSelectedKeyframes | ⌥⌘K |
| shortcuts.after-effects.setKeyframeInterpolationMethodToHoldOrAutoBezier | ⌥⌘H |
| shortcuts.after-effects.easyEaseSelectedKeyframes | F9 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.easyEaseSelectedKeyframesIn | ⇧F9 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.easyEaseSelectedKeyframesOut | ⇧⌘F9 |
| shortcuts.after-effects.setVelocityForSelectedKeyframes | ⇧⌘K |
Text17
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.newTextLayer | ⌥⇧⌘T |
| shortcuts.after-effects.extendOrReduceSelectionByOneCharacterToRightOrLeftInHorizontalText | ⇧→ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.extendOrReduceSelectionByOneWordToRightOrLeftInHorizontalText | ⇧⌘→ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.selectTextFromInsertionPointToBeginningOrEndOfTextFrame | ⇧⌘Home |
| shortcuts.after-effects.inHorizontalTextMoveInsertionPointOneCharacterLeftOrRightOneLineUpOrDownOneWordLeftOrRightOrOneParagraphUpOrDown | ← |
| shortcuts.after-effects.inVerticalTextMoveInsertionPointOneCharacterUpOrDownOneLeftOrRightOneWordUpOrDownOrOneParagraphLeftOrRight | ↑ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.turnSuperscriptOnOrOffForSelectedText | ⇧⌘= |
| shortcuts.after-effects.turnSubscriptOnOrOffForSelectedText | ⌥⇧⌘= |
| shortcuts.after-effects.setVerticalScaleTo100forSelectedText | ⌥⇧⌘X |
| shortcuts.after-effects.autoLeadingForSelectedText | ⌥⇧⌘A |
| shortcuts.after-effects.justifyParagraphLeftAlignLastLine | ⇧⌘J |
| shortcuts.after-effects.justifyParagraphRightAlignLastLine | ⌥⇧⌘J |
| shortcuts.after-effects.decreaseOrIncreaseFontSizeOfSelectedTextBy10units | ⌥⇧⌘, |
| shortcuts.after-effects.increaseOrDecreaseLeadingBy2units | ⌥↓ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.decreaseOrIncreaseBaselineShiftBy2units | ⌥⇧↓ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.decreaseOrIncreaseKerningOrTracking20units | ⌥← |
| shortcuts.after-effects.decreaseOrIncreaseKerningOrTracking100units | ⌥⌘← |
Masks3
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.selectNextOrPreviousMask | ⌥` |
| shortcuts.after-effects.invertSelectedMask | ⇧⌘I |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openMaskShapeDialogBoxForSelectedMask | ⇧⌘M |
Paint tools1
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveEarlierOrLaterByNumberOfFramesSpecifiedForStrokeDuration | ⌘Page Up |
Shape Layers2
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.groupSelectedShapes | ⌘G |
| shortcuts.after-effects.ungroupSelectedShapes | ⇧⌘G |
Saving, exporting, and rendering3
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| shortcuts.after-effects.incrementAndSaveProject | ⌥⇧⌘S |
| shortcuts.after-effects.addActiveCompositionOrSelectedItemsToRenderQueue | ⇧⌘/ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.addCurrentFrameToRenderQueue | ⌥⌘S |
Panels, viewers, workspaces3
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Resize application window or floating window to fit screen. (Press again to resize window so that contents fill the screen.) | ⌘\\ |
| Move application window or floating window to main monitor; resize window to fit screen. (Press again to resize window so that contents fill the screen.) | ⌥⌘\\ |
| Toggle activation between Composition panel and Timeline panel for current composition | \\ |
Composition1
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New Composition from selection | ⌥\\ |
3D Layers1
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Move the camera and its point of interest to look at selected 3D layers | ⌥⇧⌘\\ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Access After Effects shortcuts from your menu bar
KeyShortcut detects the active app and shows its shortcuts instantly. No memorization needed.