After Effects Shortcuts
Project & Files6
| New Project | ⌘N |
| Open Project | ⌘O |
| Save | ⌘S |
| Save As | ⇧⌘S |
| Import File | ⌘I |
| Close Project | ⌘W |
Composition & Timeline8
| 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
| Play Pause | Space |
| Audio Preview | . |
Layers6
| New Solid | ⇧⌘N |
| Duplicate Layer | ⌘D |
| Bring Forward | ⌘] |
| Send Backward | ⌘[ |
| Bring To Front | ⇧⌘] |
| Send To Back | ⇧⌘[ |
Layer Properties (single-key reveals)7
| Position | P |
| Scale | S |
| Rotation | R |
| Opacity | T |
| Anchor Point | A |
| Show Keyframes | U |
| Show Effects | E |
Tools7
| Selection Tool | V |
| Rotation Tool | W |
| Pan Behind Tool | Y |
| Pen Tool | G |
| Shape Tool | Q |
| Zoom Tool | Z |
| Hand Tool | H |
General12
| 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
| 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
| shortcuts.after-effects.openPreferencesDialogBox | ⌥⌘; |
Panels, viewers, workspaces21
| 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
| 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
| 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
| 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
| 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
| 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
| shortcuts.after-effects.deleteAllEffectsFromSelectedLayers | ⇧⌘E |
| shortcuts.after-effects.applyMostRecentlyAppliedEffectToSelectedLayers | ⌥⇧⌘E |
| shortcuts.after-effects.applyMostRecentlyAppliedAnimationPresetToSelectedLayers | ⌥⇧⌘F |
Layers27
| 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
| 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
| 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
| 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
| 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
| 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
| shortcuts.after-effects.selectNextOrPreviousMask | ⌥` |
| shortcuts.after-effects.invertSelectedMask | ⇧⌘I |
| shortcuts.after-effects.openMaskShapeDialogBoxForSelectedMask | ⇧⌘M |
Paint tools1
| shortcuts.after-effects.moveEarlierOrLaterByNumberOfFramesSpecifiedForStrokeDuration | ⌘Page Up |
Shape Layers2
| shortcuts.after-effects.groupSelectedShapes | ⌘G |
| shortcuts.after-effects.ungroupSelectedShapes | ⇧⌘G |
Saving, exporting, and rendering3
| shortcuts.after-effects.incrementAndSaveProject | ⌥⇧⌘S |
| shortcuts.after-effects.addActiveCompositionOrSelectedItemsToRenderQueue | ⇧⌘/ |
| shortcuts.after-effects.addCurrentFrameToRenderQueue | ⌥⌘S |
Panels, viewers, workspaces3
| 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
| New Composition from selection | ⌥\\ |
3D Layers1
| Move the camera and its point of interest to look at selected 3D layers | ⌥⇧⌘\\ |
Access After Effects shortcuts from your menu bar
KeyShortcut detects the active app and shows its shortcuts instantly. No memorization needed.
New Project⌘N
Open Project⌘O
Save⌘S