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Last Updated on January 22, 2021

Adobe After Effects is one of those scary, complicated pieces of software that every
video editor and motion graphic designer needs to learn at some point. Keyboard
shortcuts, like in any video editing or motion graphics software, make the user 10x
more powerful. They allow you to work faster, get done sooner, deliver your projects on
time, and give you the ability to take on more work or give you more free time if that’s
what you desire.

Below is a list of our top keyboard shortcuts for After Effects.

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Basic After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts

Create a new composition — Mac: Command+N // PC: Control+N
Open composition settings — Mac: Command+K // PC: Control+K
Import — Mac: Command+I // PC: Control+I
Bonus tip: You can also doubleclick inside an empty space in the Project panel to do this
Undo — Mac: Command+Z // PC: Control+Z
Redo — Mac: Command+Shift+Z // PC: Control+Shift+Z
Open After Effects preferences — Mac: Command+Option+; (semicolon) // PC: Control+Alt+; (semicolon)
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Playback After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts

Start or stop preview/playing — 0 (zero) on number pad
Play audio only from current time — . (period/decimal point) on number pad

Play audio only in work area — Mac: Option+. (period/decimal point) on number pad // PC: Alt+.
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(period/decimal point) on number pad

Creation After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts

Create new Solid Layer — Mac: Command+Y // PC: Control+Y
Create new Adjustment Layer — Mac: Command+Option+Y // PC: Control+Alt+Y
Create new Text Layer — Mac: Command+Option+Shift+T // PC: Control+Alt+Shift+T
Create new Light — Mac: Command+Option+Shift+L // PC: Control+Alt+Shift+L
Create new Camera — Mac: Command+Option+Shift+C // PC: Control+Alt+Shift C

 
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Layer and Layer Properties After Effects Keyboard

Shortcuts
Select layer above selected layer — Mac: Command+Up Arrow // PC: Control+Up Arrow
Select layer below selected layer — Mac: Command+Down Arrow // PC: Control+Down Arrow
Move selected layer up a layer — Mac: Command+Option+Up Arrow // PC: Control+Alt+Up Arrow

Move selected layer down a layer — Mac: Command+Option+Down Arrow // PC: Control+Alt+Down

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Arrow
Reveal or hide all properties with keyframes on a layer(s) — U
Reveal all modified properties on a layer(s) — UU (hit the “U” key twice rapidly)
Reveal or hide Position property of a layer(s) — P
Reveal or hide Anchor Point property of a layer(s) — A
Reveal or hide Rotation property of a layer(s) — R
Reveal or hide Opacity property of a layer(s) — T
Reveal or hide Scale property of a layer(s) — S
Bonus tip: Hold Shift and P, A, R, T, and/or S to reveal or hide multiple properties of a layer(s)

Composition, Timeline and Work Area After Effects

Keyboard Shortcuts
Move first frame of layer to current time — [ (left bracket)
Move last frame of layer to current time — ] (right bracket)
 Trim in point of layer to current time — Mac: Option+[ (left bracket) // PC: Alt+[ (left bracket)
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Trim out point of layer to current time — Mac: Option+] (right bracket) // PC: Alt+] (right bracket)
Duplicate layer — Mac: Command+D // PC: Control+D
Split layer at current time into two layers — Mac: Command+Shift+D // PC: Control+Shift+D

Set beginning of work area to current time — B

Set end of work area to current time — N

Go to beginning of composition — Home

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Go to end of composition — End
Go to specific time — Mac: Opt+Shift+J // PC: Alt+Shift+J
Move forward 1 frame — Page Down
Move backward 1 frame — Page Up
Move forward 10 frames — Shift+Page Down
Move backward 10 frames — Shift+Page Up
Pre-compose selected layers — Mac: Command+Shift+C // PC: Control+Shift+C

Tools After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts

Activate Selection Tool — V
 Activate Hand Tool — H

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Temporarily activate Hand Tool — Hold Spacebar
Activate Pan Behind Tool — Y
Activate Camera Tool — C
Bonus tip: Keep hitting the “C” key to cycle through the different Camera Tools
Activate Type Tool — Mac: Command+T // PC: Control+T
Activate Zoom In Tool — Z
Activate Rotation Tool — W
Activate Shape Tools — Q
Bonus tip: Keep hitting the “Q” key to cycle through the different Shape Tools
Activate Pen Tool — G

View and Panel After Effects Keyboard

Shortcuts
Open or close the Project panel — Mac: Command+0 (zero) // PC: Control+0 (zero)
Open or close Render Queue panel — Mac: Command+Option+0 (zero) // PC: Control+Alt+0 (zero)
Open or close the Tools panel — Mac: Command+1 // PC: Control+1
Open or close Effects & Presets panel — Mac: Command+5 // PC: Control+5
Open or close Character panel — Mac: Command+6 // PC: Control+6
Open or close Paragraph panel — Mac: Command+7 // PC: Control+7
Open or close Effects Controls — F3
Show panel at full screen — ` (accent) (hit this key again to go back to showing all panels)

 
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Exporting After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts

Send composition to Render Queue — Mac: Command+Shift+/ (forward slash) // PC: Control+Shift+/
(forward slash)
Send composition to Adobe Media Encoder — Mac: Command+Option+M // PC: Control+Alt+M
Save current frame — Mac: Command+Option+S // PC: Control+Alt+S
  
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Wrapping Up
After Effects is one of the most powerful post-production tools out there. Knowing the
keyboard shortcuts will make you more efficient and confident user. Work these
keyboard shortcuts in a little at a time and before you know it you’ll be flying through
your motion graphics.

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