If you’ve animated anything in After Effects, you’ll know how much time can be wasted navigating the many buttons, menus, and windows on display.
That’s why it’s handy to know the various keyboard shortcuts. Use them to navigate your timeline quickly like a pro.
General Shortcuts
Firstly, you will probably recognize some of these shortcuts, as they are universal across most programs.
Navigating the collection of menus and sub-menus can be difficult, so memorizing these basic ones can save you a lot of time.
| Mac | PC | Command |
|---|---|---|
| Cmd + C | Ctrl + C | Copy |
| Cmd + V | Ctrl + V | Paste |
| Cmd + Z | Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Cmd + S | Ctrl + S | Save |
| Cmd + N | Ctrl + N | New Composition |
| Cmd + K | Ctrl + K | Composition Settings |
| Cmd + I | Ctrl + I | Import |
| Cmd + Y | Ctrl + Y | New Solid |
| Shift + Cmd + Y | Shift + Ctrl + Y | Solid Settings |
Layer Properties
Learning the layer property shortcuts is necessary if you’re working with multiple keyframes. With a single-letter key, you can quickly scroll through the property options for each asset. These are the same for both Mac and PC.
| Mac + PC | Property |
|---|---|
| A | Anchor Point |
| TT | Opacity |
| P | Position |
| S | Scale |
| R | Rotation |
| U | All keyframes |
Select Tools
Let’s face it: the toolbar in After Effects is challenging to use with small icons and even smaller drop-down menus.
Learn the tool shortcut and save yourself the time and frustration of dragging your cursor to the top of the screen and clicking the wrong icon.
| Mac | PC | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| V | V | Arrow (Selection) |
| H | H | Hand |
| Q | Q | Shape |
| G | G | Pen |
| Y | Y | Pan Behind |
| Cmnd + T | Ctrl + T | Type |
| Cmnd + B | Ctrl + B | Brush Tool/Clone Stamp Tool/Eraser |
Mask Options
When working with masks, shortcuts really help speed things up. These keys can save you serious time from clicking through three drop-down menus to reach the desired options.
| Mac + PC | Command |
|---|---|
| MM | All Mask Settings |
| M | Mask Path |
| F | Mask Feather |
| TT | Mask Opacity |
Edit Workspace
It’s a good idea to work with comp lengths longer than the piece you plan to make, but this can slow down your render and playback times. Setting the beginning and end of your workspace can help with this issue.
Line up your playhead on the timeline where you want your workspace to be. Press B to create your in-point and N to create your outpoint. This is the same for both Mac and PC.
Fit To Comp
No matter what you’re doing in After Effects, it’s likely that you will be zooming in and out of the viewer window to get a closer look at your work.
Clicking the tiny menu to ‘Fit’ your comp to the viewer can be a pain. Instead, press Shift + / to make your comp fit your viewer. This is the same for both Mac and PC.
Panel Fullscreen
We’ve all done it. Pressed a button by mistake and ended up in full-screen mode of one panel.
The truth is, this can be one of the most helpful shortcuts when working with compositions containing multiple layers, but if you do it accidentally, it can be a bit of a shock.
Select the panel and press ~ to enter and exit full screen on that panel. This is the same for both Mac and PC.
Save Current Frame
Occasionally, you might need to export a single frame of your video. There are several ways to do this, but by far, the quickest is with this shortcut.
Just align your playhead with the frame you wish to export and use Cmd + Opt + S (Mac) or Ctrl + Opt + S (PC).
Precomp Layer
Precomposing your layers is essential for an efficient workflow. If you don’t use precomps in your work, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with how and when to use them.
Not only is this key for specific animation styles, but it’s also a great way of keeping your projects organized.
Pre-comping needn’t be a hassle: select the layers you wish to pre-comp and use Cmd + Shift + C (Mac) or Ctrl + Shift + C (PC) to bring up the pre-comp settings window.
Grid Toggle
Finally, grids are super helpful when it comes to arranging your content. However, they make it difficult to view your work through the numerous lines across the screen.
But don’t worry, as you can toggle grids on and off by using the shortcut Cmd + ‘ (Mac) or Ctrl + ‘ (PC).
In short, there are hundreds of shortcuts, so it’s unlikely you’ll remember all of them. Try to learn a few of the ones which you use the most.
Also, if you still find yourself struggling, you can buy After Effects keyboard covers with colored labels.
