If you’ve ever animated in After Effects, you know how much time can be lost navigating through all the buttons, menus, and windows.
That’s why it’s so useful to learn the main keyboard shortcuts — they’ll help you move around your timeline quickly and edit like a pro.
General Shortcuts
Many of these shortcuts will look familiar since they’re the same across most programs.
After Effects has a ton of menus and submenus, so learning these basic shortcuts can save you serious time and keep your workflow smooth.
| Mac | Windows | 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
When working with multiple keyframes, knowing the layer property shortcuts is essential. Each single-letter shortcut lets you open and view a specific property for any layer. These shortcuts are the same on both Mac and Windows.
| Mac + Windows | Property |
|---|---|
| A | Anchor Point |
| T | Opacity |
| P | Position |
| S | Scale |
| R | Rotation |
| U | All Keyframes |
Select Tools
Let’s face it—After Effects’ toolbar can be tricky, with small icons and drop-down menus. Learning the tool shortcuts will save you from misclicking and keep your workflow fast.
| Mac | Windows | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| V | V | Selection Tool |
| H | H | Hand Tool |
| Q | Q | Shape Tool |
| G | G | Pen Tool |
| Y | Y | Pan Behind Tool |
| Cmd + T | Ctrl + T | Type Tool |
| Cmd + B | Ctrl + B | Brush/Clone Stamp/Eraser |
Mask Options
Working with masks is much faster when you know the right shortcuts. These keys let you access mask settings instantly—no more digging through multiple menus.
| Mac + Windows | Command |
|---|---|
| MM | All Mask Settings |
| M | Mask Path |
| F | Mask Feather |
| T | Mask Opacity |
Edit Workspace
It’s a good idea to set your composition length longer than your final project, but that can slow down rendering and playback. Defining your workspace in and out points helps speed things up.
Move your playhead to where you want the workspace to begin, then press B to set the in point and N to set the out point. This works on both Mac and Windows.
Fit to Comp
When working in After Effects, you’ll often zoom in and out of the viewer window to check details. Instead of manually adjusting it every time, use this shortcut.
Press Shift + / to instantly fit your comp to the viewer window. Works the same for both Mac and Windows.
Panel Full Screen
We’ve all done it—hit a key by accident and suddenly ended up with a panel in full screen. While it can be confusing at first, this shortcut is actually one of the most useful in After Effects.
Select the panel and press ~ to enter or exit full-screen mode. Works the same for both Mac and Windows.
Save Current Frame
Sometimes, you may need to export a single frame from your video. While there are several ways to do this, this shortcut is by far the quickest.
Position your playhead on the frame you want to export and press Cmd + Opt + S (Mac) or Ctrl + Alt + S (Windows).
Precomp Layer
Precomposing layers is key to keeping your projects clean and organized. If you’re not using precomps yet, it’s worth learning how and when to use them.
Precomps are essential for certain animation styles and help simplify complex timelines. To precomp, select the layers you want and press Cmd + Shift + C (Mac) or Ctrl + Shift + C (Windows) to open the precomp window.
Grid Toggle
Grids are great for aligning elements, but they can clutter your view when working on visuals. You can easily toggle them off and on with this shortcut.
Press Cmd + ‘ (Mac) or Ctrl + ‘ (Windows) to toggle the grid display.
In short, there are hundreds of shortcuts in After Effects—it’s impossible to memorize them all. Start by learning the ones you use most often to save time and build good habits.
If you want a visual reminder, you can even buy After Effects keyboard covers that label each key’s shortcut.
