Adobe After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts | Make Your Life Easier ⭐

Below, you’ll find a list of the most useful keyboard shortcuts for beginners in Adobe After Effects.

Adobe After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts

SHORTCUT ACTION
General Shortcuts
Ctrl + Alt + N New Project
Ctrl + N New Composition
Ctrl + O Open Project
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + P Open a most recent Project
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + K Open Project Settings dialog box
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + N New folder in Project panel
Ctrl + F Find in Project panel
Ctrl + I Import File
Ctrl + Alt + ; Open After Effects Preferences
Ctrl + A Select all
F2 or Ctrl + Shift + A Deselect all
Ctrl + Z Undo
Ctrl + Shift + Z Redo
0 (Numpad) or Space Preview your composition
Hover your mouse over the panel you want to expand and press ~ Expand any panel to fit your entire screen
Ctrl + Alt + E Interrupt running a script
Hold down the Spacebar, then click and drag what you want to move Access the Hand Tool
Select what you want to duplicate, then press Ctrl + D Duplicate selected layers, effects, masks…
Ctrl + S Save your project
Ctrl + Shift + S Save As
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S Increment and save your project
Transform Properties Shortcuts
A Anchor Point
P Position
S Scale
R Rotation and Orientation
TT Opacity
T Opacity property (for lights, Intensity)
L Audio Levels
F Mask Feather
M Mask Path
Hold Shift + any of the above hotkeys Call out multiple transform properties simultaneously
U + U (double-press U) View all adjusted properties
A + A (double-press A) Show only Material Options property group
E + E (double-press E) Show only expressions
S + S (double-press S) Show only selected properties and groups
U Show properties with keyframes
Keyframe Shortcuts
Click property name Select all property keyframes
Ctrl + Alt + A Select all visible properties and keyframes
Shift + F2 or Ctrl + Alt + Shift + A Deselect all keyframes, property groups, and properties
Alt + Shift + property shortcut Add or remove keyframe at the current time
Select the keyframes + F9 Convert linear keyframes to Easy Ease keyframes
Shift + F9 Convert linear keyframes to Ease In keyframes
Ctrl + Shift + F9 Convert linear keyframes to Ease Out keyframes
U Pull out all your keyframes
J or K Jump between keyframes
Page Up or Page Down Move a single frame
I Jump to the beginning of the layer
O Jump to the end of the layer
Composition Panel Shortcuts
, or . (You can also use the scroll wheel) Zoom in or out
Shift + / Fit the comp window to the entire screen
|Toggle between Composition panel and Timeline panel
Ctrl + J Full resolution
Ctrl + Shift + J Half resolution
Ctrl + Alt + J Custom resolution
Layer Shortcuts
Ctrl + Y New Solid Layer
Ctrl + Alt + Y New Adjustment Layer
Ctrl + Alt + Y New Null Layer
Select layers + Ctrl + L Lock certain layers
Ctrl + Shift + L Unlock all layers
F4 Show/hide Modes columns and Layer Switches
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + V Turn Video switch on/off for a selected layer/s
Ctrl + Shift + V Turn Video switch off for all video layers excluding the selected ones
Ctrl + Alt + V Paste layers at the current time
Ctrl + Shift + D Split selected layers (if you do not select layers, all layers are split)
Ctrl + Shift + T Open Effect Controls for a selected layer
Double-click a layer Open layer in a Layer panel
Double-click effect selection in Effects & Presets panel Add an effect/s to selected layers
Select layers + Alt + Home Move layers so that their In point is at the beginning of a composition
Select layers + Alt + End Move layers so that their Out point is at the end of a composition
Other Shortcuts
Ctrl + Shift + C Open the Pre-compose box
Ctrl + R Activate Rulers
Ctrl + ; Toggle Guides
Ctrl + Shift + ; Turn on Guide Snapping
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + ; Lock Guides
Ctrl + ‘ Activate grid
V Activate Selection Tool
H Activate Hand Tool
C Activate Camera Tool
G Activate Pen Tool

After Effects Can Create Professional Footage

It takes a while to get used to Adobe After Effects, so do not feel discouraged if things do not end up the way you wanted in the beginning. By using these keyboard shortcuts, you’ll be able to create the most efficient workflow possible.

Happy learning!

4 Likes

Thank you for sharing the shortcuts of AE!