After Effects Shortcut Keys

After Effects shortcut keys for layer properties

Hold Shift and press another letter to add a property to the view, such as P then Shift + S to see Position and Scale together. Alt + Shift + P sets a Position keyframe at the playhead without opening the property first; the same pattern works with S, R and T.

Timeline and editing keys

Creating layers and compositions

Precomposing groups layers into a nested composition, so you can animate a whole logo as one piece. Adjustment layers apply an effect to everything beneath them, which is how most colour grades are built. Name each precomposition clearly, such as Logo Reveal or Lower Third, because a project with twenty unnamed nests quickly becomes impossible to navigate when a client asks for a change weeks later.

Tools and easing

V is the Selection tool, W Rotation, Q cycles shape tools, G is the Pen and Y is Pan Behind for moving the anchor point. Select keyframes and press F9 for Easy Ease, which softens the start and stop of a move so it feels natural. The full keyboard map can be seen and edited under Edit, Keyboard Shortcuts, where keys already in use are coloured.

When shortcuts do not respond

Related video guides

Cutting the main footage is covered in Premiere Pro shortcut keys, still graphics and textures in the image editing guide, and capturing screen tutorials in screen recording shortcut.