After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts

Cheat sheet guide

After Effects shortcuts worth learning first

This page collects 166 searchable After Effects keyboard shortcuts across 4 categories. Start with the shortcuts for General, Composition And Preview, Layers, Timeline, then print the cheat sheet once the important ones are worth keeping nearby.

New ProjectCtrlAltN
New CompositionCtrlN
New SolidCtrlY
Move To BeginningHome
Open ProjectCtrlO
Save ProjectCtrlS

General

48 shortcuts

New Project

CtrlAltN

Ctrl+Alt+N · Cmd+Opt+N

Open Project

CtrlO

Ctrl+O · Cmd+O

Save Project

CtrlS

Ctrl+S · Cmd+S

Save As

CtrlShiftS

Ctrl+Shift+S · Cmd+Shift+S

Import File

CtrlI

Ctrl+I · Cmd+I

Undo

CtrlZ

Ctrl+Z · Cmd+Z

Redo

CtrlShiftZ

Ctrl+Shift+Z · Cmd+Shift+Z

Preferences

CtrlAlt;

Ctrl+Alt+; · Cmd+Opt+;

Select all

CtrlA

Ctrl+A · Cmd+A

Extend selection to next panel item

Shift↓

Shift+↓

Quit application

CtrlQ

Ctrl+Q · Cmd+Q

Show current frame filename in Info panel

CtrlAltE

Ctrl+Alt+E · Cmd+Opt+E

Open most recent project

CtrlAltShiftP

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+P · Cmd+Opt+Shift+P

Toggle Project panel

Ctrl0

Ctrl+0 · Cmd+0

Toggle Render Queue panel

CtrlAlt0

Ctrl+Alt+0 · Cmd+Opt+0

Toggle Tools panel

Ctrl1

Ctrl+1 · Cmd+1

Toggle Info panel

Ctrl2

Ctrl+2 · Cmd+2

Toggle Preview panel

Ctrl3

Ctrl+3 · Cmd+3

Toggle Audio panel

Ctrl4

Ctrl+4 · Cmd+4

Toggle Effects and Presets panel

Ctrl5

Ctrl+5 · Cmd+5

Toggle Character panel

Ctrl6

Ctrl+6 · Cmd+6

Toggle Paragraph panel

Ctrl7

Ctrl+7 · Cmd+7

Toggle Paint panel

Ctrl8

Ctrl+8 · Cmd+8

Toggle Brushes panel

Ctrl9

Ctrl+9 · Cmd+9

Close active viewer or panel

CtrlW

Ctrl+W · Cmd+W

Close active panel or all viewers of its type

CtrlShiftW

Ctrl+Shift+W · Cmd+Shift+W

Select Selection tool

V

Select Hand tool

H

Select Zoom In tool

Z

Select Rotation tool

W

Cycle through Camera tools

C

Select Pan Behind tool

Y

Cycle through mask and shape tools

Q

Cycle through Type tools

CtrlT

Ctrl+T · Cmd+T

Cycle Pen and Mask Feather tools

G

Cycle Brush, Clone Stamp and Eraser tools

CtrlB

Ctrl+B · Cmd+B

Cycle through Puppet tools

CtrlP

Ctrl+P · Cmd+P

Import multiple files or image sequences

CtrlAltI

Ctrl+Alt+I · Cmd+Opt+I

Delete footage without confirmation

CtrlBackspace

Ctrl+Backspace · Cmd+Backspace

Open Interpret Footage settings

CtrlAltG

Ctrl+Alt+G · Cmd+Opt+G

Remember footage interpretation

CtrlAltC

Ctrl+Alt+C · Cmd+Opt+C

Edit footage in its original application

CtrlE

Ctrl+E · Cmd+E

Replace selected footage

CtrlH

Ctrl+H · Cmd+H

Reload selected footage

CtrlAltL

Ctrl+Alt+L · Cmd+Opt+L

Set a proxy for selected footage

CtrlAltP

Ctrl+Alt+P · Cmd+Opt+P

Increment project name and save

CtrlAltShiftS

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S · Cmd+Opt+Shift+S

Add current frame to Render Queue

CtrlAltS

Ctrl+Alt+S · Cmd+Opt+S

Add composition to Media Encoder queue

CtrlAltM

Ctrl+Alt+M · Cmd+Opt+M

Composition And Preview

29 shortcuts

New Composition

CtrlN

Ctrl+N · Cmd+N

Composition Settings

CtrlK

Ctrl+K · Cmd+K

Preview

Space

Space

RAM Preview

Numpad0

Numpad0

Fit Up To 100 Percent

Shift/

Shift+/

Zoom In

.

Zoom Out

,

Show Grid

Ctrl'

Ctrl+' · Cmd+'

Set work area start or end to current time

BN

Fit work area to selected layers or composition

CtrlAltB

Ctrl+Alt+B · Cmd+Opt+B

Open active composition mini-flowchart

Tab

Tab

Fast Preview: Off

CtrlAlt1

Ctrl+Alt+1 · Cmd+Opt+1

Fast Preview: Adaptive Resolution

CtrlAlt2

Ctrl+Alt+2 · Cmd+Opt+2

Fast Preview: Draft

CtrlAlt3

Ctrl+Alt+3 · Cmd+Opt+3

Fast Preview: Fast Draft

CtrlAlt4

Ctrl+Alt+4 · Cmd+Opt+4

Fast Preview: Wireframe

CtrlAlt5

Ctrl+Alt+5 · Cmd+Opt+5

Toggle straight RGB color display

AltShift4

Alt+Shift+4 · Opt+Shift+4

Show alpha boundary in Layer panel

Alt5

Alt+5 · Opt+5

Show alpha overlay in Layer panel

Alt6

Alt+6 · Opt+6

Show Refine Edge X-ray

AltX

Alt+X · Opt+X

Open composition View Options

CtrlAltU

Ctrl+Alt+U · Cmd+Opt+U

Toggle single-frame timeline zoom

;

Toggle full-composition timeline zoom

Shift;

Shift+;

Toggle rulers

CtrlR

Ctrl+R · Cmd+R

Toggle guides

Ctrl;

Ctrl+; · Cmd+;

Toggle snapping to guides

CtrlShift;

Ctrl+Shift+; · Cmd+Shift+;

Lock or unlock guides

CtrlAltShift;

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+; · Cmd+Opt+Shift+;

Toggle layer controls

CtrlShiftH

Ctrl+Shift+H · Cmd+Shift+H

Layers

69 shortcuts

New Solid

CtrlY

Ctrl+Y · Cmd+Y

Duplicate Selected Layers

CtrlD

Ctrl+D · Cmd+D

Split Layer

CtrlShiftD

Ctrl+Shift+D · Cmd+Shift+D

Pre-compose

CtrlShiftC

Ctrl+Shift+C · Cmd+Shift+C

Reveal Position

P

Reveal Scale

S

Reveal Rotation

R

Reveal Opacity

T

Remove all effects from selected layers

CtrlShiftE

Ctrl+Shift+E · Cmd+Shift+E

Apply the most recent effect

CtrlAltShiftE

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E · Cmd+Opt+Shift+E

Apply the most recent animation preset

CtrlAltShiftF

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F · Cmd+Opt+Shift+F

Create null layer

CtrlAltShiftY

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Y · Cmd+Opt+Shift+Y

Create adjustment layer

CtrlAltY

Ctrl+Alt+Y · Cmd+Opt+Y

Select next layer in stacking order

Ctrl↓

Ctrl+↓ · Cmd+↓

Select previous layer in stacking order

Ctrl↑

Ctrl+↑ · Cmd+↑

Extend selection to next stacked layer

CtrlShift↓

Ctrl+Shift+↓ · Cmd+Shift+↓

Deselect all layers

CtrlShiftA

Ctrl+Shift+A · Cmd+Shift+A

Set selected layers to Best/Bilinear sampling

AltB

Alt+B · Opt+B

Toggle video visibility for selected layers

CtrlAltShiftV

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+V · Cmd+Opt+Shift+V

Open selected layer settings

CtrlShiftY

Ctrl+Shift+Y · Cmd+Shift+Y

Paste layers at current time

CtrlAltV

Ctrl+Alt+V · Cmd+Opt+V

Open Effect Controls for selected layers

CtrlShiftT

Ctrl+Shift+T · Cmd+Shift+T

Reverse selected layers in time

CtrlAltR

Ctrl+Alt+R · Cmd+Opt+R

Enable time remapping for selected layers

CtrlAltT

Ctrl+Alt+T · Cmd+Opt+T

Move selected layers to composition start

AltHome

Alt+Home · Opt+Home

Move selected layers to composition end

AltEnd

Alt+End · Opt+End

Lock selected layers

CtrlL

Ctrl+L · Cmd+L

Show only Anchor Point or Point of Interest

A

Show only Audio Levels

L

Show only Mask Path

M

Show only Mask Opacity

TT

T T

Show only Time Remap

RR

R R

Show only missing effects

FF

F F

Show only Effects group

E

Show only mask property groups

MM

M M

Show only Material Options

AA

A A

Show only expressions

EE

E E

Show only modified properties

UU

U U

Show only audio waveform

LL

L L

Show only selected properties and groups

SS

S S

Open Auto-Orientation settings

CtrlAltO

Ctrl+Alt+O · Cmd+Opt+O

Open layer Opacity settings

CtrlShiftO

Ctrl+Shift+O · Cmd+Shift+O

Open layer Rotation settings

CtrlShiftR

Ctrl+Shift+R · Cmd+Shift+R

Open layer Position settings

CtrlShiftP

Ctrl+Shift+P · Cmd+Shift+P

Center selected layers in view

CtrlHome

Ctrl+Home · Cmd+Home

Center anchor point in visible content

CtrlAltHome

Ctrl+Alt+Home · Cmd+Opt+Home

Move layers one frame earlier or later

AltPageDownAltPageUp

Alt+PageDown · Alt+PageUp · Opt+PageDown · Opt+PageUp

Move layers ten frames earlier or later

AltShiftPageDownAltShiftPageUp

Alt+Shift+PageDown · Alt+Shift+PageUp · Opt+Shift+PageDown · Opt+Shift+PageUp

Fit selected layers to composition

CtrlAltF

Ctrl+Alt+F · Cmd+Opt+F

Create light

CtrlAltShiftL

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+L · Cmd+Opt+Shift+L

Create camera

CtrlAltShiftC

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C · Cmd+Opt+Shift+C

Toggle Casts Shadows for selected 3D layers

AltShiftC

Alt+Shift+C · Opt+Shift+C

Extend word selection in horizontal text

CtrlShift←CtrlShift→

Ctrl+Shift+← · Ctrl+Shift+→ · Cmd+Shift+← · Cmd+Shift+→

Move caret left in horizontal text

←

Move caret up in vertical text

↑

Reset vertical text scale to 100%

CtrlAltShiftX

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+X · Cmd+Opt+Shift+X

Apply automatic text leading

CtrlAltShiftA

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+A · Cmd+Opt+Shift+A

Reset text tracking to zero

CtrlShiftQ

Ctrl+Shift+Q · Cmd+Ctrl+Shift+Q

Justify paragraph with last line left aligned

CtrlShiftJ

Ctrl+Shift+J · Cmd+Shift+J

Adjust text leading by two units

Alt↓Alt↑

Alt+↓ · Alt+↑ · Opt+↓ · Opt+↑

Adjust baseline shift by two units

AltShift↓AltShift↑

Alt+Shift+↓ · Alt+Shift+↑ · Opt+Shift+↓ · Opt+Shift+↑

Adjust kerning or tracking by 20 units

Alt←Alt→

Alt+← · Alt+→ · Opt+← · Opt+→

Adjust kerning or tracking by 100 units

CtrlAlt←CtrlAlt→

Ctrl+Alt+← · Ctrl+Alt+→ · Cmd+Opt+← · Cmd+Opt+→

Create mask

CtrlShiftN

Ctrl+Shift+N · Cmd+Shift+N

Invert selected mask

CtrlShiftI

Ctrl+Shift+I · Cmd+Shift+I

Open Mask Shape settings

CtrlShiftM

Ctrl+Shift+M · Cmd+Shift+M

Set mask mode to None

N

Group selected shapes

CtrlG

Ctrl+G · Cmd+G

Ungroup selected shapes

CtrlShiftG

Ctrl+Shift+G · Cmd+Shift+G

Timeline

20 shortcuts

Move To Beginning

Home

Home

Move To End

End

End

Move One Frame Back

PageUp

PageUp

Move One Frame Forward

PageDown

PageDown

Set In Point

[

Set Out Point

]

Add Marker

*

Reveal Keyframes

U

Go to a specific time

AltShiftJ

Alt+Shift+J · Opt+Shift+J

Go to previous or next timeline item

JK

Go forward 10 frames

ShiftPageDown

Shift+PageDown

Go backward 10 frames

ShiftPageUp

Shift+PageUp

Go to layer Out point

O

Go to previous layer In or Out point

CtrlAltShift←

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+← · Cmd+Opt+Shift+←

Go to next layer In or Out point

CtrlAltShift→

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+→ · Cmd+Opt+Shift+→

Select visible keyframes and properties

CtrlAltA

Ctrl+Alt+A · Cmd+Opt+A

Move keyframes one frame earlier or later

Alt←Alt→

Alt+← · Alt+→ · Opt+← · Opt+→

Move keyframes ten frames earlier or later

AltShift←AltShift→

Alt+Shift+← · Alt+Shift+→ · Opt+Shift+← · Opt+Shift+→

Set keyframe interpolation in layer bar mode

CtrlAltK

Ctrl+Alt+K · Cmd+Opt+K

Toggle Hold and Auto Bezier interpolation

CtrlAltH

Ctrl+Alt+H · Cmd+Opt+H

Documentation check for this addition

134 additional actions were checked against the official documentation on 2026-11-02. Existing actions were retained. These are documentary checks, not tests in installed applications. A dash means this batch does not provide a verified binding for that system. Context such as PDF viewer, text field or address bar is part of the action.

After Effects