How to move layers in after effects

Are you tired of constantly reaching for your mouse to move the timeline indicator in After Effects? Learning keyboard shortcuts can not only help you work faster but can set you apart as a motion designer also. To assist you in learning some helpful shortcuts, we’ve compiled a list of layer-based keyboard shortcuts for After Effects that will definitely save you time. Check out these examples and give them a try!

Keyboard Shortcuts for Moving Layers:

1. Move your layers around the timeline with ease using the following shortcuts:

• To move or slide the current layer’s in-point to the time indicator, use the left bracket ( [ ).
• To move or slide the current layer’s out-point to the time indicator, use the right bracket ( ] ).

Note: This will move the entire layer, not create a new in-point. This is especially useful if you’ve pasted a clip from another application and the layer is outside of your composition time window.

2. To move selected layers up or down in the layer hierarchy, use CMD + ALT + up (or down) arrow or Ctrl + Alt + up (or down) arrow on Win. This is especially useful when combined with the other shortcuts listed here.

3. To move layers to the top or bottom of the layer hierarchy:

• To move a layer to the top, use CMD + shift + ] or Ctrl + Shift + ] on Win
• To move a layer to the bottom, use CMD + shift + [ or Ctrl + Shift + [ on Win

Your layer will remain the active selection after you add it to the timeline. This shortcut is particularly useful if you have a new background layer that blocks the entire composition window, or if your new audio import went straight to the top of the layers.

4. To move layer right or left by one frame:

• To shift a layer left, use Option + Page Up on Mac or ALT + Page Up on Win
• To shift a layer right, use Option + Page Down on Mac or ALT + Page Down on Win.

This is useful for making small adjustments to the timing of your layers.

5. To move layer right or left by 10 frames:

• To shift a layer left, use Option + Shift + Page Up on Mac or ALT + Shift + Page Up on Win
• To shift a layer right, use Option + Shift + Page Down on Mac or ALT + Shift + Page Down on Win

This is useful for making larger adjustments to the timing of your layers.

More Keyboard Shortcuts for Manipulating Layers:

1. To split layers at the current time indicator: use CMD + Shift + D on Mac or CTRL + Shift + D on WinThis is helpful for re-parenting a layer, changing animation direction, removing effects but keeping the same layer going, or simply for dividing layers.
2. To duplicate layers: use CMD + D on Mac or CTRL + D on Win.This is probably the most commonly used After Effects keyboard shortcut, as it allows you to quickly duplicate your selected layer.
3. To trim layer in and out points to the current time indicator:

• To trim the in-point, use ALT + [
• To trim the out-point, use ALT + ]

This is useful for cleaning up your timeline and making it easier to navigate visually. It can also improve the performance of After Effects by reducing the number of layers it has to render on each frame.