Introduction – Mastering Layer Positioning for Better Animations
Moving layers in After Effects is a core skill for creating clean, professional animations. Whether you’re arranging elements in a composition or fine-tuning motion, understanding the different ways to move layers will help you work faster and more accurately. Below is a step-by-step guide with practical tips to make your workflow smoother.
Step 1: Center the Anchor Point
Select your layer in the timeline, right-click, and choose Transform > Center Anchor Point in Layer Content. This ensures movements and transformations happen from the correct center point.

Step 2: Use Snapping for Precise Alignment
Above the Composition panel, enable the Snapping button. This makes it easier to align layers to each other or to guides without guessing positions.
