Adobe After Effects Cheat Sheet: Most Commonly Needed Keyboard Shortcuts
Windows:
Composition Window Tools
Select Tool ....................................................................................................................................................................v
Temporarily invoke Hand tool..................................................................................................... hold SPACEBAR
Zoom Tool....................................................................................................................................................................z
Zoom out................................................................................................................................ ALT + click zoom tool
Timeline, Footage, Layers
Zoom In........................................................................................................................................................................=
Zoom Out.................................................................................................................................................... ‐ (hyphen)
Snap ...........................................................................................................................................................hold SHIFT
Composition Start............................................................................................................................................HOME
Composition End .................................................................................................................................................END
Replace selected footage .............................................................................................................................CTRL + h
Replace source footage in layer.....................................ALT + drag from Project window onto selected layer
Add or remove expression ..................................................................................................ALT + click stopwatch
Hide property................................................................................................ALT + SHIFT + click property name
Expand child properties............................................................................. CTRL + click triangle to left of name
Go to layer in point..................................................................................................................................................... i
Go to layer out point (not after the end of the layer, but BEFORE the LAST FRAME).....................................o
Preview (playback/transport controls)
Play / Stop ..........................................................................................................................................tap SPACEBAR
RAM Preview ...................................................................................................................................0 (numpad zero)
Previous frame ............................................................................................................................................ PAGE UP
Next frame ........................................................................................................................................... PAGE DOWN
General
Duplicate selected item ...............................................................................................................................CTRL + d
Rename selected item..................................................................................................................................... ENTER
Open selected item ......................................................................................................................... numpad ENTER
Add to Render Queue ................................................................................................................................CTRL + m
Purge all .................................................................................................................CTRL + ALT + / (numpad slash)
Interrupt script ...................................................................................................................................................... ESC
Increment and save.......................................................................................................... CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + s
© 2015 Digital Arts Guild • page 1 of 2
Mac OS X:
Composition Window Tools
Select Tool ....................................................................................................................................................................v
Temporarily invoke Hand tool..................................................................................................... hold SPACEBAR
Zoom Tool....................................................................................................................................................................z
Zoom out........................................................................................................................OPTION + click zoom tool
Timeline, Footage, Layers
Zoom In........................................................................................................................................................................=
Zoom Out.................................................................................................................................................... ‐ (hyphen)
Snap ...........................................................................................................................................................hold SHIFT
Composition Start............................................................................................................................................HOME
Composition End .................................................................................................................................................END
Replace selected footage ................................................................................................................COMMAND + h
Replace source footage in layer............................ OPTION + drag from Project window onto selected layer
Add or remove expression ......................................................................................... OPTION + click stopwatch
Hide property....................................................................................... OPTION + SHIFT + click property name
Expand child properties................................................................ COMMAND + click triangle to left of name
Go to layer in point..................................................................................................................................................... i
Go to layer out point (not after the end of the layer, but BEFORE the LAST FRAME).....................................o
Preview (playback/transport controls)
Play / Stop ..........................................................................................................................................tap SPACEBAR
RAM Preview ..................................................................................................................................... CONTROL + 0
Previous frame ............................................................................................................................................ PAGE UP
Next frame ........................................................................................................................................... PAGE DOWN
General
Duplicate selected item ..................................................................................................................COMMAND + d
Rename selected item..................................................................................................................................RETURN
Open selected item ......................................................................................................................... numpad ENTER
Add to Render Queue ..........................................................................................COMMAND + CONTROL + m
Purge all ...........................................................................................COMMAND + OPTION + / (numpad slash)
Interrupt script ...................................................................................................................................................... ESC
Increment and save.....................................................................................COMMAND + OPTION + SHIFT + s
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© 2015 Digital Arts Guild • page 2 of 2
