Modify keyframes in the Timeline

When keyframes are visible in the Timeline, you can change their positions in time. Moving a keyframe in time does not modify the keyframe’s parameter value. Rather, it changes the position in time when the keyframe occurs. This can have a significant effect on the nature of the animation. For example, if you have two keyframes that animate an object from the top of the screen to the bottom over a duration of five seconds, dragging one of the keyframes farther from the other forces the animation to occur more slowly.

The value of a keyframe can also be modified in the Timeline.

When multiple keyframe values are set in the same frame, only one keyframe marker appears in the Timeline. However, you can choose to edit any of its values.

Move a keyframe in the Timeline

  • Drag the keyframe left or right to adjust its position in time.

Edit a keyframe value in the Timeline

  1. Control-click (or double-click) the keyframe.

    A shortcut menu appears displaying all of the parameters keyframed at the current frame.

    Keyframe shortcut menu displaying keyframed parameters at the current frame
  2. Choose the keyframe parameter to edit.

    Timeline showing keyframe value field
  3. Enter a value into the value field, then press Return.

    Note: To exit an active value field without making changes, press Esc.

Copy and paste keyframes in the Timeline

  1. In the Timeline track area, select one or more keyframes.

    Shift-click to select multiple contiguous keyframes; Command-click to select multiple noncontiguous keyframes.

  2. Choose Edit > Copy (or press Command-C).

  3. Move the playhead to the frame where you want to paste the keyframes.

  4. In the Timeline layers list, select the target object (or objects) for the copied keyframes, then choose Edit > Paste (or press Command-V).

    Note: You can copy and paste keyframes from multiple objects to single or multiple objects. The objects must share the same parameters for the keyframes to apply.

Delete a keyframe in the Timeline

  • Control-click the keyframe to delete, then choose Delete Keyframes from the shortcut menu.

    If there are multiple keyframes applied at the playhead position, they’re all deleted.

Delete all of an object’s keyframes in the Timeline

  • Control-click any keyframe, then choose Delete All Keyframes from the shortcut menu.

    For more control of effects using keyframes, you can use the Keyframe Editor.

    Note: Although you can delete keyframes in the Timeline, there is no way to add keyframes from the Timeline.

Align a keyframe to a marker in the Timeline

In the Timeline, you can align a keyframe with other important timed events. For example, you might want to align a filter keyframe applied to one object with the In or Out point of another object, or to a marker, or to a keyframe in another track.

  1. Turn on the Show Keyframes button at the top of the Timeline.

  2. Turn on the Snapping button at the top of the Timeline.

    Snapping button in the Timeline

    When the Snapping button is on, it’s highlighted blue.

  3. Holding down the Shift key, drag a keyframe in the Timeline until it snaps to a marker, another keyframe, or In or Out point of another object.

    In the following image, the keyframe snaps to the purple marker in the Timeline ruler.

    Timeline showing keyframe snapping to edge of an object