Add keyframes

Motion provides two basic ways to apply keyframes to animate your project:

Record button method: Turn on the Record button to create a new keyframe whenever you adjust any parameter. This method is useful when you want to create keyframes for multiple parameters in your project.
Initial-keyframe method: Manually add a keyframe to a parameter to have any further adjustment of that parameter create additional keyframes at the current playhead position. This method is useful when you want to create keyframes for a single parameter of a specific object in your project.

Add keyframes to one or more parameters using the Record button

Do one of one following:
- Click the Record button in the transport controls under the Canvas.
- Press A.
- Choose Mark > Record Animation.
  The Record button is highlighted.
Select an object in the Canvas, Layers list, or Timeline.
Drag the playhead to a new position in time.
Modify one or more parameters by doing any of the following:
- Use the onscreen controls to move, scale, or manipulate objects.
- Use the controls in the Inspector or HUD to move, scale or manipulate objects.
  Keyframes are added at the current playhead position for any parameters you modified.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 to add additional keyframes.

As long as the Record button is enabled, any parameter modifications your make in your project are recorded as new keyframes. In the Inspector, all modifiable parameters are highlighted red to remind you that parameter changes are being recorded as keyframes.

Turn off the Record button

If keyframe recording is enabled, you can turn it off the same way you turned it on.

Do one of the following:

Click the Record button in the transport controls under the Canvas.
Press A.
Choose Mark > Record Animation.

Add keyframes to a single parameter using the initial-keyframe method

Select an object in the Canvas, Layers list, or Timeline.
Modify a parameter by doing any of the following:
- Use the onscreen controls to move, scale, or manipulate the object.
- Use the controls in the Inspector or HUD to move, scale or manipulate the object.
Create an initial keyframe by doing one of the following:
- Press Control-K.
  Pressing Control-K adds a keyframe to the last parameter you modified (in step 2 above). For example, if you scale a layer using its onscreen handles and then press Control-K, a keyframe is added to the Scale parameter.
- In the Transform section of the Properties Inspector, click the Add/Delete Keyframe button for the parameter you want to keyframe.
  Note: The Add/Delete Keyframe button (a plus sign in a gray diamond) is hidden until you position the pointer over the far-right side of the parameter row you want to add a keyframe to.
- In the Transform section of the Properties Inspector, click the Animation menu on the far right side of a parameter, then choose Add.
  Note: The Animation menu (a downward arrow) is hidden until you position the pointer over the far-right side of the parameter row you want to add a keyframe to.
- In the Inspector, Control-click a parameter’s name, then choose Add from the shortcut menu.
A keyframe for the parameter you modified is added at the current frame, and the parameter you modified appears red in the Inspector, indicating that keyframing is now turned on for that parameter.
Move the playhead to a new time position.
Modify the same parameter again, as described in step 2.
Another keyframe is added at the current frame.
Note: When you animate parameters using the initial-keyframe method, you cannot turn off or suspend keyframe recording.