Move a layer or group forward or backward

Add and remove layers and groups

You can add and remove layers or groups in the Layers list. You can also add or remove layers (but not groups) in the Canvas.

Add a layer to your project

Do one of the following:

  • Drag an item from the File Browser or Library to a group in the Layers list.

  • Drag an item from the File Browser or Library to the Canvas.

For more information about adding content from the File Browser or Library, see Add and manage content overview.

Create a group in the Layers list

Do one of the following:

  • Click the Add button (+) in the lower-left corner of the Project pane.

  • Control-click an empty area of the Canvas (in the gray area outside the composition) and choose New Group from the shortcut menu.

    An empty group is added above the existing groups in the Layers list.

  • Choose Object > New Group (or press Shift-Command-N).

    An empty group is added above the currently selected object. (If no object is selected, the empty group is added at the top of the Layers list).

Note: You can also create groups when dragging files to the Layers list from the File Browser or Library. For more information, see Add and manage content overview.

Duplicate a layer

Do one of the following:

  • Option-drag the layer to the position you want in the Layers list, or Option drag a layer in the Canvas.

    Note: You can also Option-drag layers between different open Motion projects (to the Canvas or Layers list).

  • Control-click a layer in the Layers list or Canvas, then choose Duplicate from the shortcut menu.

Clone a layer

When you duplicate a layer, subsequent changes made to the original (source) layer are not inherited by the duplicated layers. However, when you use the Make Clone Layer command, changes made to filters and masks in the source layer propagate to the clones. Creating clone layers improves project playback and rendering performance.

Important: Behaviors don’t propagate to clone layers unless the behavior affects a filter or mask in the source layer.

Do one of the following:

  • Select the layer to clone, then choose Object > Make Clone Layer (or press K).

  • Control-click a layer in the Layers list, then choose Make Clone Layer from the shortcut menu.

    A clone layer is created and appears in the Canvas on top of the original layer. In the Layers list, the clone layer appears with the default name “Clone Layer.” A clone layer icon appears next to the name.

    Layers list showing a cloned layer

Note: You can modify clone layers independently of their source layer. However, you cannot modify the Frame Blending parameter of a clone layer created from a retimed source layer.

Remove a layer or group

Do one of the following:

  • Control-click a layer or group in the Layers list, then choose Cut or Delete from the shortcut menu.

  • Select a layer or group in the Layers list, then choose Edit > Delete (or press Delete) or Edit > Cut.

    The layer or group is removed. This action removes the object from the Canvas as well.

Note: If you delete a media file (an imported image, image sequence, audio file, or QuickTime movie) from the project, the file is also removed from the Media list unless the “Automatically manage unused media” checkbox is deselected in the General pane of Motion Preferences. When this setting is deselected, media files are deleted from the Layers list (and Canvas) but remain in the project in the Media list. Drag an item from the Media list into the Canvas to add it back to the Layers list. For more information, see Display, sort, and search the Media list.