AfterEffects

Select layers

Selected layers that also have properties selected are indicated with a hollow highlight in the Timeline panel. A selected layer that has no properties selected is indicated with a solid highlight.

Top layer selected, but no properties selected; bottom layer selected with properties selected.

To scroll the topmost selected layer to the top of the Timeline panel, press X.
  • To select a layer, click the layer in the Composition panel, click the layer’s name or duration bar in the Timeline panel, or click the layer’s name in the Flowchart panel.
  • To select a layer that is obscured in the Composition panel, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) over the layer in the Composition panel, and choose Select > [layer name].
  • To select a layer if the layer is open in its own Layer panel, choose the layer name from the Window menu or the Layer panel viewer menu.
  • To select a layer by position number, type the layer number on the numeric keypad. If the layer number has more than one digit, type the digits quickly so that After Effects can recognize them as one number.
  • To select the next layer in the stacking order, press Ctrl+Down Arrow (Windows) or Command+Down Arrow (Mac OS). To select the previous layer, press Ctrl+Up Arrow (Windows) or Command+Up Arrow (Mac OS).
  • To extend the selection to the next layer in the stacking order, press Ctrl+Shift+Down Arrow (Windows) or Command+Shift+Down Arrow (Mac OS). To extend the selection to the previous layer in the stacking order, press Ctrl+Shift+Up Arrow (Windows) or Command+Shift+Up Arrow (Mac OS).
  • To select all layers, choose Edit > Select All while the Timeline or Composition panel is active. To deselect all layers, choose Edit > Deselect All.
  • To deselect any currently selected layers and select all other layers; with at least one layer selected, choose Invert Selection from the context menu in the Composition or Timeline panel.
  • To select all layers that use the same color label, click the layer’s color label in the Timeline panel, and choose Select Label Group, or select the layer and choose Edit > Label > Select Label Group.
  • To select all child layers assigned to a parent layer, select the parent layer and choose Select Children from the context menu in the Composition or Timeline panel. The child layers are added to the existing selection.