To select all keyframes in After Effects, there are several methods depending on whether you want to select keyframes for a specific property, on a single layer, or across multiple layers.
Here's a breakdown of how to accomplish this:
Based on standard After Effects methods, including the information provided in the reference, you can easily select all keyframes applied to a single layer property (like Position, Scale, Opacity, etc.).
There are two primary ways to do this:
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Select the Property Name in the Timeline:
- In the layer outline in the Timeline panel, find the layer property you want to select all keyframes for.
- Click directly on the name of the property (e.g., "Position," "Scale," "Rotation").
- Selecting the property name will highlight it, and all keyframes associated with that property on that layer will be selected simultaneously.
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Using the Graph Editor (Reference Method):
- Open the Graph Editor for the layer and property.
- Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (macOS) a segment between any two keyframes on the graph line for that property.
- This action, as stated in the reference, will select all keyframes for that specific layer property.
These methods are useful when you need to adjust all keyframes for one particular parameter of a layer.
Selecting Multiple Keyframes (Including All on a Layer or Comp)
If you want to select a range of keyframes, all keyframes on a layer, or all keyframes in the composition, you typically use a selection box or reveal properties containing keyframes.
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Drag a Selection Box:
- In the Timeline panel (in layer bar mode or value graph mode), simply click and drag a box around the keyframes you want to select. Any keyframe fully or partially within the selection box will be selected.
- To select all keyframes on a layer, you would usually first reveal all animated properties (often by selecting the layer and pressing the 'U' key, which reveals only properties with keyframes), then drag a large selection box around all the visible keyframes for that layer.
- To select all keyframes in a composition, you could select all layers (Ctrl+A on Windows, Cmd+A on macOS), press 'U' to reveal all animated properties, and then drag a selection box around all visible keyframes.
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Using the 'U' Shortcut:
- Select the layer(s) you're interested in.
- Press the 'U' key on your keyboard. This reveals only the properties that have keyframes applied to them.
- Once revealed, you can easily drag a selection box around all the displayed keyframes as described above. Pressing 'U' again will hide the keyframed properties. Pressing 'UU' (double U) reveals all modified properties, including those with expressions or different values, even without keyframes.
Quick Reference Table: Keyframe Selection
| Action | Method | Shortcut (Windows/macOS) | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Select All Keyframes for a Property | Click the Property Name in the Timeline Outline | Click Property Name | Single Property (on a Layer) |
| Select All Keyframes for a Property | Alt-click / Option-click a segment between keyframes in Graph Editor | Alt+Click / Option+Click Segment | Single Property (on a Layer) |
| Select Range of Keyframes | Drag a selection box around them in the Timeline or Graph Editor | Click + Drag | Any Visible Keyframes |
| Reveal Properties with Keyframes | Select Layer(s), then press 'U' | U | On Selected Layer(s) |
| Select All Keyframes on a Layer | Select Layer, Press 'U', then Drag Selection Box | Select Layer, U, Click+Drag | On a Single Layer |
| Select All Keyframes in Composition | Select All Layers (Ctrl/Cmd+A), Press 'U', then Drag Selection Box | Ctrl/Cmd+A, U, Click+Drag | On All Layers |
Selecting keyframes is a fundamental step for editing animation timing and values, allowing you to move, copy, paste, delete, or adjust interpolation for groups of keyframes efficiently.
