To display or hide layer controls in Adobe After Effects, you can use a simple shortcut or menu option.
Using the View Menu
You can quickly access this functionality through the View menu:
- Go to the View menu in the main After Effects window.
- Select Show Layer Controls. This toggles the visibility of the layer controls.
Using Keyboard Shortcuts
The most efficient way to show or hide layer controls is using keyboard shortcuts:
- Windows: Press Ctrl + Shift + H
- macOS: Press Command + Shift + H
This shortcut acts as a toggle. If layer controls are visible, this will hide them, and vice-versa. These controls include the bounding boxes, anchor point, and other interactive elements used to transform and manipulate layers.
What do Layer Controls Include?
Layer controls are interactive elements that appear on screen in the Composition Panel when a layer is selected. They allow for direct manipulation of a layer's:
- Transform Properties: Position, Scale, Rotation, Opacity
- Anchor Point: The point around which the layer rotates and scales
- 3D Axes: When working in 3D, 3D axes help with 3D layer positioning. Note, these are also toggled by the same shortcut.
By showing these controls, you can adjust layers graphically within the composition view. When hidden, the composition view becomes cleaner and less cluttered, especially when working with numerous layers.
Practical Use Cases
- Precision Editing: Using layer controls allows for direct manipulation for quick positioning and adjustments.
- Avoiding Clutter: Hiding layer controls makes your composition less visually busy, which is useful when working with many layers.
- Visualizing 3D Layers: The same shortcut is used for the 3D axes, so toggling allows for 3D placement and adjustment.
- Optimizing Workflow: Using the keyboard shortcut helps to move between tasks faster.
By using either the menu option or keyboard shortcut, you can easily toggle the visibility of layer controls to improve your workflow within After Effects.
