Adobe After Effects is one of the most popular visual effects software used by movie producers, advertisement agencies, media companies, and personal videographers for post-production visual and motion effects. Key features include motion graphics creation, text animation, visual effects, compositing, animation, 3D creation, and integration with other Adobe services and products. Adobe After Effects is commonly used to complete post-production videos for social media content, advertisements, title sequences, broadcast graphics, film, and other general video post-production.

Due to its extensive features and capabilities, Adobe After Effects tends to be more difficult to learn than other creative software. Still, with the listed Shape layers, Markers, Motion tracking, Saving, Exporting, and Rendering keyboard shortcuts below, you will be up and running with Adobe After Effects.

Shape Layers Keyboard Shortcuts

• Group selected shapes Command + G
• Ungroup selected shapes  Command + Shift + G
• Enter free-transform path editing mode  Select the Path property in the Timeline panel and press Command + T
• Increase star inner roundness  Page Up when dragging to create a shape
• Decrease star inner roundness  Page Down when dragging to create a shape
• Increase number of points for star or polygon; increase roundness for rounded rectangle  Up Arrow when dragging to create a shape
• Decrease number of points for star or polygon; decrease roundness for rounded rectangle  Down Arrow when dragging to create a shape
• Reposition shape during creation  Hold the Spacebar when dragging to create a shape
• Set rounded rectangle roundness to 0 (sharp corners); decrease polygon and star outer roundness  Left Arrow when dragging to create a shape
• Set rounded rectangle roundness to maximum; increase polygon and star outer roundness  Right Arrow when dragging to create a shape
• Constrain rectangles to squares; constrain ellipses to circles; constrain polygons and stars to zero rotation  Shift when dragging to create a shape
• Change outer radius of star  Command when dragging to create a shape

Markers Keyboard Shortcuts

• Set marker at current time (works during preview and audio-only preview)      * (multiply) on the numeric keypad or Control + 8 on the main keyboard
• Set marker at current time and open marker dialog box   Option + * (multiply) on the numeric keypad or Control + Option + 8 on the main keyboard
• Set and number a composition marker (0-9) at the current time  Shift + 0-9 on the main keyboard
• Go to a composition marker (0-9)  0-9 on main keyboard
• Display the duration between two layer markers or keyframes in the Info panel  Option-click the markers or keyframes
• Remove marker  Command-click marker

Motion Tracking Keyboard Shortcuts

• Move feature region, search region, and attach point 1 pixel at current magnification  Arrow key
• Move feature region, search region, and attach point 10 pixels at current magnification  Shift + Arrow key
• Move feature region and search region 1 pixel at current magnification  Option + Arrow key
• Move feature region and search region 10 pixels at current magnification  Option + Shift + Arrow key

Saving, Exporting, and Rendering Keyboard Shortcuts

• Save project  Command + S
• Increment and save project  Command + Option + Shift + S
• Save As  Command + Shift + S
• Add active composition or selected items to render queue  Command + Shift + / (on main keyboard)
• Add current frame to render queue  Command + Option + S
• Duplicate render item with same output filename as original  Command + Shift + D
• Add a composition to the Adobe Media Encoder encoding queue  Command + Option + M