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Setting layer position


    Every layer appears at a specific position in the Composition window. You determine the initial position when you add a layer to a composition. You can move the layer in the Composition window, in the Timeline window, or by using keys on your keyboard. For information on layer coordinates, see Info palette.

    When you animate position values, After Effects displays the movement as a motion path. (For information on animating position values, see Setting and animating a layer property in the Timeline window.) The position motion path displays in the Composition window. The anchor point motion path displays in the Layer window. A motion path appears as a sequence of dots, where each dot marks the position of the layer at each frame. An X in the path marks the position of a keyframe. The density of dots between the Xs indicates the layer's relative speed. Dots close together indicate a slower speed; dots farther apart indicate a greater speed.

To move a layer by dragging in the Composition window:

    In the Composition window, drag the layer to a new location.

    Tip iconIf you have difficulty selecting a layer in the Composition window, first select it in the Timeline window, and then drag it in the Composition window. Make sure that you do not drag the layer by its layer handle.

To move a layer precisely:

    To move a layer by a specific amount, do one of the following:

    • To nudge a layer by 1 pixel at the current magnification, press the Left, Right, Up, or Down arrow key.
    • To nudge a layer by 10 pixels at the current magnification, hold down Shift as you press the Left, Right, Up, or Down arrow key.
    • To constrain horizontal and vertical movement while dragging a layer, press Shift after you start dragging the layer in the Composition window.
    • To snap the edge of the layer to the edge of the Composition window frame, press Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (Mac OS) after you start dragging the layer in the Composition window.