Simple Duplicate Layer in After Effects Tutorial

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This tutorial teaches you how to duplicate a layer or multiple layers in Adobe After Effects.

After Effects Duplicate Layer Methods

There are two simple ways to duplicate a layer in After Effects. First, is to use the keyboard shortcut. Select the layer that you want to duplicate in the Timeline panel. Then use Command+D if you’re on a Mac or Control+D if you’re on a Windows computer. This is one of those keyboard shortcuts you should commit to memory.

Alternatively, to duplicate a layer in After Effects you can go to the Edit menu then choose Duplicate.

After Effects Edit menu with Duplicate selected
Select the layer(s) you want to duplicate then go to the Edit menu and choose Duplicate

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Duplicate Multiple Layers in AE at Once

You can duplicate multiple layers at once in After Effects. Select the layers that you want to duplicate. Maybe you want to use Command+A (Mac) / Control+A (Windows) to select all the layers in the Timeline panel. Or Shift+click or Command/Control+click to select your layers. Once they’re selected you can repeat the same process as before — Command/Control+D or Edit menu then Duplicate.


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If you’ve read this tutorial and you still can’t figure it out, please leave a comment and I’ll do what I can to help troubleshoot it. But if you can now duplicate a layer in After Effects, I hope you stick around and check out some of the other After Effects tutorials on my website or consider signing up to get notified about new blog posts and happenings around EVF.

– Josh

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