To put a marker in After Effects, move the current-time indicator to the frame you want and press * on the numeric keypad. With no layers selected, this adds a composition marker. With a layer selected, it adds a layer marker. You can also use Layer > Markers > Add Marker, and double-click any marker to name it, add comments, or set a duration.

Composition markers vs. layer markers

After Effects has two kinds of markers, and the difference determines where they live and how you use them.

• Composition markers sit on the timeline ruler and belong to the comp. Use them for global cues: music beats, client revision points, scene changes, or the start of a voiceover line.
• Layer markers sit on a specific layer's bar and travel with it. Use them for per-element cues such as "hit lands here" or "swap texture".

If your marker lands in the wrong place, it usually comes down to selection. Press * with a layer still selected and you get a layer marker when you wanted a comp marker. Click an empty area of the timeline panel to deselect all layers first.

How to add a composition marker

1. Move the current-time indicator to the target frame.
2. Click an empty area of the timeline to deselect all layers.
3. Press * on the numeric keypad.

How to add a layer marker

1. Select the layer.
2. Position the playhead.
3. Press * on the numeric keypad, or choose Layer > Markers > Add Marker.

The marker appears as a small icon on the layer bar at the playhead position. Layer markers are the better choice when the cue is tied to an object. For example, you can mark the frame where a logo should lock up so that the cue stays attached even if you slide the layer around.

Adding markers without a numeric keypad

Many laptops lack a numeric keypad, so the * shortcut isn't always available. You have three options:

• Use the menu. Layer > Markers > Add Marker works for both marker types, depending on what's selected.
• Remap the shortcut. Open After Effects' keyboard shortcut settings and assign Add Marker to a key you can reach. Pick something that doesn't collide with your existing shortcuts.
• Use numbered markers. See the next section. These use the number keys on the main keyboard, so they work on any keyboard.

Numbered composition markers: the fast way

If you set a lot of markers, the numbered approach is quicker than the standard method. The standard method takes several steps: add the marker, double-click it, type a label, and click OK.

• Press Shift+1 to drop a composition marker numbered 1 at the playhead. Shift+2 drops marker 2, and so on, up to 9.
• If a numbered marker already exists, pressing the same combination at a new playhead position moves it there. You don't have to drag it.
• Press the number on its own (1, 2, and so on) to jump the playhead to that marker.

This works well for establishing a structure quickly, such as marker 1 for the intro, 2 for the first beat drop, and 3 for the end card. It also lets you navigate a long comp without scrubbing.

Edit a marker: names, durations, and more

Double-click a marker to open its settings. The useful options are:

• Comment: the label that shows on the marker. Use short, scannable text like "VO line 3" or "logo hit".
• Duration: turns a point marker into a span. This is handy for marking how long a music section or a client-requested hold lasts.

You can also drag a marker to move it.

Delete markers

• Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (macOS) and click a marker to remove it.
• Right-click a marker and choose Delete All Markers to clear all markers.

Using markers to drive animation

Markers become more useful when you treat them as data instead of just notes.

Snapping to markers

Holding Shift while dragging the playhead snaps it to markers. This makes it easy to line up animation with beats or cues.

Reading markers with expressions

Markers behave like keyframes on a hidden property, so expressions can read them:

// Nearest marker to the current timevar m = thisComp.marker.nearestKey(time);m.timem.comment
// Marker by index (counts from 1)thisComp.marker.key(1).time

Layer markers use marker.key(n) on the layer itself. Marker indexes start at 1, which catches out anyone used to zero-based scripting. With these, you can trigger an animation at each marker, drive opacity from the time since the last marker, or pull a comment string into a text layer. If you need a ready-made UI instead, there are third-party scripts and panels for marker-driven timing, including some that convert subtitle timestamps into markers.

Workflow ideas that pay off

• Beat-sync: drop comp markers on the music, then line up keyframes with them.
• Client notes: put revision comments directly on the timeline, so feedback sits at the exact frame.
• Handoff: mark shots, hold frames, or "do not touch" areas for another artist in the project.
• Shot structure: name markers after shot numbers so a long comp reads like a breakdown sheet.

Troubleshooting common marker problems

• * does nothing: you may be pressing the asterisk on the main keyboard. After Effects expects the numeric keypad key. Remap it or use the menu.
• Wrong marker type: check your layer selection. A selected layer gives you a layer marker, and no selection gives you a comp marker.
• Can't see markers: make sure the layer's bar is visible and the timeline isn't zoomed too far out to show the marker icon.
• Expression errors: if marker.key(0) fails, remember indexing starts at 1. Also check that the marker exists before you call it.

Quick reference

Once you set markers by habit, whether by pressing * on the beat, numbering them with Shift+1, or reading them through expressions, your timelines become easier to navigate and easier to hand off.

To put a marker in After Effects, move the current-time indicator to the frame you want and press * on the numeric keypad. With no layers selected, this adds a composition marker. With a layer selected, it adds a layer marker. You can also use Layer > Markers > Add Marker, and double-click any marker to name it, add comments, or set a duration.

Composition markers vs. layer markers

After Effects has two kinds of markers, and the difference determines where they live and how you use them.

• Composition markers sit on the timeline ruler and belong to the comp. Use them for global cues: music beats, client revision points, scene changes, or the start of a voiceover line.
• Layer markers sit on a specific layer's bar and travel with it. Use them for per-element cues such as "hit lands here" or "swap texture".

If your marker lands in the wrong place, it usually comes down to selection. Press * with a layer still selected and you get a layer marker when you wanted a comp marker. Click an empty area of the timeline panel to deselect all layers first.

How to add a composition marker

1. Move the current-time indicator to the target frame.
2. Click an empty area of the timeline to deselect all layers.
3. Press * on the numeric keypad.

How to add a layer marker

1. Select the layer.
2. Position the playhead.
3. Press * on the numeric keypad, or choose Layer > Markers > Add Marker.

The marker appears as a small icon on the layer bar at the playhead position. Layer markers are the better choice when the cue is tied to an object. For example, you can mark the frame where a logo should lock up so that the cue stays attached even if you slide the layer around.

Adding markers without a numeric keypad

Many laptops lack a numeric keypad, so the * shortcut isn't always available. You have three options:

• Use the menu. Layer > Markers > Add Marker works for both marker types, depending on what's selected.
• Remap the shortcut. Open After Effects' keyboard shortcut settings and assign Add Marker to a key you can reach. Pick something that doesn't collide with your existing shortcuts.
• Use numbered markers. See the next section. These use the number keys on the main keyboard, so they work on any keyboard.

Numbered composition markers: the fast way

If you set a lot of markers, the numbered approach is quicker than the standard method. The standard method takes several steps: add the marker, double-click it, type a label, and click OK.

• Press Shift+1 to drop a composition marker numbered 1 at the playhead. Shift+2 drops marker 2, and so on, up to 9.
• If a numbered marker already exists, pressing the same combination at a new playhead position moves it there. You don't have to drag it.
• Press the number on its own (1, 2, and so on) to jump the playhead to that marker.

This works well for establishing a structure quickly, such as marker 1 for the intro, 2 for the first beat drop, and 3 for the end card. It also lets you navigate a long comp without scrubbing.

Edit a marker: names, durations, and more

Double-click a marker to open its settings. The useful options are:

• Comment: the label that shows on the marker. Use short, scannable text like "VO line 3" or "logo hit".
• Duration: turns a point marker into a span. This is handy for marking how long a music section or a client-requested hold lasts.

You can also drag a marker to move it.

Delete markers

• Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (macOS) and click a marker to remove it.
• Right-click a marker and choose Delete All Markers to clear all markers.

Using markers to drive animation

Markers become more useful when you treat them as data instead of just notes.

Snapping to markers

Holding Shift while dragging the playhead snaps it to markers. This makes it easy to line up animation with beats or cues.

Reading markers with expressions

Markers behave like keyframes on a hidden property, so expressions can read them:

// Nearest marker to the current timevar m = thisComp.marker.nearestKey(time);m.timem.comment
// Marker by index (counts from 1)thisComp.marker.key(1).time

Layer markers use marker.key(n) on the layer itself. Marker indexes start at 1, which catches out anyone used to zero-based scripting. With these, you can trigger an animation at each marker, drive opacity from the time since the last marker, or pull a comment string into a text layer. If you need a ready-made UI instead, there are third-party scripts and panels for marker-driven timing, including some that convert subtitle timestamps into markers.

Workflow ideas that pay off

• Beat-sync: drop comp markers on the music, then line up keyframes with them.
• Client notes: put revision comments directly on the timeline, so feedback sits at the exact frame.
• Handoff: mark shots, hold frames, or "do not touch" areas for another artist in the project.
• Shot structure: name markers after shot numbers so a long comp reads like a breakdown sheet.

Troubleshooting common marker problems

• * does nothing: you may be pressing the asterisk on the main keyboard. After Effects expects the numeric keypad key. Remap it or use the menu.
• Wrong marker type: check your layer selection. A selected layer gives you a layer marker, and no selection gives you a comp marker.
• Can't see markers: make sure the layer's bar is visible and the timeline isn't zoomed too far out to show the marker icon.
• Expression errors: if marker.key(0) fails, remember indexing starts at 1. Also check that the marker exists before you call it.

Quick reference

Once you set markers by habit, whether by pressing * on the beat, numbering them with Shift+1, or reading them through expressions, your timelines become easier to navigate and easier to hand off.