What it does
The Move tool selects layers in the viewer and drags them. It is the AE Selection tool.
How to use it
- Press V, or click the Move button (top slot of the toolbar).
- Click a layer in the viewer to select it; drag to move it.
- With layers selected, use the options bar to change their paint or align them.
Pressing V also switches the timeline back to its Select tool, which is how you leave the timeline's Cut tool.
Options bar
With one or more layers selected the options bar shows:
| Name | What it does | Default/range |
|---|---|---|
| Fill | Fill colour of the selected shape layers. Click the word Fill to turn fill off or on; the colour is remembered. | — |
| Stroke | Stroke colour. Click Stroke to turn it off or on. | — |
| Width | Stroke width. | 0–10000 |
| Selection / Comp | Align target. Selection aligns to the selection's bounds (a single layer aligns to the comp); Comp aligns every layer to the composition. Remembered between sessions and shared with the Align panel. | Selection |
| Align left / horizontal centers / right edges | Aligns horizontally. | — |
| Align top / vertical centers / bottom edges | Aligns vertically. | — |
| Center horizontally and vertically | Centres on the target. | — |
| Distribute horizontally / vertically | Spaces the layers evenly. Shown with 3 or more layers selected. | — |
Paint edits also become the paint for the next shape you draw.
Shortcuts
| Action | Mac | Windows/Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Move tool | V | V |
| Pick Anchor Point from the same slot | Y | Y |