Organize and fold layer groups

Gather related layers

Group works on the current timeline selection. Adjacent layers stay in order. Separated layers are gathered below the topmost selected layer, keeping their relative order. Unselected layers keep their order with each other.

Gathering can change which selected layers sit above unselected layers. Check the composition afterward when that stacking order affects the result. Locked selected layers are skipped; the success message reports how many were skipped.

Hold Shift while clicking Group to create the group already folded. Hold Alt to enable Parent to header. You can combine both modifiers.

Nest smaller groups

Select one or more existing group headers in the timeline, optionally with loose layers, then click Group. Selecting a header includes its whole group. Selecting both a header and its contents does not include those contents twice.

Grouping members inside an existing group creates a subgroup there. When the selection spans several groups, the new group belongs to the container of the topmost selected item.

The parent count includes all layers below it that belong to its groups, including nested headers and any Group FX layers. The parent’s own header is excluded.

Open only what you need

Click a row or chevron to switch that group between folded and open. A normal parent fold preserves each child’s fold state. Hold Alt on a row click to set all nested groups to the same folded or open state too.

Hold Shift on a row click to open that group and fold its siblings. Siblings are groups at the same level inside the same parent. This works even when Accordion is off. Shift+Alt also opens all groups nested inside the chosen group.

Turn on Accordion to make every row-based opening fold its siblings automatically. It starts off. Turning it on alone does not fold anything, and the Fold and Unfold toolbar buttons do not apply this sibling rule.

For several groups, select their headers or member layers in the timeline, then click Fold or Unfold. With no grouped layers selected, these buttons affect every group. Hold Alt on either button to affect every group regardless of selection.

Name and color the groups

Choose a color swatch in the right-click menu to recolor an existing group. Color Applies To decides whether this changes the header alone or the header and its direct members. It does not recolor nested groups. Creating a group initially colors only its header.

Select, solo, hide, or lock the contents

Click the count to select every member, including nested headers and contents, but excluding the group’s own header. Shift-click adds those layers to the current selection. The small dots beside the count preview up to five direct member or child-header label colors.

Hover a row for the solo, eye, and lock icons, or use Solo, Hide, and Lock in its right-click menu. Solo and Hide affect member layers throughout the group, excluding group headers. Lock also includes nested headers, leaving the group’s own header available.

Each toggle remembers individual layer switches. Turning it back off restores those switches. For example, ending a group solo leaves a member soloed if it was soloed before. The group does not clear solo switches outside itself. The icons show Accordion’s active override, rather than a summary of every layer’s current switch.

Reorder or duplicate a group

Right-click the row and choose Up or Down to move its header and contents past the previous or next sibling group. At the outermost sibling, the action moves to the top or bottom of the composition, or to the edge of its parent group. Already at the top or Already at the bottom means there is no farther position in that direction.

Duplicate creates a complete copy immediately above the original. It copies nested groups, fold states, and stored switch memory. Parenting and mattes between copied layers are redirected to their copies. The new outer group is named Title copy, and its header becomes selected.