Controls reference | Accordion Docs

Toolbar

Control	Default action	Modifier
Group	Gather selected unlocked layers below a new header.	Shift creates it folded. Alt parents eligible members to the header. Combine both if needed.
Fold	Fold groups identified by the timeline selection, or every group when the selection identifies none.	Alt always affects every group.
Unfold	Open groups identified by the timeline selection, or every group when the selection identifies none.	Alt always affects every group.
Accordion	Toggle automatic sibling folding when a row opens. Starts off.	None.

For Fold and Unfold, a selected header identifies that group. A selected member identifies its direct group. These toolbar actions do not automatically change nested groups when only their parent is targeted.

Group rows

Target	Gesture	Result
Row, name, or chevron	Click	Toggle folded/open.
Row, name, or chevron	Alt-click	Toggle this group and set every nested group to the same state.
Row, name, or chevron	Shift-click	Open this group and fold sibling groups.
Row, name, or chevron	Shift+Alt-click	Open this group and its nested groups, and fold siblings.
Name	Double-click	Edit the group name. Enter or blur saves; Escape cancels.
Count and member dots	Click	Select the group’s contents. Shift-click adds to the selection.
Solo icon	Click	Toggle the group’s solo override.
Eye icon	Click	Toggle the group’s visibility override.
Lock icon	Click	Toggle the group’s lock override.
moved badge	Click	Choose a membership repair.
Row	Right-click	Open the group menu. Escape or clicking outside closes it.

Folded parents dim their child rows. Counts include nested headers and Group FX layers. Solo, eye, and lock icons appear on hover and remain visible while their override is active. Their switch memory can leave individual members enabled, locked, or soloed after an override ends.

Right-click menu

Every group has the same menu. Checkmarks mark enabled parenting, an active matte choice, and Group FX. Color swatches use After Effects label names.

Accordion group menu showing label swatches, Rename, selection, state controls, movement, Duplicate, parenting, matte, Group FX, Ungroup, Dissolve, and Strip all groups.

Control	Action
Color swatches	Recolor the header or its direct members according to Color Applies To.
Regather layers	Gather stored members. Appears when the group has moved.
Update to what’s under it	Accept the detected block as membership. Appears when the group has moved.
Rename…	Edit the name. Compact layouts use a menu field saved with Enter, canceled with Escape.
Select N layers	Select all contents, replacing the current selection.
Solo, Hide, Lock	Toggle remembered layer-switch overrides.
Up, Down	Move the whole group among siblings or to its container’s edge.
Duplicate	Copy the group and its nested contents above the original.
Parent to header	Toggle parenting for eligible direct members and nested headers.
Group matte	Choose a direct member as the alpha matte, or None to remove the remembered matte connections.
Group FX	Add or delete the group’s adjustment layer. Its effects also reach layers below the group.
Ungroup	Remove this header and retain its layers and nested groups.
Dissolve	Delete this group and all its contents. Hold about 0.7 seconds, or Alt-click immediately.
Strip all groups	Remove every header in this composition while retaining layers. Hold about 0.7 seconds, or Alt-click immediately.

The removal guide explains exactly what each removal command keeps.

Slot sizes

Accordion defaults to a half-width slot and also supports full width. In Edit layout, resize the slot to give names and controls more room.

Narrower slots remove toolbar text and the bottom hint before changing the group tree. Hover an icon to identify it.

Accordion in a half-width slot with four icon-only toolbar buttons and a nested group tree.

In a short, wide slot the toolbar moves beside the list. A scrollable tree holds groups that do not fit.

At very small sizes, the toolbar becomes icons and the tree becomes compact names or colored chevrons. Row modifiers and the right-click menu still work. Hover tooltips are suppressed at the smallest sizes; enlarge the slot for labels and row controls.

Refresh and feedback

The list refreshes on window focus, pointer entry, before pointer actions in the tool, and after host actions. It does not continuously poll the timeline. Return to Accordion after manual edits, an undo, or switching compositions.

Grouped N layers confirms creation, with folded and a locked-layer skip count when relevant. Tile badges show the grouped or changed count; All folded and All open mean the requested state was already reached. Removal toasts report Ungrouped N layers, Dissolved N layers, or Stripped N groups · shy flags restored. For refusals and errors, use Troubleshooting.