TimeRemapKey ⏱️

A tiny After Effects script that toggles a Time Remap keyframe at the playhead on every selected layer. Built to live on a hotkey.

What it does

Select any number of layers, park the playhead, run the script, and for each layer:

• No key at the playhead → adds a Time Remap keyframe there. If the layer doesn't have Time Remapping yet, it's enabled first (After Effects' own in/out keys are kept).
• Key already at the playhead → removes it. If that was the last key, Time Remapping is switched back off.

Each layer is decided on its own, so a mixed selection ends up mixed. The new key keeps whatever value the layer already had at that time — nothing jumps.

Afterwards the Time Remap property is revealed in the timeline with only the new key selected, so you can hit F9 straight away. Your layer selection is kept, and it's all one undo step.

Installation

As a Regular Script

• Place TimeRemapKey.jsx in your Scripts folder and run via File → Scripts → TimeRemapKey.jsx:

  Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects [version]\Support Files\Scripts\
  macOS:   /Applications/Adobe After Effects [version]/Scripts/
  

As a Hotkey (recommended)

• Keep the .jsx anywhere and trigger it from your hotkey tool of choice, e.g. AutoHotkey:

  run, "<path-to-AfterFX.exe>" -r "C:\path\to\TimeRemapKey.jsx"

Usage

1. Open a composition and select the footage / precomp layer(s) you want to retime.
2. Move the playhead to where you want the key.
3. Run the script — key added. Run it again on the same frame — key removed.

Example

Freeze-frame in three presses:
  ▶ playhead at 2:00  → run   (key A)
  ▶ playhead at 3:00  → run   (key B)
  drag key B's value to match key A → the layer holds from 2:00 to 3:00

Options

A small config block at the top of the script lets you change the behaviour:

Option	Default	What it does
REVEAL_PROPERTY	true	Show Time Remap in the timeline afterwards
SELECT_NEW_KEY	true	Leave only the new key selected (F9-ready)
KEEP_LAYER_SELECTION	true	Re-select your layers when done
DISABLE_WHEN_EMPTY	true	Removing the last key turns Time Remapping off

Requirements

• Adobe After Effects (any version with scripting support)
• Layers that support Time Remapping (footage with duration, precomps). Anything else in the selection — solids, text, shapes, stills — is silently skipped.

Notes

• A key counts as "at the playhead" if it's within a quarter of a frame, so sub-frame drift won't leave you with two keys on one frame.
• Nothing happens if no composition is active or no layers are selected.

License

MIT