Timeline Editor

The Timeline editor, identified by a clock icon, is not much of an editor, but more used to view information and control animation playback.

The Timeline.

The Timeline is one of an animator’s most useful tools as it can give a broad overview of a scene’s animation. The Timeline can communicate the current time frame, either in frames or in seconds, where the keyframes are of the active object, the start and end frames of your animation, markers, etc.

The Timeline has Player Controls, to play, pause the animation, and to skip though parts of the scene.

It also has some tools for Keyframes, Keying Sets, and Markers.

Main View

The main Timeline region displays the animation frames over time.

Timeline main view.

Adjusting the View

The Timeline can be panned by holding MMB, then dragging the area left or right.

You can zoom the Timeline by using Ctrl-MMB, the mouse Wheel, or pressing NumpadMinus and NumpadPlus.

Time Cursor

The Time Cursor is the green line, it is used to set and display the current time frame.

Time Cursor.

The Time Cursor can be set or moved to a new position by pressing or holding LMB in the Timeline editor.

The current frame or second can be displayed on the Time Cursor, check the View menu for settings.

The Time Cursor can be moved in steps by pressing Left or Right, or in steps of 10 frames by pressing Shift-Up or Shift-Down.

Playback/Rendering Range

By default, the Playback/Rendering Range (Frame Start 1 to Frame End 200) is a lighter shade of gray. The start and end frame can be set to the Time Cursor by pressing S or E. The Playback Range can also be set by pressing P then drawing a box.

Keyframes

For the active and selected objects, keyframes are displayed as a yellow line. For Armatures, the object keyframes and the pose bones keyframes are drawn.

Only Selected Channels can be enabled. Timeline ‣ View ‣ Only Selected Channels. For Armatures, this will draw the object keyframes, and the keyframes for the active and selected pose bones.

Markers

See the Markers page for more information.

Header

Menus

View Menu

The View Menu controls what you see, and what it looks like.

Show Seconds Ctrl-T

Whether to show the time in the X axis and the Time Cursor as frames (based on the FPS) or as seconds.

Lock Time to Other Windows

It synchronizes the horizontal panning and scale of the current editor with the other editors (Graph, Dope Sheet, NLA) when this option is set. That way you always have these editors showing an identical part of the time you work on.

Show Frame Number Indicator

This will draw the current frame or seconds on the Time Cursor.

Only Keyframes from Selected Channels

For Armatures, this will draw the object keyframes, and the keyframes for the active and selected pose bones.

Cache

Show Cache

Show all enabled types.

Softbody, Particles, Cloth, Smoke, Dynamic Paint, Rigid Body.

Timeline Cache.

View All Home

Maximize the area based on the Animation Range.

View Frame Numpad0

Centers the Timeline to the Time cursor.

Bind Camera to Markers Ctrl-B

This is used switch cameras during animation. It binds the active camera to the selected markers. First select a camera. Then select the marker(s). Then use the tool.

Markers Menu

Markers are used to denote frames with key points or significant events within an animation. Like with most animation editors, markers are shown at the bottom of the editor.

Markers in animation editor.

For descriptions of the different marker tools see Editing Markers.

Frame Menu

Auto-Keyframing Mode

This controls how the Auto Keyframe mode works. Only one mode can be used at a time.

Add & Replace

Add or Replace existing keyframes.

Replace

Only Replace existing keyframes.

Playback Menu

Top-Left 3D Editor

While playing, updates the Timeline, if Animation Editors and All 3D View Editors disabled.

All 3D View Editors

While playing, updates the 3D View and the Timeline.

Animation Editors

While playing, updates the Timeline, Dope Sheet, Graph Editor, Video Sequence Editor.

Property Editors

When the animation is playing, this will update the property values in the UI.

Image Editors

The UV/Image editor in Mask mode.

Sequencer Editors

While playing, updates the Video Sequence Editor.

Node Editors

While playing, updates the Node properties for the Node Editor.

Clip Editors

While playing, updates the Movie Clip Editor.

Follow

Animation editors can be setup to always follow the time indicator as animation is being played back. Following will be done when animating and changing frame. When the cursor reaches the end of the screen the next range of frames of the same width will be displayed.

Frame Dropping

Play back dropping frames if frame display is too slow.

AV-sync

Play back and sync with audio clock, dropping frames if frame display is too slow. See Synchronize Playback for more info.

Audio Muted

Mute the sound from Sequence Editors.

Audio Scrubbing

If your animation has sound, this option plays bits of the sound wave while you move the time cursor with LMB or keyboard arrows (like a moving playhead).

Header Controls

The Timeline header controls.

Timeline header controls.

1. Range Control, 2. Frame Control, 3. Player Control, 4. Synchronize Playback, 5. Keyframe Control.

Range Control

Use Preview Range (clock icon)

This is an alternative range used to preview animations. This works for the UI playback, this will not work for rendering an animation. See Preview Range.

Lock Time Cursor to Playback Range (padlock icon)

This limits the Time Cursor to the Playback Range.

Frame Control

Start Frame

The start frame of the animation/playback range.

End Frame

The end frame of the animation/playback range.

Current Frame Alt-Wheel

The current frame of the animation/playback range. Also the position of the Time Cursor.

Player Control

These buttons are used to set, play, rewind, the Time Cursor.

Player controls.

Jump to start (⏮) Shift-Ctrl-Down, Shift-Left

This sets the cursor to the start of frame range.

Jump to previous keyframe (⏪) Down

This sets the cursor to the previous keyframe.

Rewind (◀) Shift-Alt-A

This plays the animation sequence in reverse. When playing the play buttons switch to a pause button.

Play (▶) Alt-A

This plays the animation sequence. When playing the play buttons switch to a pause button.

Jump to next keyframe (⏩) Up

This sets the cursor to the next keyframe.

Jump to end (⏭) Shift-Ctrl-Up, Shift-Right

This sets the cursor to the end of frame range.

Pause (⏸) Alt-A

This stops the animation.

Synchronize Playback

3D View red FPS.

60:54.75

When you play an animation, the FPS is displayed at the top left of the 3D View. If the scene is detailed and playback is slower than the set Frame Rate (see Dimensions Panel), these options are used to synchronize the playback.

No Sync

Do not sync, play every frame.

Frame Dropping

Drop frames if playback is too slow. This enables Frame Dropping from the Playback Menu.

AV-sync

(Audio/Video Synchronization). Sync to audio clock, dropping frames if playback is slow. This enables AV-sync and Frame Dropping from the Playback Menu.

Keyframe Control

Auto Keyframe

Timeline Auto Keyframe.

The record button (red dot) enables something called Auto Keyframe: It will add and/or replace existing keyframes for the active object when you transform it in the 3D View.

For example, when enabled, first set the Time Cursor to the desired frame, then move an object in the 3D View, or set a new value for a property in the UI.

When you set a new value for the properties, Blender will add keyframes on the current frame for the transform properties. Other use cases are Fly/Walk Mode to record the walk/flight path and Lock Camera to View to record the navigation in camera view.

Auto Keying Set (red record icon)

When enabled Auto Keyframe will insert new keyframes for the properties in the active Keying Set.

Layered (two keys icon)

Adds a new NLA Track and strip for every loop/pass made over the animation to allow non-destructive tweaking.

Obs

Note that Auto Keyframe only works for transform properties (objects and bones), in the 3D Views (i.e. you can’t use it e.g. to animate the colors of a material in the Properties editor…).

Keyframe Type

Keyframe Types on insertion.

Active Keying Set

Timeline Keying Sets.

Keying Sets are a set of keyframe channels in one. They are made so the user can record multiple properties at the same time. With a keying set selected, when you insert a keyframe, Blender will add keyframes for the properties in the active Keying Set. There are some built-in keying sets, LocRotScale, and also custom keying sets. Custom keying sets can be defined in the panels Properties ‣ Scene ‣ Keying Sets + Active Keying Set.

Insert Keyframes (key icon)

Insert keyframes on the current frame for the properties in the active Keying Set.

Delete Keyframes (striked through key icon)

Delete keyframes on the current frame for the properties in the active Keying Set.