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Adobe After Effects

Open a project

CtrlO

Windows Desktop app After Effects desktop, default shortcuts

Practice this

Press Ctrl + O to open a project in Adobe After Effects. On a Mac, press Cmd + O instead.

Where it works: Projects

Every documented variant

Variants of this shortcut
System	Environment	Keys
Mac	Desktop app	`CmdO`
Windows	Desktop app	`CtrlO`

Where this comes from

Keyboard shortcuts in After Effects

Documentation checked on 2026-09-14. That is a documentation review, not a test run inside the application.

The same task in other apps

Open an existing database Microsoft Access Ctrl + O
Open a file Audacity Ctrl + O
Open a file Blender Ctrl + O
Open a file in the browser ChromeOS Ctrl + O
Open an existing SQL script DBeaver F3
Open a project TikTok Effect House Cmd + O
Open workbook Microsoft Excel Ctrl + O
Open a project GarageBand Cmd + O
Open an image GIMP Ctrl + O
Open a scene Godot Engine Cmd + O
Open Google Docs Ctrl + O
Open Google Sheets Ctrl + O

More Adobe After Effects shortcuts

Open the most recent project Cmd + Option + Shift + P
Create a new folder in the Project panel Cmd + Option + Shift + N
Open the project settings Cmd + Option + Shift + K
Find in the Project panel Cmd + F
Open preferences Cmd + Option + ;
Open or close the Project panel Cmd + 0
Open or close the Render Queue panel Cmd + Option + 0
Open or close the Tools panel Cmd + 1

See every Adobe After Effects shortcut

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