Make a keyframe

When you create a keyframe, you record the value of a property at a specific point in time. By setting several keyframes on the same property over time, you are animating the property. You can change the property by setting values in the Properties panel, or by using the Selection tool Cc295241.2ff91340-477e-4efa-a0f7-af20851e4daa(en-us,Expression.40).png or Subselection tool Cc295241.6dd6571f-c116-451d-8dd2-1f88b8406362(en-us,Expression.40).png to move the object on the artboard.

Note

Some properties cannot be animated. For example, you cannot animate the properties under Text in the Properties panel except for the FontSize property. If you animate the FontSize property, you must set the property for the whole object (in other words, you cannot animate the FontSize property when you are in text-editing mode). Additionally, if a property value references a resource, or is set to Auto, then you cannot animate it. Auto is a special, dynamically-calculated value. Because of this, you cannot record Auto as the value of a keyframe.

To make a keyframe

  1. Select the timeline from the Storyboard picker by clicking Open a Storyboard Cc295241.d4531c86-5048-481c-a1ca-29af202d28e7(en-us,Expression.40).png under Objects and Timeline and then selecting a storyboard. If you do not yet have a timeline created, you can click New Cc295241.86937695-03dd-44ea-aa30-28d4029b3ad0(en-us,Expression.40).png to create one.

  2. Move the playhead Cc295241.5626c9eb-40bb-450a-9ca1-3678e5abe429(en-us,Expression.40).png to the desired point in time.

  3. To make a keyframe, use one of the following methods:

    • Click Record Keyframe Cc295241.e8ec61d4-c8e8-465a-85a7-70bf787a67de(en-us,Expression.40).png.

      A keyframe is created on the timeline for the selected object. The keyframe will store any property changes that you make when the playhead is at this point on the timeline.

    • Modify an object on the artboard by setting a property in the Properties panel or by modifying the object by using your pointer.

      A keyframe is automatically created on the timeline. The keyframe records the property changes that you just made.

    Note

    Always move the playhead and then make the property change.

See also

Tasks

Paste or move a keyframe
Delete a keyframe
Change animation interpolation between keyframes

Send feedback about this topic to Microsoft. © 2011 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.