Scale keys

You can scale keys to change the duration of a range of keys or to change values on animation curve segments.
Note: You can change the size of keys appearing in the Graph Editor Graph view with the Key Size option in the Graph Editor section of the Animation (Settings) Preferences.
Warning: If tangents of the Fixed type are within the range of keys and animation curve segments to be scaled, the shape of the animation curve may not be preserved.

To set the Scale Key Options

  1. Select Key > Scale > .
    • If Time Range-All option is on, all keys for the current object are scaled.
    • If Time Range-Start/End option is on, only keys between the specified Start and End times are scaled.
    • If Time Range-Time Slider option is on, only the keys between the Range Slider’s Start and End times are scaled.
    Some additional tips about these options:
    • You can cut the duration of a range of animation in half using the Time Scale/Pivot option.
    • To scale the animation without affecting the curves of the animation before and after this range, select the Scale/Pivot Method.

      Keys and animation curve segments adjacent to the scaled region will be shifted in time by the amount the scaled range has been compressed or expanded, but their shapes will be preserved.

To scale keys

  1. Do one of the following:
    • To select a single key, click the key in the Time Slider.

      The Current Time Indicator moves to the clicked position and the key is selected.

    • To select multiple keys, Shift-drag over the range of keys in the Time Slider.

      The range of keys is now selected and highlighted in red.

  2. Do one of the following:
    • Click Scale Keys to set the Scale Keys Options and scale the current key(s).

      The Scale Keys Options window closes.

    • Click Apply to set the Scale Keys Options and scale the current key(s).

      The Scale Keys Options window remains open.

    • Click Close to disregard any changes made to the Scale Keys Options and close the Scale Keys Options window.

The Region Tool in the Graph Editor lets you interactively scale keys in time (horizontally) or by value (vertically), or move the entire region of keys in time.

To interactively scale multiple keys

  1. In the Graph Editor, select the Region Tool .
  2. In the graph view area, drag to select the region of keys you want to scale.

    A selection box with handles on each side displays around the selected region in the graph view area.

    Note: To change the background color of the selection box in the Classic Graph Editor, open the Color Settings and adjust the Graph Editor Region Select color (on the General tab, in the Animation Editors secton). See Change user interface colors.
  3. Drag the whole selected box to move the entire region, or drag the handles on each side of the box to expand and collapse the box as follows:
    • Drag horizontally to shorten or extend the region over time.
    • Drag vertically to increase or decrease the range of values in the region.

    By default, keys snap to whole values in time and in value.

Related topics

Parent topic: Edit keys