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Animation Timeline window reference

Edit how your objects move and how your object's properties change over time.
Read time 3 minutesLast updated a day ago

To open the Animation Timeline window to animate a single object, do one of the following:
  • If you already have an Animation component on your object, in your component, select the Record button next to the Animation Clip field.
  • Add an Animation component to your GameObject. The Animation Timeline window opens automatically.
To edit multiple objects on a timeline, select the Animation Director object in the Hierarchy panel.

Animation Timeline window properties - Animation component

The following options show in the Animation Timeline window when you access the window from the Animation component.
Screenshot of the side panel of the Animation Timeline window. Has a dropdown of animation clips to choose from and lists the object you're currently animating on the timeline.

The side panel of the Animation window when you open from the Animation component.

Property

Description

AnimationSelect the animation clip you want to edit. When you select a clip, the timeline displays the clip's keyframes.
GameObjectThe object that the animation clip changes. Keyframes in the clip affect this object's properties during playback.

Animation Timeline window properties - Animation Director

The following options show in the Animation Timeline window when you access the window from the Animation Director.
Screenshot of the side panel of the Animation Timeline window. Has a dropdown for timelines and lists the objects you're currently animating on the timeline.

The side panel of the Animation window when you open from the Animation Director.

Property

Description

TimelineSelect the timeline you want to work on. A timeline allows you to animate multiple objects in the same window.
Target GameObjectsThe list of objects that you want to animate on this timeline. If you animate this object, its keyframes appear on the timeline in the same line as the object's name. To add objects, select the object in the Hierarchy panel while the Animation Timeline window is open.

Timeline area

This timeline is the track editor where you add, move, and adjust keyframes for each animated property over time. This area is the same for both Animation component and Animation Director.
Screenshot of the timeline you use to edit your animations, with labels A to E that point to different elements of the timeline. Contains a timeline, keyframes, a handle, and a stopwatch button.

A screenshot of a timeline with keyframes placed.

A: The animation clip or timeline to edit. B: The GameObjects to animate in the timeline appear in the left panel. C: Keyframes - Keyframes appear on the timeline when you change an object's properties while the Animation Timeline window is open. This records the object's properties (for example, its rotation) in their current state. Drag the keyframe to a different position on the timeline to alter the timing of the property change. To add more keyframes, move the handle to a different position and make another change to the property. D: Handle - Drag the handle to scrub through the animation, set the time to insert new keyframes, and preview changes at specific moments. E: Stopwatch - Toggle the timeline's time units between seconds and frames. Enables time-based or frame-accurate editing. For instructions on how to use the timeline to animate objects, refer to:

Animation Timeline Toolbar window properties

When the Animation Timeline window is open, a toolbar appears across the top of the Scene View.
Screenshot of the toolbar that appears when you open the Animation Timeline window. Contains a row of buttons to play, pause, and stop your animations.

The toolbar that appears when you open the Animation Timeline window.

The toolbar contains the following buttons:

Property

Description

RewindMove the animation back to the first frame or second of the timeline.
Skip backMove back one frame or second in the animation.
PlayPlay the animation in the timeline in a loop. When you select this button it switches to a Pause button.
PausePlay the animation in the timeline in a loop. When you select this button it switches to a Pause button.
Skip nextMove forward one frame or second in the animation.
Fast forwardMove to the last keyframe in the timeline.
Exit (X)Exit the Animation Timeline window.

Additional resources