Masks cannot be animated

Symptoms

If one or more of these match what you are seeing, you are on the right page.

• •The Properties Panel shows no mask property to keyframe
• •The mask is static while everything else animates
• •An alpha mask animates its position but not its softness
• •Vertex animation on the mask shape is unavailable

Causes and fixes

Ordered from most to least likely. Work down the list — each cause is paired with what to do about it.

1. 1

   You are looking for a mask property on the masked element.

   There is not one. Select the mask or clip shape and animate its transform properties, or its vertex positions in Vertex Edit mode.

2. 2

   An alpha mask needs its appearance animated, not its position.

   In Alpha mode the mask layer’s alpha drives the target’s transparency; in Luminance mode its brightness does, with white fully visible and black fully transparent. Animate the mask layer’s gradient stops or fill to change the reveal.

3. 3

   Vertex Edit mode is not active.

   Per-vertex positions are animatable only from Vertex Edit mode. Enter it on the mask shape to keyframe individual anchor points.

4. 4

   Record Mode is off.

   Enable it with Ctrl+Alt+R so property changes create keyframes at the playhead.

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