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1

Select one or more layers

Select the layer(s) you want to pre-compose in your active composition. The menu item is disabled until at least one layer is selected.
2

Open Pre-compose Pro

Choose Layer > Pre-compose Pro…, or press Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+C if you’ve taken over the native shortcut.
3

Set your options and click OK

Everything below happens in one step, as a single undo.

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New composition name

Type the name for the new composition. It supports placeholders ([c] for the parent comp’s name, [l] for the layer name, [#] for an auto-incrementing number), and any saved prefix/suffix is applied automatically. See Naming.

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Leave or move attributes

The same choice as the native dialog:
  • Leave all attributes: the layer’s transforms and effects stay on the new pre-comp layer in the parent comp. Only available for a single layer with source footage.
  • Move all attributes into the new composition: transforms and effects travel into the pre-comp with the layer(s).

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Pre-compose all layers separately

With multiple layers selected, this creates one pre-comp per layer instead of putting them all into one. Naming, duration, cropping, labels, and opening apply to each new comp individually; [l] in the name resolves to each layer’s own name.

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Adjust composition duration

Trims the new composition to the time span of the layers inside it. No more pre-comps inheriting a full 60-second duration for a 2-second element. The pre-comp layer in the parent comp keeps its original timing. Only available when moving attributes into the new composition.

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Crop composition to content

Resizes the new composition to fit its visible content, repositioning everything to match. Choose whether masks count towards the bounds and whether to measure at the current time only or across the whole duration, plus optional padding. See Cropping.

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Set composition label

Assigns a label color to the new pre-comp layer. The dropdown lists your actual label names and colors (including any customized in Preferences > Labels), plus Default (After Effects decides) and None.

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Open new composition

When ticked, the new pre-comp (or each of them, when pre-composing separately) opens in the viewer when done. When unticked you stay in the parent comp.
Every option in the dialog is remembered between sessions, so your usual setup is one Enter away. The Settings button opens defaults, naming, and shortcut options. See Settings & shortcuts.