Add to Render Queue Shortcut in After Effects

In Adobe After Effects, efficiently exporting your composition is a vital part of the post-production workflow. This guide provides the default keyboard shortcuts for adding active compositions directly to the internal Render Queue or the external Adobe Media Encoder queue across both Windows and macOS, along with a quick breakdown of how to use and customize these commands.

The Render Queue Shortcuts

To send an active composition directly to the After Effects Render Queue, use the following key combinations:

  • Windows: Ctrl + M
  • macOS: Command + M

If you prefer to export via Adobe Media Encoder instead of the internal queue, use:

  • Windows: Ctrl + Alt + M
  • macOS: Command + Option + M

How to Use the Shortcut

  1. Open your project and select the composition you wish to export in either the Timeline panel or the Project panel.
  2. Press Ctrl + M (Windows) or Command + M (macOS).
  3. The Render Queue panel will automatically open at the bottom of the workspace with your composition listed as a new render item.
  4. Adjust your Render Settings, Output Module (format/codec), and Output To destination.
  5. Click the Render button in the upper-right corner of the Render Queue panel to begin processing.

Customizing the Shortcut

If the default shortcut conflicts with your operating system or personal workflow, you can change it:

  1. Go to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows) or After Effects > Keyboard Shortcuts (macOS).
  2. Type "Add to Render Queue" into the search bar.
  3. Click the existing shortcut next to the command, press your preferred key combination, and click OK to save the changes.