How to Animate X and Y Separately in After Effects

In Adobe After Effects, layer position coordinates are grouped together by default, which can make fine-tuning motion curves and applying independent easing challenging. Separating the X and Y dimensions allows you to control the horizontal and vertical trajectories individually, making it easier to create natural physics like bounces, projectile arcs, and distinct speed ramps. This guide explains how to separate these dimensions natively in the timeline and within the Graph Editor.

Method 1: The Timeline Context Menu

The fastest and most common way to isolate spatial coordinates is directly from the timeline layer properties:

  1. Select the layer you want to animate in your timeline.
  2. Press P on your keyboard to reveal the Position property.
  3. Right-click directly on the word Position.
  4. Click Separate Dimensions from the contextual menu.

Once selected, the unified Position property splits into distinct X Position and Y Position properties (and Z Position if the layer is 3D). You can now add keyframes, adjust values, and assign different interpolation types to each axis independently.

Method 2: The Graph Editor

You can also separate the coordinates directly from the Graph Editor interface, which is useful when you are already tweaking speed or value graphs:

  1. Reveal the Position property by pressing P.
  2. Click the Graph Editor button (or press Shift + F3).
  3. Select the Position property to view its curve.
  4. Click the Separate Dimensions icon located in the bottom toolbar of the Graph Editor (an icon showing an X and Y splitting apart).

Working with Separated Dimensions

Once split, each coordinate operates as an independent value stream:

  • Independent Easing: You can apply an easy ease (F9) to the Y-axis to simulate gravity or bounce, while keeping the X-axis linear to maintain constant forward momentum.
  • Graph Adjustments: In the Graph Editor, switch to the Value Graph. You can now adjust the bezier handles for vertical and horizontal movements without altering the other axis.
  • Recombining Dimensions: If you need to link the axes again, right-click either X Position or Y Position and click Separate Dimensions to uncheck it. Note that recombining may alter custom bezier handles created while the dimensions were separate.