Where is the Shy Layer Button in After Effects?

This article provides a direct guide to locating and using the Master Shy Layer toggle button in Adobe After Effects. You will learn the exact placement of the master switch within the interface, how it interacts with individual layer switches, and how to properly use the feature to declutter complex composition timelines.

Exact Location of the Master Shy Toggle

The Master Shy button—officially labeled "Hides all layers for which the 'Shy' switch is set"—is located directly along the top edge of the Timeline panel.

Look at the header bar situated immediately above your composition's layer list and time ruler. You will find a row of composition-wide switches. The Master Shy icon is placed beside the Enable Motion Blur, Frame Blending, and Graph Editor buttons.

What the Icon Looks Like

The Shy button is represented by a stylized, cartoonish figure peeking over a horizontal wall, showing just a nose and two eyes (reminiscent of the classic "Kilroy was here" doodle).

  • Inactive State: The icon appears grayed out or outlined, meaning all layers in your timeline remain visible regardless of their individual shy settings.
  • Active State: The icon appears highlighted or filled with blue/cyan (depending on your software version), meaning any layer marked as "shy" is now hidden from the timeline view.

How to Use the Shy Feature

Hiding layers requires a simple two-step process:

  1. Mark Individual Layers: In the Timeline panel, locate the column containing layer switches (represented by the same peeking-head icon at the top of the column). Click the Shy switch for each individual layer you want to hide.
  2. Toggle the Master Switch: Click the Master Shy button at the top of the Timeline panel. Once activated, all designated layers instantly collapse from the view.

Note: If you cannot see the individual Shy switches on your layers, press the F4 key or click the Toggle Switches / Modes button at the very bottom of the Timeline panel to bring the switches panel into view.

Hiding layers using the Shy toggle only removes them from your workspace timeline to reduce visual clutter; it does not disable, lock, or prevent those layers from rendering in the final output or viewport. To make your hidden layers visible again for editing, simply click the Master Shy button once more to deactivate it.