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Keyframing makes a video or audio property change over time. Set a property—such as position, scale, opacity, an effect setting, or volume—to chosen values at particular moments, and the editor calculates the values between them. That calculation is called interpolation.

How keyframing works

A keyframe records a property’s value at a specific time. For a change, you typically set at least two keyframes: one for the starting value and another for the value later in the clip. The editor then calculates the intermediate values, producing the animated change.

For example, set a clip’s position at the start of a move and set it to a different position a few seconds later. The editor fills in the positions between those points, making the clip travel across the frame. Set opacity at two moments to create a fade, or set volume at different moments to shape an audio-level change.

When to use keyframes

Use keyframes when a property needs to change at chosen times during a clip. They give you control over both what changes and when it changes.

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  • Move or scale a shot: Set position or scale values at points along the clip to animate framing.
  • Fade visibility: Change opacity over time to bring a clip or visual element in or out.
  • Animate an effect: Set an effect parameter at different times when its strength or appearance should vary.
  • Adjust audio: Set volume values at specific moments to shape a level change.

If a property should stay constant throughout the clip, keyframes do not create a useful animation. For a simple change, a start and end keyframe establish the movement or adjustment; add more points only when you need to shape what happens between them. The useful number depends on the change you want, not on a universal rule.

Where to find keyframe controls

The controls and properties available vary by editor and effect. Adobe’s Premiere keyframes overview, last updated January 7, 2026, describes animating properties including position, opacity, and audio volume. Premiere can display keyframes in the Effect Controls and Timeline panels.

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Apple’s Final Cut Pro guide describes keyframing video and audio effects, individual effect parameters, clip properties, transitions, and motion paths in the Video Animation editor. The guide is for Final Cut Pro 12.4 on Mac 26.6. In both applications, the basic model is the same: set values at times, and the editor calculates the change between them.

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What interpolation means

Interpolation is the editor’s calculation of values between keyframes. If a property is set to one value at the first keyframe and another at the next, interpolation determines the intermediate values that make the property change over time. Apple’s developer documentation describes keyframe elements as containing time and value attributes and explains that Final Cut Pro interpolates between them. Its 0-to-10-second position-and-scale example illustrates the model; it is not a required workflow for ordinary editing.

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