Rigging & animation · Beginner

Dope sheet

An animation editor that shows every keyframe as a mark on a timeline grid

What is the dope sheet?

The dope sheet is an animation editor that shows every keyframe as a mark on a timeline grid, with one row per animated object or property. You use it to move, copy and space keys to fix timing. In Blender it is its own editor, and the Animation workspace shows it by default.

Think of it like this

It is like sheet music for motion: each row is an instrument, each mark a note, and sliding marks left or right changes when things happen.

Where it fits in a 3D project

  1. Create
  2. Surface
  3. Rig
  4. Animate
  5. Render
  6. Export

Animate: Making things move over time.

How the dope sheet works

  1. 01Each animated object gets a row, which expands into one row per property.
  2. 02Keyframes appear as diamonds on the frames where they sit.
  3. 03Select keys and press G to slide them in time, or S to stretch the timing.
  4. 04A mode menu switches to other views, such as the Action Editor and Shape Key Editor.

Dope sheet vs graph editor

PropertyDope sheetGraph editor
ShowsKeyframes as marks in rowsKeyframes as points on curves
Best forTiming: when things happenMotion: how values change between keys
Main editsMove, copy and scale keys in timeShape curves with handles
For beginnersQuick to readTakes longer to learn

Set timing in the dope sheet, then switch to the graph editor to refine how each move speeds up, slows down or overshoots.

Where the dope sheet is used

  • Retiming an animation by sliding or scaling keys
  • Copying a block of keys to repeat a motion
  • Lining up timing across several objects at once

Beginner tip

Block out timing in the dope sheet first, with only the main poses keyed. Get the rhythm right there, then polish each move in the graph editor.

Terms related to the dope sheet

Dope sheet FAQ

How do I move keyframes in the dope sheet?
Click or box select the keys, then press G and move the mouse, or drag them. Keys snap to whole frames by default. Press S to scale a group of keys, which speeds up or slows down that stretch.
How do I change animation speed in Blender?
Select all keys in the dope sheet with A and press S to scale them. Scaling up makes the motion slower and scaling down makes it faster. Keys scale around the playhead, so put it on the first key first.
What is the action editor?
A mode of the dope sheet that shows one object’s action, a named and reusable block of keyframes. You use it to create, rename and switch between actions, such as a walk and an idle, on the same character.
Why is it called a dope sheet?
The name comes from hand-drawn animation, where a dope sheet, or exposure sheet, was a printed chart listing every drawing frame by frame. The 3D editor does the same job: a frame-by-frame plan of timing.

Updated October 29, 2026 · Browse all 3D terms