Paste into multiple frames?

Help
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is there a way to paste into a range of frames ?

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I think there isn’t, sorry, but there are 2 “roundabouts” for this task.

-If the range of frames is small I usually just use the cursor arrows and the shortcut ctrl+v to paste faster.

-If the range is big, I usually paste into the first and last frame of the range, then I select all the frames, “right click > link cells” and finally “right click > unlink”.

I hope it helps! :slight_smile:

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I’ll leave a link to this post with some methods to edit multiple frames:

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thanks for the reply

This is an acceptable workflow and this is what I’ve been doing, however this leads to another issue for me and I am unsure if I am overlooking something … when selecting a range of cells, is left-click-drag the only way ? this works fine for small ranges but often my animations get into the 300+ frame range and this becomes a tedious task. I haven’t stumbled upon a way to select all or a long range of cells without left clicking then manually moving through the timeline. That would be a very welcome addition.

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I totally agree, when the range is over 80 or so it’s already tedious, 300+ must be a nightmare ^^U

I’ve been looking if there was a way of selecting a range programatically using a script, but it seems that there still aren’t methods implemented for that in the Range class api/api/range.md at main · aseprite/api · GitHub (in fact, when i try to use that clas I only get an error: “attempt to index a nil value(global ´Range´)”).

Anyway, what did you need to select that range of cells for? Depending on the answer maybe you can just select the layer to do the work?

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for example, i will try to break up the pattern of the loop so that if you sit and watch the animation for a while it is not just a ping-pong style animation , it feels more unpredictable. I try to have several loops going at different intervals so that they don’t line up the same way every time so it doesn’t just feel like a loop. I hand animate a lot but after hand animating a layer for 30 frames or so, i’ll cut-paste, reverse them, move cels, animate 15 more frames, copy paste, reverse , etc… until i have long loops that don’t follow a super noticeable pattern of back-forth-back-forth type pattern. Eventually i’m trying to cut-paste long sections of cels like 120+ frames , and it’s just tedious trying to do it all with left-click-drag every time. Also after establishing 300+ cels , deciding I want to change something and having to delete all those cells, same issue.

if there is a better way i’m all ears, I know my workflow isn’t close to perfect that is why i ask a lot of questions because sometimes i’ll get into bad habits in programs that cost me a lot of time that might be obvious to someone else (like a programmer)

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Has this been updated? Is there a way to do this now?

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Hello, has a workaround been developed? I basically have an old animation with many frames and need to make the background continuous. If I copy the first frame to the last one and link the cells, all the cells in between remain empty unless I copy the same frame to each single empty frame.

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I don’t know of any work-around that has been developed… but I think this would be easy enough to script. I was just trying to think of another script to write so I think I’ll try my hand at this.

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not so far, but what you can do is following:
create empty continous layer by using this script: Create New Continuous Layer - #4 by Olga_Galvanova
and copy and paste the image into that layer. note: copy the image - content of the cel - not the cel itself.

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Nice! I guess no script from me is needed. I’m going to have to copy that into my scripts folder

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i shall only add: don’t use my attempt, but merge scripts made by behreandtjeremy and thkwznk instead

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I found it, Select all the frames by clicking the frames and hold drag across the frames so you select all frames.

Right click, Link cels. Edit in that one frame, or Paste or anything you want.

Unlink if you want to edit individuals

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No.
JJHaggar’s workarounds are insufficient.
Here’s one unstated workaround:

  1. create a temporary layer
  2. paste image there
  3. extend/link across as the desired frames
  4. duplicate the temporary layer
  5. unlink all frames in this dupe
  6. merge down this layer onto the layer you wish to modify

this will have the same effect of pasting across multiple frames onto the target layer.

2 Likes
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finally found a answer that can work! thanks so much

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I collected all the possible workarounds in one post.

TL;DR: You can not directly paste or draw inside multiple layers. There are alternatives.

BASICS FOR MULTIEDITING

There are layers, frames and cels. The layer is vertical and frame is horizontal. Every point in grid is called cel. You can Link and Unlink cels. Always pick the cels one by one. Be sure to click right cel and not the number at the top. This will choose all the cels inside that frame for an edit.

By using “Link Cels” you can draw to the one frame, link it to as far as you wish (Create empty frames) and it will be the same instance in every linked cel (in this case also in every frame). This means you cannot move the object in later frames as if you do, it will just move the instance between all the frames. For example if you move it in frame 2 it will also be moved on frame 1.

There are micro plugins like “Extend Cels” that makes this much faster by linking cels as far as there is space for it. Research this plugins to make your workflow faster.

When creating animation you can create “Continuous layers” (automatic linked frames) by activating the toggle button at the right side of the lock icon. This will make it so that when you create another layer (not empty layer) the frames (cels) will be automatically linked. Works especially well on backgrounds which do not change. Whether this is on or off you can always unlink them or link them.

CURRENT WORKFLOW 2026

At the start of 2026 using 1.3.16.1-x64 you can edit multiple layers simultaneously but you can not directly paste or draw inside multiple layers. You can however remove parts from multiple frames at once by first choosing the area you want to remove from and then selecting a cel as a starting point. Now keeping shift pressed select every cel you want to remove pixels from (not just area selected) and then press delete or move the selection.

You could use this method in conjunction with the examples explained below by first choosing an area in original layer (Let’s say eyes of an character) and then choosing every single frame one by one. Then cut the selection and paste them to new layer. Remove the details from desired frames and then start drawing the changes. When finished just merge it below. If you retain the shape of the cut it will fit perfectly to the face during the merge.

REPLACING COLORS ON MULTIPLE FRAMES

To change color or erase pixels on multiple frames (cels):

METHOD 1: Color replacement tool

  1. Use a desired tool to select area of pixels that will only be affected or have no selection or ALL selection for whole canvas (Handy if you have different parts on different layers).

  2. Alt + Mouse Click a pixel to select the color you want to change.

  3. Press X to change between primary and alternative colors and choose another color that will be the one replacing the original selection. Note that you can choose a transparent pixel as a color to use it as an “Eraser”. This works for brush also.

  4. Select the desired frames. (One by one)

  5. Press shift + R to bring up “Replace Color” window and choose the desired Tolerance to expand the affected area. You can also change a color in this window by clicking color values (Choose “Mask” for transparency)

NOTE: You can also use the shading tool to change group of same colored pixels in an area:

METHOD 2: Shading Tool

  1. Choose the first color that you want to replace with color picker (ALT + MOUSE CLICK)

  2. Now look at your palette and memorize the position of the selection.

  3. Click the color you want to replace the original color with color picker (ALT + MOUSE CLICK)

  4. Memorize this color also or move them next to each other by choosing a color in palette and dragging it.

  5. When you have them memorized or side-by-side choose the one you want to replace and then the other color.

  6. Choose the shading tool if you haven’t done so by pressing “B” or choosing the brush tool. In top of the screen there is an Ink Bottle icon that opens drop down menu. Now choose Shading.

  7. Check the shading tool color values. It should now have the colors you selected. Make sure that the color you want to replace is the second one and the color used for replacement is the first one. If not press the arrow and choose “Reverse Shade”. You can also save shades for later use.

  8. Now paint over the area you want change pixels on. This is fairly quick process for multiple different frames. Just note that you can only work with two colors at once. Choosing third color can mess up this workflow. Note also that the shading tool will automatically reorder the colors according to their brightness if a third color is selected.

    DRAW OR PASTE QUICKLY ON MULTIPLE FRAMES

    METHOD 1: COPY PASTE

    This is the easiest method for just a few frames.

    1. Copy the content from desired layer and frame.

    2. Move to the frame. (Tip: To move between frames use arrow buttons with no selection or , and . with a selection. If you have tags, period and comma will move you only inside the current tag.

    3. Paste the content.

    4. Move to the next frame. If you use arrows for moving between frames you need to deselect (CTRL+ D) the selection.

    5. Repeat 3 & 4.

    6. Make changes to individual frames.

    7. If this was done on a new layer you can merge the changes if needed as explained below.

    METHOD 2: CREATE A NEW LAYER AND MERGE

    If you have bigger set you can do the following.

    1. You can either draw on top of the desired layer by creating a new layer on top of the original or copy the content from desired layer and frame and create another layer and paste your source.

    2. You now have your changes on another layer. Now instead of copy paste routine you can link the cels through your whole animation (By choosing cels one by one and through right click “Link” them) and then unlink them. You will be left with your changes visible on every frame.

    3. Now fix the position or make alterations to these new frames.

    4. Merge the layer with changes down below so your original sprite will get the changes.

    TIP: By using “Extend Cels” plugin you can create linked cels automatically (Until the next differentiated frame) without the need to click through every one of them.

    NOTE: These methods work if you haven’t moved the source sprite on it’s corresponding cel at all BUT you can however make changes to the unlinked frames to correct their positions before the merge. You can then merge and have changes for the same “object” to be applied at once.