Layer Mask Timeline Animation - not possible?

[AA9Arow]

I've been trying to animate the mask of a layer in Photoshop to create a slightly more interesting reveal of text, as per dozens of tutorials (not least Adobe's own), but no matter what I do, the keyframing doesn't work - is this now not a feature of Photoshop animation?

When I add a keyframe & move the mask, the position is the same across the timeline, instead of changing over time -the keyframe indicator for the first frame changes to the half-filled marker, instead of staying open.

Any reason why I might be getting this really annoying behaviour?

[Omar.Fathy]

Are you sure that you broke the link between the layer and the layer mask ?

[AA9Arow]

Yep. The mask isn't animating, the layer is staying where it's supposed to be

[Omar.Fathy]

You are sure also that you are selecting the mask not the layer when you change the position ?

[JJMack]

What OS and PS version are you using.  Here is what I see usinf Windows  10 CC 2019

[AA9Arow]

I'm using Win 10 with latest version of Photoshop 20.0.4 and I'd LOVE to be getting that result, but it's just not happening.

Omar.Fathy​ - Thanks for checking, yes - I'm definitely selecting the mask. The mask moves where I want it to, but it doesn't animate between frames, no matter what I do it stays in the last position I moved it to across all frames.

Thanks,

Amir

[Omar.Fathy]

Can you provide a screenshot for the layer panel ?

[AA9Arow]

[JJMack]

Is your layer a smart object layer? I always animate smart object layers in a video timeline. Even Video cans be masked when its a smart object layer.

[AA9Arow · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the suggestion, as I was working with text I'd not tried converting it to a smart object layer.

I think I've found the solution I was looking for by using a vector mask rather than the pixel layer masking I had been attempting to animate with. It's curious that I can't get it to work with pixel layer masks, but at least I am able to animate in the way I'd intended!

[JJMack]

I had no problem using a pixels layer mask with a smart object text layer or text layer are you sure you unlinked the layer mask????????

[JD5E3E]

Jumping in late to this conversation and learning a lot - can I ask is this the same affect used for filling a moving shape with the background of the image it inside?

See clip. https://www.instagram.com/p/CHwMturnrTQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

I have no idea where to get started!

Thanks,

[jessicac17007008]

Hey everyone, i've been having the same trouble and it's very annoying. Vector masks don't work eiter. Do you have any idea why? I'm guessing it's a bug, maybe? because it should work even with a text layer and a pixel mask.

I'm using Mac and Photoshop 2020

Thank you!

[Tonny B Good]

I had exactly the same problem and it was driving me insane!

SOLUTION: while moving raster mask DON'T use Ctrl-T (transform), just use V key and move. It seems, PS is interpering it differently. This solved the issue for me! 

For developers: please correct the issue! (my ver. 20.0.6)

[PECourtejoie]

Hello, Tony, the developpers only fix the current version, 21.X.X did you try with that version to reproduce your issue?

[jessicac17007008]

Hi Tonny, that's what solved it actually. Thank you very much!

[Syd Chen]

Hi Tonny! Thank you for the solution you provided. While it still annoys me when I'm trying to scale the mask rather than just simply move it. Do you know how to solve this problem? 

[SundayGladiator]

Going to float this issue back to the top... !

Same for me - I'm unable to scale layer masks, I can only move them from one layer mask position to another.

What's the trick if you wanted to say scale a small circle to a large one as a layer mask to reveal a photo underneath?

[Akhil Unnikrishnan]

Thank you so much ..it really helpend me alot.