How can I quickly delete multiple layers in GIMP?

Question

I have an animated .gif open in GIMP with 48 different layers.

In Photoshop I can quickly select and delete layers multiple layers at once, but it seems that this isn't possible in GIMP.

My current method of deleting layers is right-clicking each layer and deleting each layer individually, but it's a fairly time-consuming process for multi-layered images.

Is there a quick way to delete multiple layers at once in GIMP?

Answer 1

If there is a small number of layers you want to keep or delete:

• Make the layers you want to keep invisible (shift-click on the eye icon on any layers toggles the visibility status of all other layers). Depending on relative numbers, hide them all and unhide a few, or unhide them all and hide a few.
• Image>Merge visible layers (Ctrl-M)
• Delete the resulting layer
• Toggle the visibility of the remaining layers (shift-click eye icon again)

Of course, this method isn't terribly useful if you have a the same time many layers to delete and many layers to keep (but from personal experience this is rarely the case). This method also works on Paths.

Answer 2

You can define a keyboard shortcut for deleting the layer (even temporarily), then repeatedly press that keyboard shortcut, which is much faster than right-clicking each layer and choosing Delete Layer.

To do this, open Edit -> Preferences -> Interface -> Configure Keyboard Shortcuts. In the search bar, type "Delete Layer" and click on the "Delete Layer" row. Then enter some keyboard shortcut, say Ctrl+Alt+D.