There are 3 types of Symbols in Animate: Movie clips, Buttons, and Graphics.

A symbol is a Graphic, Button, or Movie clip that you create once and can reuse throughout your animation. It lives in the Library.

Each symbol has a unique Timeline and Stage, complete with layers.

Use this symbol for static images and to create reusable pieces of animation that are tied to the main Timeline.

Use this symbol to create interactive buttons that respond to mouse clicks, rollovers, or other actions.

Use this symbol to create reusable pieces of animation.