How to Install Plugins and Scripts in Adobe After Effects

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Easily install add-ons and scripts for After Effects
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Do you want to add more functionality to After Effects? After Effects plugins (“.aex” files) can add new special effects, transitions, templates, audio effects, and more. After Effects scripts can be used to automate commonly used tasks and speed up your workflow. Note that plugins and scripts are different from presets. This wikiHow article teaches you how to install plugins and scripts for Adobe After Effects.

Quickly Install After Effects Plugins

  • Plugins and scripts tend to download as ZIP files, which need to be unzipped.
  • To install a plugin, copy the .aex file to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects\Support Files\Plugins (PC) or Applications/Adobe After Effects/Plugins (Mac).
  • To install a script, go to File > Scripts > Install Script File and select the .jsx or .jsxbin file.
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Installing Plugins

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  1. 1
    Check plugin compatibility. If you are using an older version of After Effects, make sure the plugin you want is compatible with your version of After Effects. Also, check to make sure it is compatible with your operating system (Windows or Mac). You can check for compatibility in the documentation or on the developer’s website.
  2. 2
    Download the plugins you want. Click the download button on the developer's website to download the plugin. Some plugins may need to be purchased before they can be downloaded. Plugins will either be downloaded as a ZIP file or directly as a “.aex” file.
    • If you haven't downloaded a plugin yet, check out the Adobe Third-Party Plugins site , which collects all third-party plugins officially supported by Adobe.
    • It is possible to find a plugin outside of those listed by Adobe, but be sure to look for the "Multi-Frame Ready" icon next to a plugin to ensure it will work on Adobe After Effects . [1]
    • Only download plugins from trusted websites like Adobe Exchange or the developer’s website. Avoid downloading plug-ins from unofficial websites or downloading pirated plug-ins. They may contain malware.
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  3. After Effects plugins are usually downloaded as ZIP files , which need to be extracted. On a Mac, just double-click the ZIP file to extract it. On Windows, right-click the file, select Extract all , and then click Extract .
    • If the plugin is already in a “.aex” file format, you can skip this step.
  4. Right-click the plugin file, select Cut . Alternatively, you can drag and drop the file into the After Effects “Plugins” folder.
    • If you don't see an .aex file in the unzipped folder, it may be in a subfolder specific to your operating system. For example, you might see "Windows plugin 32-bit", "Windows plugin 64-bit", "Mac plugin 32-bit", or "Mac plugin 64-bit" folders in the zip folder. Double-click the folder to find your plugin.
    • Some plugins may contain their own installation instructions. If it comes with a README or text instruction file, be sure to read it to make sure you are installing it correctly.
  5. On Windows, right-click the Start menu and select File Explorer . On a Mac, click the blue and white smiley face icon on the Dock.
  6. On Windows, the plugins folder is usually located in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects [version]]\Support Files\Plugins . On a Mac, the plugin location is usually in Applications/Adobe After Effects [version]/Plugins . [2]
  7. Inside the After Effects plugin folder, right-click (or Control-click on Mac), then select New, followed by New Folder . Name the folder after the plugin.
    • For example, if the plugin you are installing is called VC Reflect, you should name the folder “VC Reflect.”
  8. Right-click and click Paste , or drag and drop the “.aex” file into the folder. [3]
    • If After Effects is already open and running, you'll need to save your work and restart the app before you can use the plugin in After Effects. The next time you launch After Effects, you can access the plugin from the Effect menu in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Installing Scripts

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  1. If you downloaded an After Effects script from the web, it will usually come as a ZIP file. On a Mac, just double-click the ZIP file to extract it. On Windows, right-click the file, select Extract all , and then click Extract .
    • Some scripts may contain their own installation instructions. If it comes with a README or text instruction file, be sure to read it to make sure you are installing it correctly.
    • Some scripts have their own install programs that you can simply double-click to install. If you see an installable program once you unzip the file, you can just double-click to install it.
    • There are several websites where you can download After Effects scripts. Aescripts.com offers an extensive selection of both scripts and plugins, although not everything on the site is officially supported by Adobe.
  2. 2
    Run a script. Script files don’t need to be installed in Adobe After Effects. If you only plan on using a script a few times, you may just want to run it. This will prevent the Scripts menu from getting cluttered in After Effects. Use the following steps to run a script:
    • Open Adobe After Effects .
    • Click File in the menu bar at the top.
    • Click Scripts .
    • Click Run Script file .
    • Select the script “.jsx” or “.jsxbin” file.
    • Click Open .
  3. 3
    Install a script. There are two ways to install scripts in After Effects. You can install them in the Scripts menu in After Effects, or you can copy or cut the “.jsx” or “.jsxbin” file to the Scripts or Scripts UI folder. This is useful if you want to install a lot of scripts at the same time. Use one of the following steps to install scripts in After Effects: [4]
    • Open After Effects and click File , followed by Install script . Select the script “.jsx” or “.jsxbin” file and click Open .
    • Open File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects [version]]\Support Files\Scripts on Windows, or Applications/Adobe After Effects [version]/Scripts on Mac. Drag and drop or cut the “.jsx” or “.jsxbin” file(s) into the Scripts folder.
    • Scripts that have a user interface may require you to drop them into the “Scripts UI Panel” folder instead.
  4. After installing the script file, you will still need to restart After Effects before the script appears. [5]
  5. Navigate to the Window tab and look at the bottom of the drop-down menu. All installed scripts are here. Click on the script to activate it.
    • A checkmark next to your script indicates that it is activated.
  6. 6
    Allow scripts to write files and communicate over a network. By default, scripts are not allowed to write files or communicate over a network. If you have a script that needs to access the internet or write files, use one of the following steps to enable it:
    • Windows: Click Edit > Preferences > Scripting & Expressions . Select Allow Scripts To Write Files And Access Network .
    • Mac: Click After Effects > Settings > Scripting & Expressions . Select Allow Scripts To Write Files And Access Network
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How to FIND the plugin in the app please?
    Cory Stillman
    Community Answer
    Visit the Effect page in the menu atop the program. Just be sure you have restarted After Effects since first adding the plugin!
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      References

      1. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/plug-ins.html
      2. ↑ https://fileinfo.com/extension/aex
      3. ↑ https://fileinfo.com/extension/aex
      4. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/scripts.html
      5. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/scripts.html

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