After Effects Script · v1.0.8

AE Actions

Automate Your Workflow in After Effects

Record any sequence of After Effects operations — timeline edits, effects, transforms, property changes — and replay them instantly on any comp, layer, or entire project.

⚡ Boost Productivity ⏱ Save Hours 🔁 Consistent Results 📦 Batch Process 📂 Library System 🚀 Fast Lazy Loading
AE Actions panel screenshot – record and replay After Effects workflows
Overview

What Is AE Actions?

AE Actions is a powerful ScriptUI panel for Adobe After Effects that lets you record, save, and replay complex multi-step workflows as reusable "Action Sets." Think of it as a macro recorder for After Effects — capture your process once, apply it everywhere.

🎬
Smart Recording
Record full composition snapshots and capture precise diffs of every change — properties, effects, timing, layer order, and more.
▶️
Instant Playback
Apply any recorded action set to the active comp, selected layers only, or a chosen target comp — with a single click.
🗂️
Batch Processing
Apply action sets across every composition in your project simultaneously. Automate repetitive changes at scale.
📚
Action Libraries
Export single action sets as .aeact files or full libraries as .aeactlib. Share with your team or use across projects.
🔧
Effect Remapping
Missing .ffx files? AE Actions includes a visual remapper to reconnect effects, with auto-indexing and manual path overrides.
⌨️
Keyboard Shortcuts
Full keyboard control for recording, playback, and step management — keep your hands on the keyboard and stay in flow.
🖱️
Right-Click Menus
Access common action-set and step commands directly from contextual menus for a faster, more familiar editing workflow.
🔗
Merge Action Sets
Combine selected action sets into a new non-destructive merged workflow while keeping every original set unchanged.
🚀
Fast by Design
A lightweight startup catalog and per-set lazy loading keep large action libraries responsive without parsing every recorded step at launch.
See It In Action

Watch AE Actions

See how AE Actions records, manages, and replays complex After Effects workflows in real time.

Workflow

How It Works

Three simple steps. Record your process once, then replay it as many times as you need.

01
Record
Open a comp, click New or REC, make your changes in AE, then hit Stop. AE Actions captures every step.
02
Refine
Inspect and reorder steps, add notes, merge multiple takes, and fine-tune your action set to perfection.
03
Replay
Apply to the active comp, selected layers, or batch-process your entire project — all with one click.
AE Actions ScriptUI panel interface showing action sets, steps, and recording controls
The Panel

Everything In One Panel

The AE Actions panel organizes your recordings into a clean, searchable library. Browse action sets, inspect individual steps, manage folders, and apply actions — all without ever leaving After Effects.

  • ✓Project-level & timeline actions
  • ✓Live polling mode recording
  • ✓Step inspector & editor
  • ✓Keyframe offset & apply modes
  • ✓Folder organization system
  • ✓Per-set notes & annotations
  • ✓Import / Export libraries
  • ✓FFX auto-index & remapper
  • ✓Selected layers mode
  • ✓Batch apply to all comps
  • ✓Right-click set & step menus
  • ✓Non-destructive action merging
  • ✓Absolute, relative & proportional values
  • ✓Fast catalog-first set loading
  • ✓Track matte replay support
Capabilities

What Gets Recorded

AE Actions captures a comprehensive set of composition and layer changes as discrete, editable steps.

Timeline
Layer Timing & Order
In/Out points, stretch, start time, layer index reordering — every timeline operation is captured and replayable.
Properties
Transform & Property Changes
Position, scale, rotation, opacity, keyframes, and any custom property changes — all recorded as PROP_CHANGE steps.
Effects
Add, Edit & Remove Effects
Complete effect management: EFFECT_ADD, EFFECT_PARAMS, EFFECT_REMOVE — with .ffx file support and remapping.
Layers
Layer Add, Delete & Settings
Layer visibility, solo, lock, shy, labels, and duplicate workflows — all reliably captured with smart fallback detection.
Composition
Comp Duration & Frame Rate
Record and replay comp-level settings including duration (COMP_DURATION) and frame rate (COMP_FRAMERATE) changes.
Project
Project-Level Actions
P-REC, P-Stop, and P-Play for recording actions across the full project scope — beyond individual compositions.
Typical Workflow

From Record to Results

1
Open a Comp & Click New
Start recording by naming your action set and selecting your target composition.
2
Perform Your Edits in AE
Make any changes in After Effects — effects, timing, transforms, layer operations.
3
Stop & Inspect Steps
Review the captured steps, reorder or delete any, and add notes for future reference.
4
Choose Target & Apply
Select any comp from the dropdown, then click Play — or use Batch to hit all comps at once.
5
Export Your Library
Save your entire action library as .aeactlib to share with teammates or reuse across machines.
6
Iterate & Refine
Use Inspect, Remap FFX, and key offset modes to adapt your actions to new projects.
Keyboard Shortcuts
R New Recording
S Stop Recording
P Play Selected Set
↑ Move Step Up
↓ Move Step Down
System Requirements

Requirements & Compatibility

Software
Adobe After Effects
CC 2019 and later
Platform
Mac & Windows
Universal support
File Type
JSX / JSXBIN
ScriptUI Panel
License
Per-Machine
aescripts licensing
Version
v1.0.8
Latest release
Get AE Actions

Stop Repeating Yourself

Join motion designers and VFX artists who use AE Actions to save hours every week. Record once, replay forever.

🛒  Get AE Actions on aescripts
· Available exclusively on aescripts+aeplugins · ScriptUI Panel for Adobe After Effects