After Effects Script · v1.1.8

AE Actions

AUTOMATE YOUR AFTER EFFECTS WORKFLOW

AE Actions is an After Effects workflow automation and macro recorder panel. Record timeline edits, effects, transforms, property changes, and complete multi-step workflows, then replay them instantly on any composition, selected layers, or an entire project.

🤖 AI-Assisted Actions ✨ 50 Expression Recipes ⚡ Boost Productivity ⏱ Save Hours 🔁 Consistent Results 📦 Batch Process 📂 Library System 🚀 Fast Lazy Loading

AI Action Creator

Build Actions With AI

Describe your animation, generate a validated Action Set, preview it, and apply it directly in After Effects.

AE Actions AI prompt creating an After Effects action workflow

Overview

What Is AE Actions for After Effects?

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.

🤖

AI Beta — Expanded in v1.1.8

Describe an animation and let AE Actions use your local Codex or Claude Code CLI to create a validated plan. Enhance the prompt, build a new scene, animate existing layers, or create a reusable layer preset; then preview with Play Action before saving. Available on Mac and Windows with no API keys stored by AE Actions.

✨

50 Curated Expression Recipes

The AI can select from 50 validated After Effects expression recipes for smooth, reusable motion. It favors expressions for procedural animation and adds keyframes only when the requested result genuinely needs them.

🛡

Validated AI Action Plans

Generated operations, effects, expressions, parameters, layer references, dimensions, and dependencies are checked before playback. Unsupported or unsafe plans are rejected instead of being applied silently.

🎬

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.

Record

Open a comp, click New or REC, make your changes in AE, then hit Stop. AE Actions captures every step.

Refine

Inspect and reorder steps, add notes, merge multiple takes, and fine-tune your action set to perfection.

Replay

Apply to the active comp, selected layers, or batch-process your entire project — all with one click.

AE Actions v1.1.8 ScriptUI panel for After Effects showing action sets, recorded steps, and playback 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
✓AI Beta: Chat & Create Action modes
✓Reusable AI layer-preset slots
✓Prompt Enhance before generation
✓Play AI action before saving
✓50 curated expression recipes
✓Validated expression dependencies

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

Record and Replay After Effects Workflows

Open a Comp & Click New

Start recording by naming your action set and selecting your target composition.

Perform Your Edits in AE

Make any changes in After Effects — effects, timing, transforms, layer operations.

Stop & Inspect Steps

Review the captured steps, reorder or delete any, and add notes for future reference.

Choose Target & Apply

Select any comp from the dropdown, then click Play — or use Batch to hit all comps at once.

Export Your Library

Save your entire action library as .aeactlib to share with teammates or reuse across machines.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

AE Actions FAQ

Quick answers about recording, automating, and replaying workflows in Adobe After Effects.

What does AE Actions automate in After Effects?

AE Actions records multi-step After Effects workflows, including layer operations, transforms, keyframes, effects, property changes, composition settings, and timeline edits, then replays them as reusable Action Sets.

Can I apply an Action Set to multiple layers or compositions?

Yes. Apply actions to the active composition, selected layers, a chosen target composition, or batch-process every composition in the project.

Does AE Actions support Mac and Windows?

Yes. The AE Actions ScriptUI panel supports Adobe After Effects CC 2019 and later on macOS and Windows.

Does the optional AI feature require an API key?

No API key is stored by AE Actions. The optional AI action creator connects to a supported local Codex or Claude Code CLI installation on Mac or Windows.

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

v1.1.8

Current version

Optional

AI Beta · Mac & Windows · Requires local Codex or Claude Code CLI

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 for After Effects on aescripts