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  1. After Effects User Guide
  2. Beta releases
    1. Beta Program Overview
    2. After Effects Beta Home
  3. Getting started
    1. Get started with After Effects
    2. What's new in After Effects 
    3. Release Notes | After Effects
    4. After Effects system requirements
    5. Keyboard shortcuts in After Effects
    6. Supported File formats | After Effects
    7. Hardware recommendations
    8. After Effects for Apple silicon
    9. Planning and setup
    10. Tip of the Day
  4. Workspaces
    1. General user interface items
    2. Get to know After Effects interface
    3. Workflows
    4. Workspaces, panels, and viewers
    5. Improved UI language support
  5. Projects and compositions
    1. Projects
    2. Composition basics
    3. Precomposing, nesting, and pre-rendering
    4. View detailed performance information with the Composition Profiler
    5. CINEMA 4D Composition Renderer
  6. Importing footage
    1. Preparing and importing still images
    2. Importing from After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro
    3. Importing and interpreting video and audio
    4. Preparing and importing 3D image files
    5. Importing and interpreting footage items
    6. Import SVG files
    7. Working with footage items
    8. Detect edit points using Scene Edit Detection
    9. XMP metadata
  7. Text and Graphics
    1. Text
      1. Formatting characters and the Character panel
      2. Text effects
      3. Creating and editing text layers
      4. Formatting paragraphs and the Paragraph panel
      5. Extruding text and shape layers
      6. Animating text
      7. Examples and resources for text animation
      8. Live Text Templates
    2. Motion Graphics
      1. Work with Motion Graphics templates in After Effects
      2. Use expressions to create drop-down lists in Motion Graphics templates
      3. Work with Essential Properties to create Motion Graphics templates
      4. Replace images and videos in Motion Graphics templates and Essential Properties
      5. Animate faster and easier using the Properties panel
    3. Variable Font Axes
      1. Variable Font Axes support
      2. Working with Variable Font Axes
      3. Scripting support for Variable Font Axes
      4. FAQ for Variable Font Axes
  8. Drawing, Painting, and Paths
    1. Overview of shape layers, paths, and vector graphics
    2. Paint tools: Brush, Clone Stamp, and Eraser
    3. Taper shape strokes
    4. Shape attributes, paint operations, and path operations for shape layers
    5. Use Offset Paths shape effect to alter shapes
    6. Creating shapes
    7. Create masks
    8. Remove objects from your videos with the Content-Aware Fill panel
    9. Roto Brush and Refine Matte
    10. Create Nulls for Positional Properties and Paths
  9. Layers, Markers, and Camera
    1. Selecting and arranging layers
    2. Blending modes and layer styles
    3. 3D layers
    4. Layer properties
    5. Creating layers
    6. Managing layers
    7. Layer markers and composition markers
    8. Cameras, lights, and points of interest
  10. Animation, Keyframes, Motion Tracking, and Keying
    1. Animation
      1. Animation basics
      2. Animating with Puppet tools
      3. Managing and animating shape paths and masks
      4. Animating Sketch and Capture shapes using After Effects
      5. Assorted animation tools
      6. Work with Data-driven animation
    2. Keyframe
      1. Keyframe interpolation
      2. Setting, selecting, and deleting keyframes
      3. Editing, moving, and copying keyframes
    3. Motion tracking
      1. Tracking and stabilizing motion
      2. Face Tracking
      3. Mask Tracking
      4. Mask Reference
      5. Speed
      6. Time-stretching and time-remapping
      7. Timecode and time display units
    4. Keying
      1. Keying
      2. Keying effects
  11. Transparency and Compositing
    1. Compositing and transparency overview and resources
    2. Alpha channels and masks
    3. Track Mattes and Traveling Mattes
  12. Adjusting color
    1. Color basics
    2. Color management
    3. Color Correction effects
    4. OpenColorIO and ACES color management
    5. Enhanced HDR support
    6. HDR import and export 
  13. Effects and Animation Presets
    1. Effects and animation presets overview
    2. Effect list
    3. Effect Manager
    4. Simulation effects
    5. Stylize effects
    6. Audio effects
    7. Distort effects
    8. Perspective effects
    9. Channel effects
    10. Generate effects
    11. Time effects
    12. Transition effects
    13. The Rolling Shutter Repair effect
    14. Blur and Sharpen effects
    15. 3D Channel effects
    16. Utility effects
    17. Matte effects
    18. Noise and Grain effects
    19. Detail-preserving Upscale effect
    20. Obsolete effects
    21. Cycore plugins
  14. Expressions and Automation
    1. Expressions
      1. Expression basics
      2. Understanding the expression language
      3. Using expression controls
      4. Syntax differences between the JavaScript and Legacy ExtendScript expression engines
      5. Editing expressions
      6. Expression errors
      7. Using the Expressions editor
      8. Use expressions to edit and access text properties
      9. Expression language reference
      10. Expression examples
    2. Automation
      1. Automation
      2. Scripts
  15. Immersive video, VR, and 3D
    1. Construct VR environments in After Effects
    2. Apply immersive video effects
    3. Compositing tools for VR/360 videos
    4. Advanced 3D Renderer
    5. Import and add 3D models to your composition
    6. Import 3D models from Creative Cloud Libraries
    7. Create parametric meshes
    8. Image-Based Lighting
    9. Animated Environment Lights
    10. Enable lights to cast shadows
    11. Extract and animate lights and cameras from 3D models
    12. Tracking 3D camera movement
    13. Adjust Default Camera Settings for 3D compositions
    14. Cast and accept shadows
    15. Embedded 3D model animations
    16. Shadow Catcher
    17. 3D depth data extraction
    18. Modify materials properties of a 3D layer
    19. Apply Substance 3D materials
    20. Work in 3D Design Space
    21. 3D Transform Gizmos
    22. Single 3D Gizmo for multiple 3D layers
    23. Do more with 3D animation
    24. Preview changes to 3D designs real time with the Mercury 3D engine
    25. Add responsive design to your graphics 
  16. Views and Previews
    1. Previewing
    2. Video preview with Mercury Transmit
    3. Modifying and using views
    4. Lossless Compressed Playback
  17. Rendering and Exporting
    1. Basics of rendering and exporting
    2. H.264 Encoding in After Effects
    3. Export an After Effects project as an Adobe Premiere Pro project
    4. Converting movies
    5. Multi-frame rendering
    6. Automated rendering and network rendering
    7. Rendering and exporting still images and still-image sequences
    8. Using the GoPro CineForm codec in After Effects
  18. Working with other applications
    1. Dynamic Link and After Effects
    2. Working with After Effects and other applications
      1. Export After Effects project as Premiere Pro project
    3. Creative Cloud Libraries in After Effects
    4. Plug-ins
    5. Cinema 4D and Cineware
  19. Collaboration: Frame.io, and Team Projects
    1. Collaboration in Premiere Pro and After Effects
    2. Frame.io
      1. Install and activate Frame.io
      2. Use Frame.io with Premiere Pro and After Effects
      3. Frequently asked questions
    3. Team Projects
      1. Get Started with Team Projects
      2. Create a Team Project
      3. Collaborate with Team Projects
  20. Memory, storage, performance
    1. Memory and storage
    2. How After Effects handles low memory issues while previewing    
    3. Improve performance
    4. Preferences
    5. GPU and GPU driver requirements for After Effects
  21. Knowledge Base
    1. Known issues
    2. Fixed issues
    3. Frequently asked questions
    4. After Effects and macOS Ventura
    5. How After Effects handles low memory issues while previewing

Learn how to import SVG files as native, editable shape layers that are ready to animate with no conversion required.

  1. Double-click inside the Project panel or use File > Import > File to browse and import the SVG file.

    Note

    The latest beta version of After Effects lets you import the file as footage or a composition.

  2. Drag and drop the imported SVG file into the Timeline panel.

  3. Select the layer to use the Layer Contents section in the Properties panel to view the SVG’s structure.

    The Properties panel is open and under the Layer Contents, the SVG contents are listed.
    Use the Properties panel to view the SVG file contents and adjust their properties.

    You can also select the arrow next to the layer to untwirl it, then expand the Contents section. You’ll see all the individual elements and their properties, such as Path, Fill, and Transform.

    The layer with the SVG file is selected, and the Contents section is expanded to display its properties, including Path, Fill, and Transform.
    Expand the Contents section of the SVG layer to access and edit its properties, including Path, Fill, and Transform.

  4. You can use these properties to animate just like any other shape layer. For example:

    • Animate the Path to create morphing effects
    • Change fill color over time for dynamic transitions
    • Use Transform properties to scale, rotate, or move elements independently

  5. If the layers have gradient fills and strokes, you can use the Scale and Rotation properties to animate the gradient.

    One of the layers with a gradient element is selected, and Gradient Fill 1 is highlighted.
    Use the Gradient Fill properties to adjust the gradient or animate them.

Import SVG file as footage or as a composition

  Use new beta features

Importing an SVG file as footage or a composition is now available for testing and feedback. Try it now in After Effects (beta).

Get started

SVG imports in After Effects offers a flexible and better control over how SVG files are imported in your project. With the latest beta version, when you import an SVG file, you can choose to bring it in as footage or as a composition.

Import as footage

Import as a composition

Imports the SVG as a single, continuously rasterizable vector layer.

Imports the SVG as a composiiton made of editable shape layers.

Maintains a connection to the external SVG file.

Every element is converted into its own editable shape.

Good for single‑layer vector graphics when you don’t need to break the artwork into parts.

Good for editing paths, shapes, and layer‑level details when you need to animate individual elements.

You can control which import approach is used by default when importing SVG files by setting the Drag Multiple File Items As option under the Import preferences.

  • macOS: After Effects (Beta) > Settings > Import > Drag Multiple File Items As
  • Windows: Edit > Preferences > Import > Drag Multiple File Items As
The Preferences dialog box is open. In the Import tab, the Drag Multiple File Items As dropdown menu is open, offering options for selecting the import method.
Set the default preference for importing an SVG file, choosing whether it is imported as footage or as a composition.

  1. Double-click inside the Project panel or use File > Import > File to browse and import the SVG file.

  2. Use the Import As dropdown menu in the Import file dialog box to select one of the following:

    • Footage
    • Composition - Retain Layer Sizes

    Choosing Footage imports the file as a single flattened layer with no access to individual elements, making it suitable for static use or when no animation is required. Selecting Composition – Retain Layer Sizes creates a new composition where each source layer is imported separately, sized to its actual content, making anchor points cleaner and transformations easier for animation.

    macOS

    The Import file dialog box is open and there are options to import the file as as footage or as a composition.

    Windows

    The Import file dialog box is open and there are options to import the file as footage or as a composition.

  3. Select the following options if applicable:

    • Create Composition: Creates a new composition using default settings and automatically places the imported SVG, either as footage or as a composition with shape layers, into the timeline, saving you from manually creating a composition and dragging the SVG file into it.
    • Scalable Vector Graphics Sequence: Imports multiple numbered SVG files and treats them as a frame-by-frame vector image sequence.

  4. If you have imported the SVG file as a composition, use the Layer Contents section in the Properties panel or the Contents section of the layer in the timeline to view and work with individual elements and their properties. 

    If imported as footage, it behaves like a regular layer and can be adjusted using the standard Transform properties.

    Tip

    Similar to Illustrator files, if the vector file is imported as footage, you can select the layer in the timeline, then right-click and select Create > Create Shapes from Vector Layer to convert it into editable shape layers, allowing you to animate individual paths, strokes, and fills.

  5. When you import an SVG as footage, After Effects keeps a live link to the original file, so any changes you make to that SVG outside the app automatically update inside your project.

Known limitations

  • When SVGs are imported as a composition, there is no reference to the original SVG in the Project panel, and Collect Files will not include the SVG source. 
  • SVG Text will not be imported. This means you’ll need to convert text to curves.
  • Animated and raster SVGs are not supported.
  • SVGs imported as compositions will now default to the last-created composition's duration.

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