Double-click inside the Project panel or use File > Import > File to browse and import the SVG file.
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15 apr. 2026
Learn how to import SVG files as native, editable shape layers that are ready to animate with no conversion required.
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Obs!
The latest version of After Effects lets you import the file as footage or a composition.
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Drag and drop the imported SVG file into the Timeline panel.
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Select the layer to use the Layer Contents section in the Properties panel to view the SVG’s structure.
Use the Properties panel to view the SVG file contents and adjust their properties.
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.
Expand the Contents section of the SVG layer to access and edit 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. -
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
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If the layers have gradient fills and strokes, you can use the Scale and Rotation properties to animate the gradient.
Use the Gradient Fill properties to adjust the gradient or animate them.
Use the Gradient Fill properties to adjust the gradient or animate them.
SVG imports in After Effects offers a flexible and better control over how SVG files are imported in your project. With the latest version, when you import an SVG file, you can choose to bring it in as footage or as a composition.
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Import as footage |
Import as a composition |
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Imports the SVG as a single, continuously rasterizable vector layer. |
Imports the SVG as a composiiton made of editable shape layers. |
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Maintains a connection to the external SVG file. |
Every element is converted into its own editable shape. |
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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 > Settings > Import > Drag Multiple File Items As
- Windows: Edit > Preferences > Import > Drag Multiple File Items As
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Double-click inside the Project panel or use File > Import > File to browse and import the SVG file.
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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
Windows
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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.
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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.
TipsSimilar 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.
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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.
