How to Write Your First Script in After Effects

If you’ve ever wished After Effects could perform your repetitive tasks for you, scripting is the solution. With just a few lines of code, you can automate compositions, create layers, and save valuable time. In this tutorial, we’ll walk through writing and running your very first After Effects script.

🎬 Step 1: Understand What Scripts Can Do

After Effects scripts are written in ExtendScript, Adobe’s JavaScript-based language. Scripts can:

Create compositions and layers.
Apply and adjust effects.
Batch render projects.
Build custom workflows.

👉 Think of them as instructions that tell AE what to do without clicking menus.

🎨 Step 2: Set Up Your Script Environment

You can write scripts in:

ExtendScript Toolkit (ESTK) — older but still functional in legacy workflows.
Visual Studio Code + ExtendScript Debugger extension — modern setup for most developers.
Any text editor (Notepad, Sublime, etc.), then save as .jsx.

📂 Save scripts in:

Windows: C:/Program Files/Adobe/Adobe After Effects/Support Files/Scripts/
Mac: /Applications/Adobe After Effects/Scripts/

⚡ Step 3: Write a Simple Script

Here’s a beginner-friendly script:

// First AE Script - Creates a Comp and Text Layer

// Create a new composition
var comp = app.project.items.addComp(
    "Hello Script", // Name
    1920, // Width
    1080, // Height
    1.0,  // Pixel aspect ratio
    5,    // Duration (seconds)
    30    // Frame rate
);

// Add a text layer
var textLayer = comp.layers.addText("Hello, After Effects!");

// Center the text
textLayer.property("Position").setValue([960, 540]);

🎬 Step 4: Run the Script

Save it as helloScript.jsx.
In After Effects, go to File > Scripts > Run Script File….
Select your script.

👉 AE will create a new comp with centered text.

✨ Step 5: Experiment

Change the comp duration or resolution.
Replace text with your own.
Try adding multiple layers.

👉 The more you tweak, the more comfortable you’ll get with scripting.

🎯 Final Thoughts

Your first script doesn’t need to be complex — the goal is to understand how ExtendScript talks to After Effects. From here, you can expand into automation, expressions, and even building UI panels.

👉 Want to try scripting today? Download Adobe After Effects free trial and run your first .jsx file.

Adobe After Effects