Adobe · 26.5

After Effects and AI: scripting, MCP servers and agent limits

AI agents can create and revise After Effects compositions through ExtendScript and render saved projects with aerender. These tools ship with the licensed app; community MCP servers wrap scripting, while interactive AI tools have separate limits.

Best route: Use ExtendScript for live edits and aerender for saved projects; both require an installed, licensed After Effects.

Connection routes and their main requirements. Check the setup panel for the Voyager workflow and app prerequisites. Updated 2026-10-23.

Ravi Parikh, Co-founder, Voyager

Facts checked 23 October 2026

Can an AI agent drive After Effects?

High

No official MCPAPI: partly

Almost everything a motion designer builds by hand (comps, text and shape layers, keyframes, eases, expressions, effects by match name, render queue items) is reachable from ExtendScript, and aerender renders saved projects without the interface. The gaps are the interactive tools with no scripting hooks, third-party plugin dialogs, modal dialogs that stall bridges, and an ES3 scripting engine that modern models often write the wrong JavaScript for. We rate it high, with the caveat that every route to a live session is a community bridge, not an Adobe one.

Price: Subscription only, with a 7-day trial; every plan that includes After Effects includes its scripting, aerender and the plugin SDK at no extra cost.

API

There is no web or REST API for the desktop app; Adobe's cloud APIs (Firefly Services) do not cover After Effects.

Scripting

Command line

Plugins

Three plugin layers: compiled C++ effects and AEGPs, HTML and JavaScript CEP panels that call ExtendScript, and plain ScriptUI panels.

Official MCP

Adobe ships no After Effects MCP server.

Project files

The .aep project is an undocumented binary format, so an agent cannot safely edit it without After Effects.

Community MCP servers

5 we would consider; we lead with mcp-aftereffects.

Built-in AI

The release build has local, credit-free AI for isolation and removal (Object Matte, Roto Brush, Content-Aware Fill).

What an AI agent can do in After Effects

15 jobs people ask for, checked against what After Effects’s interfaces expose: 8 fully, 6 in part, 1 not at all.

Job	Agent can do it?	How, or why not
Build a composition with text, shapes and keyframed animation from a description	Yes	ExtendScript creates comps, text, shape, solid, null and camera layers and sets keyframes and eases; every maintained MCP server wraps this.
Write, fix or apply expressions	Yes	Scripts set expression strings on any property and read back expression errors; JUNKDOGE-JOE's server also validates expressions before applying them.
Rename, colour-code and reorganise a messy project	Yes	The project item and layer collections are fully scriptable, including removing unused footage and reducing a project.
Make versions of a template with new copy, footage or colours	Yes	Scripts duplicate comps, replace source text and footage, and change properties in a loop; we changed one headline in a two-shot project on 26.5 this way on 17 September 2026 and the other shot rendered byte-identical.
Render a composition to a file	Yes	Scripts add render queue items with output module templates, and aerender renders a saved project from the shell without the interface.
Look at a frame to check its own work	Partly	Agents can render single frames to PNG through scripting or a server's preview tool and read them, but they see sampled stills, not real-time playback.
Apply built-in and third-party effects and set their parameters	Partly	Effects are applied by match name and any parameter exposed as a property can be set; settings that live only in a plugin's own dialog are out of reach.
Import footage and audio and lay out a sequence	Yes	Import, trimming with in and out points, start times and stacking order are all scriptable.
Export a Motion Graphics template for Premiere Pro	Yes	CompItem.exportAsMotionGraphicsTemplate writes a .mogrt, and Engine Room's server exposes it as export_mogrt.
Isolate a subject with Object Matte or Roto Brush	Partly	These are interactive tools with no scripting hooks, so an agent can only operate them through window control, and the matte still needs a human check.Adobe Help, AI-powered Object Matte, read 23 October 2026
Remove an object with Content-Aware Fill	Partly	A script can draw and track the mask, but the fill itself is run from its panel, so the generate step needs window control or a person.
Track motion or solve a 3D camera	Partly	Trackers and the 3D Camera Tracker are started interactively; a script can apply existing track data and build rigs from it, and menu commands can be triggered, but analysis is not reliably scriptable.
Generate footage or images with Firefly inside After Effects	Partly	Only Adobe's AI Assistant in the beta build does this, and external agents cannot drive it; an agent can generate media elsewhere and import it, or use the Runway or Higgsfield panels.
Run batch renders on a schedule or render machine	Yes	aerender takes a project, a comp or render queue, and an output path, so any agent with shell access can drive it.
Edit a project file with After Effects closed	No	.aep is an undocumented binary format; edits need a running After Effects, which a script or aerender can launch.

What AI can’t do in After Effects yet

No official MCP server or API: every live-session route is a community bridge, and Adobe's connectors in Claude and ChatGPT do not include After Effects.
Workaround: Use a maintained server (kumoproductions or JUNKDOGE-JOE), or have the agent write .jsx files you run from File > Scripts.
ExtendScript is ECMAScript 3, so code with let, const, arrow functions or template literals fails, and models guess wrong match names for effects.
Workaround: Ask for ES3 and for match names read from the project before setting properties; wrap work in app.beginUndoGroup.
A modal dialog (missing fonts, a save prompt, a plugin licence) stops scripts and freezes panel-based bridges until someone clicks it.
Workaround: Clear dialogs before a session; kumoproductions' server can list and dismiss them.
A call that times out may still have run, so a retry can apply the same change twice.
Workaround: Inspect project state before retrying a write, and prefer servers with undo-grouped batches or checkpoints.
Object Matte, Roto Brush, Content-Aware Fill, trackers and the AI Assistant have no scripting hooks.
Workaround: Window control as a fallback, or do the interactive step yourself and let the agent build around the result.
Panel-based bridges depend on CEP, which Adobe plans to remove from new versions starting December 2029 as UXP arrives (public beta for After Effects targeted by November 2026).
Workaround: Prefer bridges that do not need a panel, and expect panel-based servers to ship UXP versions.
Adobe Developer Blog, UXP comes to our flagship applications, read 23 October 2026
With Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network on, any script the agent runs has your user's file and network access, and project names, layer names and paths go to the model provider.
Workaround: Work on copies of client projects, start in a read-only mode, and keep arbitrary script execution off until you trust the setup.

After Effects MCP shortlist

For installation, verification and troubleshooting, use our After Effects MCP setup guide. The reference below covers the wider app and edition requirements.

mcp-aftereffects
Our first pick for Claude Code, Codex or Claude Desktop: no panel to keep open, a read-only switch, and script evaluation off unless you turn it on. Requirements: After Effects 2024, 2025 or 2026 on Windows or macOS, Node.js 24 or later, and Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network enabled in Preferences > Scripting & Expressions.
GitHub, kumoproductions/mcp-aftereffects README; npm 0.3.2 (16 October 2026), read 23 October 2026
ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)
For people who want to watch the agent in a panel, and the only one with explicit checkpoint and revert tools. Requirements: The ae-mcp panel (ZXP v0.11.1) installed and open in After Effects under Window > Extensions > ae-mcp, Node.js 18 or later, and the client on the same machine. The optional native plugin is only needed for ae_nativeExec.
GitHub, JUNKDOGE-JOE/after-effects-mcp README; npm ae-mcp-jkdg 0.11.0, read 23 October 2026
After Effects MCP (Engine Room)
The easiest install (a .mcpb for Claude Desktop, a Claude Code plugin, or standalone builds) if you are on After Effects 2026; no render queue tools. Requirements: After Effects 2026 on macOS or Windows, Node 22 or later for the npx route, and its CEP panel, which the server installs when you ask the assistant to "Set up After Effects" (setup enables Adobe's PlayerDebugMode because the panel is unsigned).
GitHub, Engine-Room-Games/after-effects-mcp README, read 23 October 2026
after-effects-mcp (ishu86)
Template-heavy and quick for stock motion pieces; replace the path with your clone, and keep the panel visible or calls time out. Requirements: A local clone built with npm install and npm run build, After Effects 2024 or later, Node.js 18+, and its CEP extension open and visible under Window > Extensions > AE-MCP.
GitHub, ishu86/after-effects-mcp README, read 23 October 2026
after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)
The most starred and most listed in directories, but no pushes since 1 April 2026; fine to read, better to use one of the maintained servers above. Requirements: A local clone built with npm install, npm run build and npm run install-bridge, After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14+, and the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel open with Auto-run commands enabled.
GitHub, Dakkshin/after-effects-mcp README, read 23 October 2026

Connect After Effects to Claude, ChatGPT, Codex and other assistants

Pick your assistant. Each setup panel leads with mcp-aftereffects and has the config for every other After Effects server underneath.

Voyager Built in

Voyager controls After Effects through its bundled scripting CLI on macOS and Windows. It inspects projects, executes undo-grouped JSX, previews frames or contact sheets, saves and renders segments with installed templates. Diagnostic commands help with setup, asynchronous jobs run serially, and undo grouping does not guarantee rollback. UI-only controls use permissioned computer control.

Requirements: Install and license After Effects. On Windows keep exactly one After Effects instance open and enable Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network; on macOS grant Automation and scripting permissions. Check output templates before requesting a format. Windows and Linux Voyager builds are alpha; computer control is unavailable on Linux.

Download Voyager

Claude desktop app Config below

Does Claude desktop app work with After Effects?

Yes, through mcp-aftereffects, a community MCP server by kumo.productions.

Adobe's Adobe for Creativity connector in Claude does not include After Effects. Engine Room's server also ships a .mcpb bundle you open to install it in Claude Desktop.

mcp-aftereffects · config in claude_desktop_config.json (Settings > Developer > Edit Config), which is ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/ on macOS and %APPDATA%\Claude\ on Windows

First: After Effects 2024, 2025 or 2026 on Windows or macOS, Node.js 24 or later, and Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network enabled in Preferences > Scripting & Expressions.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@kumoproductions/mcp-aftereffects"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

›The other 4 After Effects MCP servers in Claude desktop app

ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)

First: The ae-mcp panel (ZXP v0.11.1) installed and open in After Effects under Window > Extensions > ae-mcp, Node.js 18 or later, and the client on the same machine. The optional native plugin is only needed for ae_nativeExec.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "ae-mcp-jkdg@0.11.0"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

After Effects MCP (Engine Room)

First: After Effects 2026 on macOS or Windows, Node 22 or later for the npx route, and its CEP panel, which the server installs when you ask the assistant to "Set up After Effects" (setup enables Adobe's PlayerDebugMode because the panel is unsigned).

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@engine-room/after-effects-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

after-effects-mcp (ishu86)

First: A local clone built with npm install and npm run build, After Effects 2024 or later, Node.js 18+, and its CEP extension open and visible under Window > Extensions > AE-MCP.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/after-effects-mcp/dist/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)

First: A local clone built with npm install, npm run build and npm run install-bridge, After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14+, and the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel open with Auto-run commands enabled.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "PATH/TO/after-effects-mcp/build/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

Quit and reopen the app after editing the config file; it is read at launch. Remote connectors are reached from Anthropic's cloud, not your computer, so a server on localhost or behind a VPN will not connect as a custom connector. Requires: a custom connector for remote servers, which Free plans limit to one and which an Owner adds on Team and Enterprise; local servers need only the desktop app. Claude desktop app docs.

Claude Code Config below

Does Claude Code work with After Effects?

Yes, through mcp-aftereffects, a community MCP server by kumo.productions.

Engine Room's server installs as a Claude Code plugin (/plugin marketplace add Engine-Room-Games/after-effects-mcp, then /plugin install after-effects@engine-room), and JUNKDOGE-JOE's panel can be added over HTTP with claude mcp add --transport http ae http://127.0.0.1:11488/mcp.

mcp-aftereffects · config in ~/.claude.json for user scope (%USERPROFILE%\.claude.json on Windows), or .mcp.json in the project root for project scope

First: After Effects 2024, 2025 or 2026 on Windows or macOS, Node.js 24 or later, and Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network enabled in Preferences > Scripting & Expressions.

Terminal

claude mcp add --scope user --transport stdio after-effects -- npx -y @kumoproductions/mcp-aftereffects

›The other 4 After Effects MCP servers in Claude Code

ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)

Terminal

claude mcp add --scope user --transport stdio after-effects -- npx -y ae-mcp-jkdg@0.11.0

After Effects MCP (Engine Room)

Terminal

claude mcp add --scope user --transport stdio after-effects -- npx -y @engine-room/after-effects-mcp

after-effects-mcp (ishu86)

First: A local clone built with npm install and npm run build, After Effects 2024 or later, Node.js 18+, and its CEP extension open and visible under Window > Extensions > AE-MCP.

Terminal

claude mcp add --scope user --transport stdio after-effects -- node /path/to/after-effects-mcp/dist/index.js

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)

First: A local clone built with npm install, npm run build and npm run install-bridge, After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14+, and the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel open with Auto-run commands enabled.

Terminal

claude mcp add --scope user --transport stdio after-effects -- node PATH/TO/after-effects-mcp/build/index.js

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

Options go before the name and the -- keeps the server's own flags away from Claude Code; a name placed straight after -e is read as another variable, hence --transport between them. Check with claude mcp list or /mcp inside a session. Claude Code docs.

ChatGPT Not directly

Does ChatGPT work with After Effects?

Not directly. ChatGPT only connects to remote MCP servers over HTTPS, and mcp-aftereffects runs on your own computer. To use it from ChatGPT you would have to expose it at a public URL through a tunnel or bridge, which also exposes After Effects to the internet.

Adobe's app in ChatGPT does not include After Effects. Higgsfield offers an After Effects route from ChatGPT through its own plugin, which needs its After Effects plugin (2025 or later) and bills Higgsfield credits.

mcp-aftereffects · config in ChatGPT's settings on the web (Apps, shown as Plugins on newer accounts); there is no config file

ChatGPT only connects to remote MCP servers over HTTPS, and mcp-aftereffects runs on your own computer. To use it from ChatGPT you would have to expose it at a public URL through a tunnel or bridge, which also exposes After Effects to the internet.

›The other 4 After Effects MCP servers in ChatGPT

ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)

ChatGPT only connects to remote MCP servers over HTTPS, and ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE) runs on your own computer. To use it from ChatGPT you would have to expose it at a public URL through a tunnel or bridge, which also exposes After Effects to the internet.

After Effects MCP (Engine Room)

ChatGPT only connects to remote MCP servers over HTTPS, and After Effects MCP (Engine Room) runs on your own computer. To use it from ChatGPT you would have to expose it at a public URL through a tunnel or bridge, which also exposes After Effects to the internet.

after-effects-mcp (ishu86)

ChatGPT only connects to remote MCP servers over HTTPS, and after-effects-mcp (ishu86) runs on your own computer. To use it from ChatGPT you would have to expose it at a public URL through a tunnel or bridge, which also exposes After Effects to the internet.

after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)

ChatGPT only connects to remote MCP servers over HTTPS, and after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin) runs on your own computer. To use it from ChatGPT you would have to expose it at a public URL through a tunnel or bridge, which also exposes After Effects to the internet.

ChatGPT only reaches servers on the public internet over HTTPS. A local stdio server needs OpenAI's Secure MCP Tunnel (the tunnel-client daemon, an OpenAI Platform tunnel and API key), or a public tunnel such as ngrok, so most people use Codex or Claude for local apps. Requires: developer mode (beta) in ChatGPT on the web; OpenAI documents full MCP, including write actions, for Business, Enterprise and Edu workspaces, where an admin must allow it. ChatGPT docs.

Codex Config below

Does Codex work with After Effects?

Yes, through mcp-aftereffects, a community MCP server by kumo.productions.

mcp-aftereffects · config in ~/.codex/config.toml (%USERPROFILE%\.codex\config.toml on Windows), shared by the Codex CLI, IDE extension and desktop app

First: After Effects 2024, 2025 or 2026 on Windows or macOS, Node.js 24 or later, and Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network enabled in Preferences > Scripting & Expressions.

TOML

[mcp_servers.after-effects]
command = 'npx'
args = ["-y", "@kumoproductions/mcp-aftereffects"]
env = {}

›The other 4 After Effects MCP servers in Codex

ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)

TOML

[mcp_servers.after-effects]
command = 'npx'
args = ["-y", "ae-mcp-jkdg@0.11.0"]
env = {}

After Effects MCP (Engine Room)

TOML

[mcp_servers.after-effects]
command = 'npx'
args = ["-y", "@engine-room/after-effects-mcp"]
env = {}

after-effects-mcp (ishu86)

First: A local clone built with npm install and npm run build, After Effects 2024 or later, Node.js 18+, and its CEP extension open and visible under Window > Extensions > AE-MCP.

TOML

[mcp_servers.after-effects]
command = 'node'
args = ["/path/to/after-effects-mcp/dist/index.js"]
env = {}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)

First: A local clone built with npm install, npm run build and npm run install-bridge, After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14+, and the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel open with Auto-run commands enabled.

TOML

[mcp_servers.after-effects]
command = 'node'
args = ["PATH/TO/after-effects-mcp/build/index.js"]
env = {}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

codex mcp add also takes a local server (name, then -- and the command), but it sets variables with --env KEY=VALUE rather than -e, so the config block is shown here. Run codex mcp list to check it is enabled, and codex mcp login with the server name for an OAuth server. Codex docs.

Cursor Config below

Does Cursor work with After Effects?

Yes, through mcp-aftereffects, a community MCP server by kumo.productions.

mcp-aftereffects · config in ~/.cursor/mcp.json for every project (%USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json on Windows), or .cursor/mcp.json in one project

First: After Effects 2024, 2025 or 2026 on Windows or macOS, Node.js 24 or later, and Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network enabled in Preferences > Scripting & Expressions.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@kumoproductions/mcp-aftereffects"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

›The other 4 After Effects MCP servers in Cursor

ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "ae-mcp-jkdg@0.11.0"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

After Effects MCP (Engine Room)

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@engine-room/after-effects-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

after-effects-mcp (ishu86)

First: A local clone built with npm install and npm run build, After Effects 2024 or later, Node.js 18+, and its CEP extension open and visible under Window > Extensions > AE-MCP.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/after-effects-mcp/dist/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)

First: A local clone built with npm install, npm run build and npm run install-bridge, After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14+, and the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel open with Auto-run commands enabled.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "PATH/TO/after-effects-mcp/build/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

Cursor has capped the number of MCP tools it sends the model (third-party guides cite 40 to 80), so disable tools you do not need in Settings > MCP. GUI apps do not inherit your shell PATH; use full paths for commands like uvx. Cursor docs.

VS Code with GitHub Copilot Config below

Does VS Code with GitHub Copilot work with After Effects?

Yes, through mcp-aftereffects, a community MCP server by kumo.productions.

mcp-aftereffects · config in ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json for yourself (the Copilot Global destination), or .mcp.json in the workspace root for a team

First: After Effects 2024, 2025 or 2026 on Windows or macOS, Node.js 24 or later, and Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network enabled in Preferences > Scripting & Expressions.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@kumoproductions/mcp-aftereffects"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

›The other 4 After Effects MCP servers in VS Code with GitHub Copilot

ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "ae-mcp-jkdg@0.11.0"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

After Effects MCP (Engine Room)

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@engine-room/after-effects-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

after-effects-mcp (ishu86)

First: A local clone built with npm install and npm run build, After Effects 2024 or later, Node.js 18+, and its CEP extension open and visible under Window > Extensions > AE-MCP.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/after-effects-mcp/dist/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)

First: A local clone built with npm install, npm run build and npm run install-bridge, After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14+, and the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel open with Auto-run commands enabled.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "PATH/TO/after-effects-mcp/build/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

VS Code now recommends the portable mcpServers file, which the Copilot harness reads directly and Copilot CLI shares; .vscode/mcp.json still works but uses "servers" and is labelled deprecated in the Add Server flow. MCP: Add Server in the Command Palette writes the same entry for you. Requires: a GitHub Copilot plan, and on Copilot Business or Enterprise the organization's "MCP servers in Copilot" policy, which is off by default. VS Code with GitHub Copilot docs.

Gemini CLI Config below

Does Gemini CLI work with After Effects?

Yes, through mcp-aftereffects, a community MCP server by kumo.productions.

mcp-aftereffects · config in ~/.gemini/settings.json (%USERPROFILE%\.gemini\settings.json on Windows), or .gemini/settings.json in one project

First: After Effects 2024, 2025 or 2026 on Windows or macOS, Node.js 24 or later, and Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network enabled in Preferences > Scripting & Expressions.

Terminal

gemini mcp add --scope user after-effects npx -- -y @kumoproductions/mcp-aftereffects

›The other 4 After Effects MCP servers in Gemini CLI

ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)

Terminal

gemini mcp add --scope user after-effects npx -- -y ae-mcp-jkdg@0.11.0

After Effects MCP (Engine Room)

Terminal

gemini mcp add --scope user after-effects npx -- -y @engine-room/after-effects-mcp

after-effects-mcp (ishu86)

First: A local clone built with npm install and npm run build, After Effects 2024 or later, Node.js 18+, and its CEP extension open and visible under Window > Extensions > AE-MCP.

Terminal

gemini mcp add --scope user after-effects node -- /path/to/after-effects-mcp/dist/index.js

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)

First: A local clone built with npm install, npm run build and npm run install-bridge, After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14+, and the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel open with Auto-run commands enabled.

Terminal

gemini mcp add --scope user after-effects node -- PATH/TO/after-effects-mcp/build/index.js

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

Without --scope user the server is written to the current project's settings. Stdio servers only connect in a trusted folder; run gemini trust, then gemini mcp list to check. Requires: a Gemini API key or Vertex AI, since consumer Google sign-ins moved to Antigravity CLI on 18 June 2026. Gemini CLI docs.

Hermes Agent Config below

Does Hermes Agent work with After Effects?

Yes, through mcp-aftereffects, a community MCP server by kumo.productions.

mcp-aftereffects · config in ~/.hermes/config.yaml (%LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes\config.yaml on native Windows)

First: After Effects 2024, 2025 or 2026 on Windows or macOS, Node.js 24 or later, and Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network enabled in Preferences > Scripting & Expressions.

YAML

mcp_servers:
  after-effects:
    command: 'npx'
    args: ["-y", "@kumoproductions/mcp-aftereffects"]
    env: {}

›The other 4 After Effects MCP servers in Hermes Agent

ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)

YAML

mcp_servers:
  after-effects:
    command: 'npx'
    args: ["-y", "ae-mcp-jkdg@0.11.0"]
    env: {}

After Effects MCP (Engine Room)

YAML

mcp_servers:
  after-effects:
    command: 'npx'
    args: ["-y", "@engine-room/after-effects-mcp"]
    env: {}

after-effects-mcp (ishu86)

First: A local clone built with npm install and npm run build, After Effects 2024 or later, Node.js 18+, and its CEP extension open and visible under Window > Extensions > AE-MCP.

YAML

mcp_servers:
  after-effects:
    command: 'node'
    args: ["/path/to/after-effects-mcp/dist/index.js"]
    env: {}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)

First: A local clone built with npm install, npm run build and npm run install-bridge, After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14+, and the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel open with Auto-run commands enabled.

YAML

mcp_servers:
  after-effects:
    command: 'node'
    args: ["PATH/TO/after-effects-mcp/build/index.js"]
    env: {}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

Start a new session or run /reload-mcp after editing; a running gateway picks up config.yaml changes within about a minute. For an OAuth-protected remote server, add auth: oauth under it and run hermes mcp login with the server name. Hermes Agent docs.

OpenClaw Config below

Does OpenClaw work with After Effects?

Yes, through mcp-aftereffects, a community MCP server by kumo.productions.

mcp-aftereffects · config in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json, under mcp.servers

First: After Effects 2024, 2025 or 2026 on Windows or macOS, Node.js 24 or later, and Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network enabled in Preferences > Scripting & Expressions.

JSON

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "after-effects": {
        "command": "npx",
        "args": [
          "-y",
          "@kumoproductions/mcp-aftereffects"
        ],
        "env": {}
      }
    }
  }
}

›The other 4 After Effects MCP servers in OpenClaw

ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)

JSON

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "after-effects": {
        "command": "npx",
        "args": [
          "-y",
          "ae-mcp-jkdg@0.11.0"
        ],
        "env": {}
      }
    }
  }
}

After Effects MCP (Engine Room)

JSON

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "after-effects": {
        "command": "npx",
        "args": [
          "-y",
          "@engine-room/after-effects-mcp"
        ],
        "env": {}
      }
    }
  }
}

after-effects-mcp (ishu86)

First: A local clone built with npm install and npm run build, After Effects 2024 or later, Node.js 18+, and its CEP extension open and visible under Window > Extensions > AE-MCP.

JSON

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "after-effects": {
        "command": "node",
        "args": [
          "/path/to/after-effects-mcp/dist/index.js"
        ],
        "env": {}
      }
    }
  }
}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)

First: A local clone built with npm install, npm run build and npm run install-bridge, After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14+, and the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel open with Auto-run commands enabled.

JSON

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "after-effects": {
        "command": "node",
        "args": [
          "PATH/TO/after-effects-mcp/build/index.js"
        ],
        "env": {}
      }
    }
  }
}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

The key is mcp.servers, not mcpServers. The Gateway hot-reloads the file; run openclaw mcp doctor with the server name and --probe to confirm it answers. Interpreter and loader variables such as NODE_OPTIONS are stripped from a stdio server's env. OpenClaw docs.

Windsurf (Devin Desktop) Config below

Does Windsurf (Devin Desktop) work with After Effects?

Yes, through mcp-aftereffects, a community MCP server by kumo.productions.

mcp-aftereffects · config in ~/.config/devin/mcp_config.json on macOS and Linux (%APPDATA%\devin\mcp_config.json on Windows); builds from before June 2026 used ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

First: After Effects 2024, 2025 or 2026 on Windows or macOS, Node.js 24 or later, and Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network enabled in Preferences > Scripting & Expressions.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@kumoproductions/mcp-aftereffects"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

›The other 4 After Effects MCP servers in Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

ae-mcp (JUNKDOGE-JOE)

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "ae-mcp-jkdg@0.11.0"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

After Effects MCP (Engine Room)

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@engine-room/after-effects-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

after-effects-mcp (ishu86)

First: A local clone built with npm install and npm run build, After Effects 2024 or later, Node.js 18+, and its CEP extension open and visible under Window > Extensions > AE-MCP.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/after-effects-mcp/dist/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

after-effects-mcp (Dakkshin)

First: A local clone built with npm install, npm run build and npm run install-bridge, After Effects 2022 or later, Node.js 14+, and the mcp-bridge-auto.jsx panel open with Auto-run commands enabled.

JSON

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "PATH/TO/after-effects-mcp/build/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

This server installs from source: replace the placeholder path with where you cloned or installed it.

Windsurf became Devin Desktop in June 2026 and its default agent is now Devin Local; the legacy Cascade agent expects serverUrl instead of url for remote servers and allows at most 100 tools at once. Refresh the MCP panel after editing the file. Requires: MCP left on by a Teams or Enterprise admin, who can also allowlist servers (allowlisting one blocks all others). Windsurf (Devin Desktop) docs.

After Effects API, scripting and command line

After Effects API

PartlyCC++

There is no web or REST API for the desktop app; Adobe's cloud APIs (Firefly Services) do not cover After Effects. The native programming interface is the C++ plugin SDK: effect plugins and AEGP general plugins that can add menu commands, read and write the keyframe database and hook into rendering. It is for compiled plugins, not for an agent to call.

Cost: Free SDK download from Adobe; you need an After Effects licence to run plugins.

DocumentationAfter Effects C++ SDK Guide, read 23 October 2026

After Effects scripting

YesExtendScript (ECMAScript 3 JavaScript)Expressions (JavaScript, ECMAScript 2018)

ExtendScript, Adobe's JavaScript dialect based on ECMAScript 3, reaches the project, compositions, layers, properties, keyframes, expressions, effects by match name and the render queue, and runs from File > Scripts, a ScriptUI panel or the command line. Expressions are a separate system: per-property JavaScript evaluated at render time on an engine based on ECMAScript 2018. Models often write modern syntax (let, arrow functions, template literals) that ExtendScript rejects; ask for ES3.

javascript

app.beginUndoGroup("Title");
var comp = app.project.items.addComp("Title", 1920, 1080, 1, 6, 30);
var txt = comp.layers.addText("Hello");
var pos = txt.property("ADBE Transform Group").property("ADBE Position");
pos.setValueAtTime(0, [960, 1300]);
pos.setValueAtTime(1, [960, 540]);
app.endUndoGroup();

ExtendScript (.jsx): a six-second comp with a text layer that slides up, wrapped in one undo step.

DocumentationAfter Effects Scripting Guide, overview, read 23 October 2026

After Effects command line and headless mode

YesShell

aerender renders a saved project's render queue, or one named composition, without opening the interface; aerender -help prints every option, and -reuse sends the job to an After Effects instance that is already running. It renders only what is saved to disk. Scripts can also be launched from a shell (AfterFX.exe -r script.jsx on Windows, AppleScript DoScriptFile on macOS), which is how most agents and MCP bridges get code into a live session.

bash

"/Applications/Adobe After Effects 2026/aerender" -project ~/work/promo.aep -comp "Main" -output ~/renders/main.mov

Render one composition from a saved project on macOS without opening the interface.

DocumentationAdobe Help, Automated rendering and network rendering, read 23 October 2026

After Effects plugins and add-ons

YesC++HTML, CSS and JavaScript (CEP)ExtendScript (ScriptUI)UXP (beta)

Three plugin layers: compiled C++ effects and AEGPs, HTML and JavaScript CEP panels that call ExtendScript, and plain ScriptUI panels. Adobe is moving panels to UXP: its developer blog targets a public UXP beta for After Effects by November 2026 and removes CEP from new versions starting December 2029, so today's panel-based MCP bridges will need porting. AI panels already sold for After Effects include Claude Scripter and AE GPT (ExtendScript from a prompt) and the Runway and Higgsfield generation panels. Adobe plans to disable CEP by default in December 2028, with user opt-in until removal in December 2029. New CEP submissions stop in December 2028 for After Effects.

Documentation Adobe ExchangeAdobe Developer Blog, UXP comes to our flagship applications (September 2026), read 23 October 2026

After Effects official MCP server

Adobe ships no After Effects MCP server. Its Adobe for Creativity connector (in Claude since 28 April 2026, with an Adobe app in ChatGPT as well) covers Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Firefly, Premiere, Express, InDesign and Stock, not After Effects. Adobe's AI Assistant inside the After Effects beta is its own agent, not something an external client can connect to.

Adobe Blog, Adobe for creativity, now in Claude, read 23 October 2026

After Effects project files

Partly

The .aep project is an undocumented binary format, so an agent cannot safely edit it without After Effects. Projects can also be saved as .aepx (XML), which is readable but verbose and unofficial to edit; in practice agents change projects through scripting in a running instance, then hand off .aep, rendered media or a .mogrt (CompItem.exportAsMotionGraphicsTemplate).

After Effects Scripting Guide, overview, read 23 October 2026

Adobe documents After Effects automation using scripts, panels and the command line. Logged-out official-source capture. Official source. Captured 2026-10-23.

Built-in AI in After Effects

The release build has local, credit-free AI for isolation and removal (Object Matte, Roto Brush, Content-Aware Fill). Firefly generation and natural-language control are only in the AI Assistant, which ships as a separate beta build; Generative Extend is a Premiere Pro feature, not an After Effects one.

Object Matte

Click or marquee a subject and the matte propagates across frames, with Quick Selection (the classic Roto Brush reimagined), a Selection Brush and Refine Edge for cleanup.

Release build from 26.2, every After Effects plan, runs locally with no generative credits.

Adobe Help, AI-powered Object Matte, read 23 October 2026

Roto Brush and Refine Matte

Stroke-based subject separation with edge refinement for hair and motion blur; Adobe points to it when Object Matte needs manual control.

Release build, every plan, local, no credits.

Adobe Help, Roto Brush and Refine Edge, read 23 October 2026

Content-Aware Fill

Removes a masked object by synthesising pixels from other frames, with object, surface and edge blend fill methods and optional reference frames.

Release build, every plan, local, no credits.

Adobe Help, Content-Aware Fill, read 23 October 2026

AI Assistant (beta)

A chat panel that organises projects, writes, explains and debugs expressions, performs actions in natural language with permission prompts and undo, and generates images and video with Firefly and partner models.

After Effects beta build only (announced 6 August 2026, public beta from early September). Adobe said generation does not consume credits during the beta, with daily and weekly limits.

Adobe Community, New in After Effects Beta: After Effects AI Assistant, read 23 October 2026

After Effects pricing

Subscription only, with a 7-day trial; every plan that includes After Effects includes its scripting, aerender and the plugin SDK at no extra cost.

Plan	Price	What it’s for
Free trialUnlocks automation	$0 for 7 days	The full desktop app, scripting included.
After Effects (single app)Unlocks automation	$22.99 a month (annual plan, billed monthly) or $263.88 a year prepaid	After Effects, 100 GB of cloud storage and 25 generative credits a month for subscriptions started on or after 17 June 2025; earlier subscriptions receive 500 a month.
Creative Cloud StandardUnlocks automation	$54.99 a month (annual plan, billed monthly)	20+ apps including After Effects and Premiere Pro, 25 generative credits a month.
Creative Cloud ProUnlocks automation	$69.99 a month (annual plan, billed monthly); $34.99 for the first three months for eligible new subscribers	All apps, unlimited standard generations and 4,000 premium generative credits a month.

Adobe US After Effects plans and checkout; Creative Cloud plans; generative credits FAQ, read 23 October 2026

Voyager

Use After Effects with Voyager

Try asking

“In my open After Effects project, rename every layer in the Main comp by what it is and colour-code the text layers.”
“Build a six-second 1920x1080 lower third for "Ana Ruiz, Producer" with an eased slide-in, as a new comp.”
“Add a wiggle expression driven by a slider to the camera null, then render a frame at two seconds so I can check it.”
“Make three versions of the End Card comp with these headlines and render each with an installed ProRes output template, checking availability first.”

Download Voyager Create an account

Frequently asked questions

Does After Effects have an API?

Not a web API. After Effects is automated through ExtendScript, a JavaScript scripting API that reaches the project, compositions, layers, keyframes, expressions, effects and render queue, and extended with a C++ plugin SDK for effects and AEGP plugins. Adobe's cloud APIs do not cover it.

What language are After Effects scripts written in?

ExtendScript, Adobe's JavaScript dialect based on ECMAScript 3, saved as .jsx or compiled .jsxbin files. Expressions use a separate JavaScript engine based on ECMAScript 2018, so modern syntax that works in an expression can fail in a script.

Can you use Python with After Effects?

Not natively. After Effects scripting is JavaScript (ExtendScript); Python tools such as MCP servers or pipeline scripts work by generating ExtendScript and sending it to After Effects, or by calling aerender from the shell.

Is there an official After Effects MCP server?

No. As of 23 October 2026 Adobe ships no After Effects MCP server, and its Adobe for Creativity connector covers Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Firefly, Premiere, Express, InDesign and Stock but not After Effects. The servers listed on this page are community projects.

Which After Effects MCP server should I use?

We would start with kumoproductions' mcp-aftereffects: it runs with npx, needs no panel, has a read-only mode and keeps arbitrary script execution off by default. Choose JUNKDOGE-JOE's server if you want a visible panel with checkpoints, and Engine Room's if you are on After Effects 2026 and want a one-click Claude Desktop install.

Can ChatGPT control After Effects?

Not through an Adobe connector; Adobe's app in ChatGPT does not include After Effects. ChatGPT can write ExtendScript you run yourself, and Higgsfield offers a ChatGPT route into After Effects through its own plugin and credits.

Can Claude control After Effects?

Yes, through a community MCP server or by writing scripts. Claude Code, Claude Desktop and Codex can run the local servers on this page against a live project; Adobe's own connector in Claude does not cover After Effects.

Can After Effects render from the command line?

Yes. aerender, installed with After Effects, renders a saved project's render queue or a named composition without the interface, for example aerender -project promo.aep -comp "Main" -output main.mov. Run aerender -help for every option.

Can After Effects run headless?

Rendering can: aerender renders saved projects with no interface. Editing a project cannot; scripts need a running After Effects instance, although a script or aerender can launch one.

Does After Effects have built-in AI?

Yes. The release build has Object Matte (from 26.2), Roto Brush with Refine Matte and Content-Aware Fill, all running locally without generative credits. Adobe's AI Assistant, which writes expressions, organises projects and generates media with Firefly and partner models, is only in the beta build as of 23 October 2026.

Does After Effects have Firefly?

Only in the AI Assistant beta, which can generate images and video with Firefly and partner models inside the Assistant panel. The release build has no Firefly generation tools, and Generative Extend is a Premiere Pro feature.

Do After Effects AI features use generative credits?

Object Matte, Roto Brush and Content-Aware Fill do not. Adobe said generation in the AI Assistant beta does not consume credits during the beta, with daily and weekly limits; single-app subscriptions started on or after 17 June 2025 include 25 generative credits a month (earlier subscriptions receive 500) and Creative Cloud Pro 4,000 premium credits.

Can AI write After Effects expressions?

Yes. Any chat model can draft an expression, Adobe's AI Assistant beta writes and debugs them in the app, and MCP servers can apply them to properties directly. Check references to layer and effect names, which models often guess.

Can AI make a motion graphics animation in After Effects?

Yes, for work built from layers, keyframes and expressions: an agent can build lower thirds, titles, logo reveals and data-driven versions through scripting and render them. It cannot do the hand-judged parts such as rotoscoping, tracking analysis or plugin dialogs without window control.

Is After Effects scripting free?

Yes. ExtendScript, expressions, aerender and the C++ SDK come with every After Effects plan at no extra cost; you pay only the After Effects subscription and, for agents, your model provider.

How much does After Effects cost?

$22.99 a month for the After Effects single-app plan on an annual plan billed monthly ($263.88 a year prepaid), with a 7-day free trial; Creative Cloud Pro, with every Adobe app, is $69.99 a month on the same terms. There is no perpetual licence.

Will After Effects move from CEP to UXP?

Yes. Adobe's developer blog targets a public UXP beta for After Effects by November 2026 and says CEP will be removed from new versions starting December 2029, with existing plugins working until then. ExtendScript itself remains the scripting API today.

Can an AI agent edit an .aep file directly?

Not safely. .aep is an undocumented binary format; agents change projects by running scripts in After Effects. A project saved as .aepx is XML and readable, but editing it by hand is unsupported.

Does Voyager work with After Effects?

Voyager supports this workflow, subject to the app, edition and platform requirements. Voyager controls After Effects through its bundled scripting CLI on macOS and Windows. It inspects projects, executes undo-grouped JSX, previews frames or contact sheets, saves and renders segments with installed templates. Diagnostic commands help with setup, asynchronous jobs run serially, and undo grouping does not guarantee rollback. UI-only controls use permissioned computer control. Requirements: Install and license After Effects. On Windows keep exactly one After Effects instance open and enable Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network; on macOS grant Automation and scripting permissions. Check output templates before requesting a format. Windows and Linux Voyager builds are alpha; computer control is unavailable on Linux.

Guides on Voyager

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How this page is made

Every fact on this page links to the vendor documentation, pricing page, repository or announcement it was read from, with the date it was read. MCP server stars and activity are read from GitHub on the date shown. Setup steps for each AI assistant are generated from that assistant’s documented config format and the server’s own install instructions. Anything we could not verify is marked as unverified rather than guessed. Trademarks belong to their owners; Voyager isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by them.

What an AI agent can do in After Effects

What AI can’t do in After Effects yet

After Effects MCP shortlist

Connect After Effects to Claude, ChatGPT, Codex and other assistants

Does Claude desktop app work with After Effects?

Does Claude Code work with After Effects?

Does ChatGPT work with After Effects?

Does Codex work with After Effects?

Does Cursor work with After Effects?

Does VS Code with GitHub Copilot work with After Effects?

Does Gemini CLI work with After Effects?

Does Hermes Agent work with After Effects?

Does OpenClaw work with After Effects?

Does Windsurf (Devin Desktop) work with After Effects?

After Effects API, scripting and command line

After Effects API

After Effects scripting

After Effects command line and headless mode

After Effects plugins and add-ons

After Effects official MCP server

After Effects project files

Built-in AI in After Effects

After Effects pricing

Use After Effects with Voyager

Frequently asked questions

Go further

How this page is made