After Effects Installation Paths

If you're using a version other than "2024", replace it throughout the page.

Windows

Presets

  • User Presets
    C:\Users\<YourName>\Documents\Adobe\After Effects 2024\User Presets
    → Drop your custom .ffx preset files here.
  • Default Presets
    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2024\Support Files\Presets
    → Used by After Effects internally. Don’t modify unless absolutely necessary.

Plugins

  • Local Plugins (only for the specific version)
    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2024\Support Files\Plug-ins\
    → Typically contains .aex plugin files.
  • Common Plugins (shared across versions and Premiere Pro)
    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Common\Plug-ins\7.0\MediaCore\
    → Use for plugins like Red Giant and those you want available in all versions.

Extensions

  • System-wide
    C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\CEP\extensions\
    C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\CEP\extensions\
  • User-specific
    C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CEP\extensions\
→ Place folder-based CEP extensions with CSXS, META-INF subfolders here.

Scripts

  • Dockable Panels
    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2024\Support Files\Scripts\ScriptUI Panels\
  • Non-dockable Scripts
    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2024\Support Files\Scripts\
→ Most AE users work with dockable .jsx or .jsxbin scripts.

macOS

Presets

  • User Presets
    ~/Documents/Adobe/After Effects 2024/User Presets/
    → Place .ffx files here.
  • Default Presets
    /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2024/Presets/
    → Reserved for system use.

Plugins

  • Local Plugins
    /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2024/Plug-ins/
  • Common Plugins
    /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/Plug-ins/7.0/MediaCore/
    → Use this for cross-version/plugin-sharing functionality.

Extensions

  • System
    /Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions/
  • User
    ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions/
→ Place extension folders structured with CSXS, META-INF.

Scripts

  • Dockable Panels
    /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2024/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels/
  • Non-dockable Scripts
    /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2024/Scripts/
→ Most scripts will be dockable—drop them into the ScriptUI folder.
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