Rosetta Guide for macOS

Fix plugins not showing up in After Effects on Apple Silicon Macs by enabling Rosetta, plus tips on which AE version to install and plugin compatibility.

Overview

Since 2022, After Effects runs natively on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) chips, which boosts performance but can break compatibility with older plugins built for Intel Macs. If your plugins are missing or you see errors about incompatible plugins, you may need to run AE using Rosetta.

Info: Rosetta acts as a translator, letting Intel-based plugins work on Apple Silicon. You only need to enable it once per app.

How to Enable Rosetta

  1. Open Finder and go to Applications.
  2. Find the Adobe After Effects (version) folder and open it.
  3. Right-click the Adobe After Effects.app file and select Get Info.
  4. In the Info window, check Open using Rosetta.
  5. Close the window and launch After Effects. It will now run in Intel mode, making most older plugins work.
Note: You must do this from the actual app in Applications, not a shortcut.

Rosetta Missing?

If you don’t see the Rosetta option, you may need to install Rosetta 2 manually:

sudo softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license
Important: Adobe removed the Rosetta option in After Effects 2024 and newer. If you need Rosetta, stick to AE 2023 or earlier.

Which After Effects Version Should I Use?

  • AE 2024 and newer: No Rosetta support. Only use if all your plugins are Apple Silicon compatible.
  • AE 2022/2023: Last versions with Rosetta support. Best for running Intel-only plugins on M1/M2/M3 Macs.
  • AE 2021 and older: Won’t run on macOS Sonoma (14+) or later.
Tip: If plugin compatibility is more important than new features, stick with AE 2022/2023.

Plugin Compatibility

Here’s a quick reference for popular plugins:

Updated (Apple Silicon Native)

  • BCC
  • Deep Glow
  • Element 3D
  • FilmConvert Nitrate
  • Magic Bullet Looks
  • Optical Flares
  • Pixel Sorter
  • RSMB
  • Sapphire
  • Trapcode
  • Twixtor
  • Universe
  • VFX Suite
  • and most others…

Not Updated (Requires Rosetta)

  • All Mettle plugins
  • PixDither
  • Shooter Suite (discontinued)
  • SpeedX
  • TV Distortion Bundle
  • Twitch
Note: Scripts and extensions are generally unaffected by Apple Silicon changes.
— End of Rosetta Guide —Browse other guides in the sidebar for more solutions!