Guides

Write a clear prompt

Give it a target

Use composition and layer names when you know them. For a small change, select the relevant layers before sending your message.

Instead of:

Make the animation smoother.

Try:

Prompt

In “Intro”, ease the existing Position keyframes on the selected layers. Keep their times and values unchanged.

The active comp pill shows the composition Operator has detected. It does not limit all possible edits to that comp. Selection is useful context, not a permission boundary, so state the scope in your prompt.

Include the details that matter

Durations, frame counts, colors, dimensions and naming conventions make requests easier to follow.

Prompt

In the active comp, rename the selected layers “Icon 01”, “Icon 02”, and so on, in their current top-to-bottom order. Do not change their stacking order.

Say what to preserve as well as what to change: existing timing, expressions, parenting, layout or the original composition.

Ask it to inspect first

For an unfamiliar project or a large change, start with a question:

Prompt

Explain how the “Main” composition is organized. Identify the main controls and nested comps. Do not change anything yet.

Review the explanation, then ask for the specific edit you want.

Share a reference

Attach a style frame, screenshot, brief or supported data file when words are not enough. Explain what matters in the reference: the spacing, colors, hierarchy or motion.

Prompt

Use the attached image as a reference for the title's alignment and spacing. Keep the existing wording and font.

Attachments and composition previews go to your selected AI provider. See supported files and limits.

Build complex work in stages

For a larger scene, agree on the layout first, add animation next, then refine the details. Check the result after each stage. Keep related refinements in one conversation, and start fresh when the task changes.

Do not make overlapping manual edits to the same target while Operator is working. Finish the current task, then continue.

Set preferences once

Use Settings → AI → Custom Instructions for preferences you repeat, such as concise explanations or a layer-naming style. Keep instructions for this particular project in the prompt.

Set custom instructions

If the result misses the mark

Explain the difference between what you wanted and what happened. Ask for a small correction when that is enough. Use Revert only when you want the whole project returned to the relevant checkpoint, including undoing later manual changes.

Operator is independent, not affiliated with or endorsed by Adobe Inc. "After Effects" is a trademark of Adobe Inc.

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