Requirements

  • After Effects 2022 or newer
  • macOS or Windows with CEP extensions enabled
  • A ZXP installer such as the free ZXP/UXP Installer

Install Steps

  1. Download the latest AEbar .zip from the Motion Fun site.
  2. Extract the archive to reveal the .zxp file.
  3. Open your ZXP installer.
  4. Drag the .zxp into the installer and complete the install.
  5. Restart After Effects.

Open AEbar

In After Effects, go to Window > Extensions > AEbar.

You should see a panel with the Motion Essentials bar loaded, showing a grid of colored icon buttons. If the panel is blank or missing, verify the install completed and that you restarted After Effects.

First Steps

AEbar ships with five built-in preset bars. The first bar (Motion Essentials) loads automatically. Try clicking a button to run its action.

To add your own button, click the + button in the grid. The button editor opens where you pick an action type, configure it, choose an icon, and save.

To explore all built-in bars, click the gear icon to open settings, then look at the Bars section.

Updating

Install updates the same way: download the new .zip, extract the .zxp, install over the existing version, and restart After Effects. Your bars and buttons are preserved across updates.