Motion Dock is missing from the Extensions menu
Check that you installed the .zxp from inside the downloaded ZIP, that the ZXP installer finished successfully and that you are using After Effects 2022 or newer. Quit and reopen After Effects after installation. Then look under Window > Extensions > Motion Dock.
If installation did not finish, follow Install Motion Dock again and check the installer’s error message. Motion Dock is an After Effects extension, so it will not appear in Illustrator.
I only see starter cards
You are looking at an empty layout. Choose a starter or Build your own. You may have switched to an unused number; try the other layout buttons before rebuilding anything.
Clicking a tool selects it instead of running it
Layout mode is open. Click Exit layout mode in the top bar to use tool controls again.
I cannot add another copy of a tool
Already in this layout means the tool allows one copy and already has a slot in the active layout. Scroll to find it or use another layout. Copy rules list the exceptions.
A tool is too small or looks different
Tools adapt to their slot size. Enter Edit layout and give the tool more width or height. Widening the After Effects panel also widens the grid’s columns. Check that tool’s documentation for its layouts and controls.
My other tools move when I resize a slot
Turn on Keep modules fixed in Settings > Motion Dock. This is the default; turning it off lets slots push neighboring slots.
Number keys do not switch layouts
Click inside the dock so it has focus. Finish typing in any input and close open dock dialogs. Use 1, 2 or 3 on the number row without modifiers, or click the numbered buttons in the top bar.
Undo changes my composition instead of the dock
Layout undo is available while Edit layout is open and the dock has focus. Use Cmd/Ctrl+Z, or Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Z for Redo. Outside layout mode, After Effects handles its usual undo.
If you just removed or cleared slots, use Undo in the dock’s notice. Layout history is kept per layout for the current panel session. It is not restored after a panel reload.
A project did not bring back the layout I expected
The project must be saved. The dock remembers the layout number by the project’s file path, separately for each dock panel. A new path, including a Save As or moved file, gets a new assignment. Switch to the desired number while that saved project is open.
The arrangement itself remains shared with other projects assigned to that number. Read project memory if you expected a separate layout stored in the project file.
An image is empty or shows an error
An empty Image slot may have been added without choosing a file. In layout mode, select it and use Choose image.
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| File access is unavailable outside After Effects | Choose the image from the real dock inside After Effects. |
| The Motion Dock data folder is unavailable | Close and reopen the panel, then try choosing the image again. The dock needs access to its saved data folder. |
| Images can be PNG, JPG, GIF or WebP, not .… | Choose one of the supported image types. |
| Could not read followed by a filename. | Check that the original file is readable, then choose it again. |
| Could not save the image followed by an error number. | Check that the dock’s data folder is writable, then choose the file again. |
| The image … is missing from dock-media | The dock’s stored copy is missing. Choose the image again to restore it. |
The dock says “No internet connection.”
Reconnect to use downloads and update checks. The notice clears when the connection returns. You can turn off Warn when offline in Settings; that hides the notice without changing the connection.
An update failed or did not reload the panel
If the notice says Update failed, use Download to get the manual installer. If it says Update already in progress, wait for the other panel’s update to finish.
If it says Reopen your Adobe app, the update is installed but requires a host restart. Save your project, quit After Effects and open it again. The update guide explains both update paths.
A tool reports a selection or composition problem
The dock does not change a tool’s requirements. Open the composition or make the selection that the tool asks for. Use that tool’s troubleshooting page for its exact messages and fixes.