Smoother Layer Control interaction in After Effects
Rolling out now in the After Effects Beta, starting with CCD Beta build 27.1.0.028.
Layer controls are how you grab, move, and align your work, so they should keep up with you. We’ve been tuning how After Effects calculates and draws them, and the results are now available in beta.
What’s new
Smoother text and shape editing
Enjoy more responsive layer controls and less lag as you drag to make adjustments. Mask outlines draw faster on Windows and macOS, and previews keep up better with your changes as you edit shapes.
We tested these changes on heavy shape-layer and heavy mask outline comps by comparing builds with and without them. Layer controls drew noticeably faster in those projects, and the demo video above shows the difference.
Where you may notice it
You’re most likely to observe these improvements in comps that were already hard to work in with layer controls on: many shape layers, masks with detailed outlines, or a mix of shapes and text that you’re lining up by hand. In those projects, layer controls should keep pace with your cursor more closely as you drag, and mask outlines should redraw with the layer more promptly.
Your results depend on what’s in your comp and on your hardware. Simple comps were already fast, so you may not see a comparative difference there.
Before:
After:
FAQ
Q: Do I need to turn anything on?
No. These improvements are part of the beta build, so you don’t need to update any settings.
Q: Will layer controls look different?
They shouldn’t. Controls should sit exactly where they did before. If you see misaligned controls, tell us.
Q: Will this speed up every project?
These improvements focus on layer controls and shape interaction, so they won’t speed up every part of a project. If a comp still feels slow, send it to us. Real projects help us decide what to look at next.
Q: Will this change how my final renders look or how long they take?
Your output shouldn’t change. We ran pixel-verification tests to confirm it matches. These improvements target interactive work.
Try it and tell us what you think
These improvements are included in After Effects 27.1.0.028 beta. Try them on your own projects and tell us:
- Which projects improved the most
- Anything that looks wrong or out of position
- Instances when the projects are still slow
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