Can you remove a text layer's bounding box in After Effects?

[KrispyKreative]

I created a graphic template in AE with multiple text layers, and each has a bounding box. For flexibility, I have determined it's best not to have the bounding boxes for daily use, and just have unbounded text for each layer, but I can't figure out how to remove the bounding boxes. I could create all new layers, but I have so many effects and dependencies on each layer already, it would be a huge hassle. Any idea? Thanks.

[Rick Gerard]

Shift + Ctrl/Cmnd + h will show or hide layer controls. I use it all the time. You can also find the option in the View menu.

[KrispyKreative]

Thanks, but hiding won't work in this case - I need the bounding box to not exist. I'm creating a graphics template, and the user needs to be able to type a long line of text. I created the template with bounding boxes before I had figured that out. So all of the text now wraps within the bounding box, but I need it to go across the screen. Can the bounding box be totally removed, as if I had never created it?

[Rick Gerard]

If you are talking about a paragraph area on a text layer, you'll have to redo the text layers without creating a paragraph area.

You can use sourceRectAtTime() to control a background layer's position, scale, and appearance as well as the text layer appearance. I'd have to see your comp to give you much more assistance than that.

[KrispyKreative]

Thank you. I'll just redo the layers. Appreciate your help.

[Roland Kahlenberg · Accepted solution]

It sounds like you've created a Paragraph Text Layer and now want it as a Point Text Layer. You can switch between the two - follow these steps : 

1) select the Paragraph Text Layer

2) select the Text Tool
3) hover the Text Tool over any one of the edges of the text box

4) right-click to invoke the Context Menu and select Convert to Point Text - and you can convert the other way around too. 

HTH

[Rick Gerard]

Brilliant. I learned something new.

[Roland Kahlenberg]

Ah. I thought you had misread the OP. I think I picked this up from Adobe's TimK a while ago. 

[TestriteVisual]

Greetings this post helped me. I just realized this question was for After Effecs, but I was needing to do this in Photoshop originally posted the Photoshop sceenshots finding the menu options you mentioned:

Here is an actual After Effects screenshot showing exact steps you mentined

I've moved the Photopshop related steps to here now

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/how-to-remove-a-text-layer-s-bounding... 

[Roland Kahlenberg]

With the Text Tool selected and right-click while hovering over any part of a Text Layer and right-clicking to bring up the Context Menu is an updated QOL (Quality of Life) feature that was added since the previous posts was made. Prior to this addition, a user had to be very specific/accurate, to click exactly on one of the Text Layer's Source Rectangle's miniboxes for the Context Menu click to work. 

[Chiefy inmo]

Hi everyone
for cc 2024 version have a "Properties Panel" that they allow you to swap paragraph mode (box/point) anytime by easy

following this image. Quality of life yeh? 😄