โฆ After Effects Installation Paths โ
If using another version of After Effects, change 2026 to your version.
Table Of Contents โ
Windows โ
Presets โ
User Presets: \Documents\Adobe\After Effects 2026\User Presets.
All user presets (presets which you made yourself or downloaded online) should be saved to and imported here.
Default Presets: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2026\Support Files\Presets.
This location is reserved for default presets. Adding or removing items in this location is not recommended. Extention: .ffx
Plugins โ
Local: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2026\Support Files\Plug-ins.
Plug-ins installed here are unique to that specific version of After Effects (ex: 2025) and are usually manually installed here by the user. Some plugins may also be installed to the sub-folder \EffectsCommon: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Common\Plug-ins\7.0\MediaCore.
Plug-ins installed here are often (not always) compatible with both After Effects and Premiere Pro, visible in all versions, and are typically installed via an installer. Extension: .aex
Extensions โ
System: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\CEP\extensions, or C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\CEP\extensions.
User: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CEP\extensions (If you don't have administrator). Extension: 'Folder', typically consist of many sub-folders such as CSXS, META-INF, etc.
Scripts โ
Dockable scripts: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2026\Support Files\Scripts\ScriptUI Panels.
Non-dockable scripts: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2026\Support Files\Scripts. Most scripts are dockable, it's unlikely that you'll install an undockable script unless you're a developer.Extension: .jsx or .jsxbin
MacOS โ
Presets โ
User Presets: ~/Documents/Adobe/After Effects 2026/User Presets.
All user presets (presets which you made yourself or downloaded online) should be saved to and imported here.
Default Presets: /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2026/Presets.
This location is reserved for default presets. Adding or removing items in this location is not recommended.
Extension: .ffx
Plugins โ
Local: /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2026/Plug-ins/.
Plug-ins installed here are unique to that specific version of After Effects (ex: 2025) and are usually manually installed here by the user.
Some plugins may also be installed to the sub-folder /Effects
Common: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/Plug-ins/7.0/MediaCore.
Plug-ins installed here are often (not always) compatible with both After Effects and Premiere Pro, visible in all versions, and are typically installed via an installer.
Extension: .plugin
Extensions โ
System: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions.
User: /Users/<user>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions.
Extension: Folder, typically consist of many sub-folders such as CSXS, META-INF, etc.
Scripts โ
Dockable scripts: /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2026/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels.
Non-dockable scripts: /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2026/Scripts. Most scripts are dockable, it's unlikely that you'll install an undockable script unless you're a developer.
Extension: .jsx or .jsxbin