Double-click inside the Project panel or use File > Import > File to browse and import the SVG file.
Last updated on
Jun 17, 2026
Learn how to import SVG files as native, editable shape layers that are ready to animate with no conversion required.
Note
The latest version of After Effects lets you import the file as footage or a composition.
Drag and drop the imported SVG file into the Timeline panel.
Select the layer to use the Layer Contents section in the Properties panel to view the SVG’s structure.
You can also select the arrow next to the layer to untwirl it, then expand the Contents section. You’ll see all the individual elements and their properties, such as Path, Fill, and Transform.
You can use these properties to animate just like any other shape layer. For example:
- Animate the Path to create morphing effects
- Change fill color over time for dynamic transitions
- Use Transform properties to scale, rotate, or move elements independently
If the layers have gradient fills and strokes, you can use the Scale and Rotation properties to animate the gradient.
SVG imports in After Effects offers a flexible and better control over how SVG files are imported in your project. With the latest version, when you import an SVG file, you can choose to bring it in as footage or as a composition.
|
Import as footage |
Import as a composition |
|---|---|
|
Imports the SVG as a single, continuously rasterizable vector layer. |
Imports the SVG as a composiiton made of editable shape layers. |
|
Maintains a connection to the external SVG file. |
Every element is converted into its own editable shape. |
|
Good for single‑layer vector graphics when you don’t need to break the artwork into parts. |
Good for editing paths, shapes, and layer‑level details when you need to animate individual elements. |
You can control which import approach is used by default when importing SVG files by setting the Drag Multiple File Items As option under the Import preferences.
- macOS: After Effects > Settings > Import > Drag Multiple File Items As
- Windows: Edit > Preferences > Import > Drag Multiple File Items As
Double-click inside the Project panel or use File > Import > File to browse and import the SVG file.
Use the Import As dropdown menu in the Import file dialog box to select one of the following:
- Footage
- Composition - Retain Layer Sizes
Choosing Footage imports the file as a single flattened layer with no access to individual elements, making it suitable for static use or when no animation is required. Selecting Composition – Retain Layer Sizes creates a new composition where each source layer is imported separately, sized to its actual content, making anchor points cleaner and transformations easier for animation.
macOS
Windows
Select the following options if applicable:
- Create Composition: Creates a new composition using default settings and automatically places the imported SVG, either as footage or as a composition with shape layers, into the timeline, saving you from manually creating a composition and dragging the SVG file into it.
- Scalable Vector Graphics Sequence: Imports multiple numbered SVG files and treats them as a frame-by-frame vector image sequence.
If you have imported the SVG file as a composition, use the Layer Contents section in the Properties panel or the Contents section of the layer in the timeline to view and work with individual elements and their properties.
If imported as footage, it behaves like a regular layer and can be adjusted using the standard Transform properties.
Tip
Similar to Illustrator files, if the vector file is imported as footage, you can select the layer in the timeline, then right-click and select Create > Create Shapes from Vector Layer to convert it into editable shape layers, allowing you to animate individual paths, strokes, and fills.
When you import an SVG as footage, After Effects keeps a live link to the original file, so any changes you make to that SVG outside the app automatically update inside your project.
SVG content on the clipboard can now be pasted into After Effects using Edit > Paste. The content is imported as native, editable shape layers that are ready to animate, with no intermediate import step required.
Copy content from Illustrator
Open your artwork in Adobe Illustrator.
Confirm that the Include SVG Code preference is selected.
- macOS: Select Illustrator > Settings > Clipboard Handling and select Include SVG Code.
- Windows: Select Edit > Preferences > Clipboard Handling and select Include SVG Code.
Select the artwork you want to copy.
Tip
Convert any SVG text to curves before copying, as SVG text is not supported on paste.
Select Edit > Copy.
Switch to After Effects and do one of the following depending on your project state:
- If no project is open, select Edit > Paste to create a new project with a composition containing the SVG content as a shape layer.
- If a project is open but no composition is selected, select Edit > Paste to create a new composition in the current project containing the pasted content.
If a composition is selected in After Effects, select Edit > Paste to add the SVG content as a new shape layer in that composition.
Paste SVG from other apps
SVG content copied from any application that writes SVG to the system clipboard can be pasted using the same Edit > Paste workflow. Support depends on whether the source application places valid SVG data on the clipboard.
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