AFTER EFFECTS 2022+ · THE LAYER DOESN'T MOVE
Stop dragging anchor points by eye.
Pick a point on a 3×3 grid and every selected layer gets its anchor there, while Position moves to match. Nothing shifts on screen, so you can rotate and scale from the right spot straight away.
01 / THE CHORE
Move the anchor, and the layer moves too.
Drag an anchor point in After Effects and the layer jumps, or you reach for the Pan Behind tool and line it up by eye. On a rotated or scaled layer, a line of text or a shape, finding the exact corner or centre is fiddly, and animated Position means every keyframe needs fixing too. Then again for the next layer.
// what you do today, per layer // pick the Pan Behind tool // drag the anchor towards a corner // zoom in: is it on the edge yet? // rotated or scaled? guess again // animated? check every keyframe // next layer, same again // Anchor Snap puts the anchor on a // corner, edge or centre of each // layer and moves Position to match.
02 / HOW IT WORKS
One grid, one click.
Select the layers
One layer or several, in the comp you have open. Each one is measured on its own bounds.
01
Click a point on the grid
Nine points: the four corners, the middle of each edge and the centre.
02
Read the notes
The panel says how many layers it snapped and lists any it skipped, with the reason for each.
03
03 / USE CASES
Set up the pivot, keep the animation.
A title that scales from its corner
Snap the anchor of a text layer to its bottom left before you animate Scale. Text is measured by what's actually drawn, not the comp frame, so the corner is the corner of the words.
A layer that's already animated
Position is keyframed and you want it to spin from its centre. Every Position keyframe shifts by the same amount, so the path keeps its shape and the layer stays where it was.
The most any corner may move in the live test.
The live test reads each layer's corners with After Effects' own toWorld(), before and after every snap, so the check doesn't rely on the plugin's own maths. It covers a rotated, scaled 2D layer, an oriented 3D layer, text, a shape, a parented layer and keyframed Position, at four points on the grid.
04 / DETAIL
Built for real layers.
Placement
Nothing moves on screen
Position is moved to match the new anchor, taking rotation and scale into account, so the layer holds its place.
Bounds
Snaps to what's drawn
Text and shape layers snap to what they actually draw. Footage and solids snap to their full frame.
Keyframes
Animation kept
When Position is keyframed, every keyframe shifts together, so the motion path is unchanged.
Layers
2D and 3D layers
3D layers with orientation and X, Y and Z rotation are handled too, as are parented layers and separated Position dimensions.
Undo
One undo step
Snapping many layers at once is one undo step: Edit › Undo Anchor Snap.
Notes
It tells you why
Cameras, lights, locked layers and anchor points that are keyframed or driven by an expression are skipped, with a reason. Animated rotation or scale gets a note that the layer holds still at the current frame only.
05 / WHAT YOU GET
Everything in one download.
The Anchor Snap panel, as a .zxp installer
A personal licence key for one computer
Free updates for every 1.x version
Direct support: reply to your receipt email
REQUIREMENTS
Does it work on rotated, scaled and parented layers?
Yes. The Position change takes the layer's rotation and scale into account, so the layer stays put, and it keeps its parent.
What if rotation or scale is animated?
The layer is snapped and holds still at the current frame. At other frames it may drift, and the panel says so for that layer.
Which layers are skipped?
Cameras and lights, locked layers, and layers whose Anchor Point is keyframed or whose Anchor Point or Position is driven by an expression. Each one is listed in the panel with the reason.
Which versions of After Effects are supported?
After Effects 2022 and newer.
Is it a subscription?
No. You pay once, and every 1.x update is free.
How do I install it?
Install the free ZXP Installer from aescripts, drag in the .zxp file, restart After Effects, and open Window › Extensions › STRAT Anchor Snap. Paste your licence key and click Activate. Moving to a new computer later? While online, click Deactivate this computer in the panel on the old one.
What if something doesn't work?
One undo (Edit › Undo Anchor Snap) puts the anchor points and positions back. Then reply to your receipt email and tell us what happened.
Anchor Snap
Put the anchor where you need it.
Anchor points on the corner, edge or centre in one click, and one undo if you change your mind.
Get Anchor Snap
7,99 €
One-time payment · 1 computer · free 1.x updates · VAT added at checkout where applicable