Zero Keyframes, Live Automation
Your lines are bound to your layers using intelligent, live expressions. Move your objects, and your design updates instantly on the fly.
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After Effects
Connect Layers PRO
Connect your layers with dynamic vector lines in a single click! Instantly generate chains, branching trees, triangulation, and complex data webs. Customize styles, curviness, and dynamic motion on the fly with our powerful native plug-in interface. Apple Silicon Native.
Connect Layers PRO is discounted 50% for students and faculty. More info here.
$49.99
Description
CONNECT LAYERS
CONNECT LAYERS
WITH DYNAMIC LINES.
NO KEYFRAMES.
Connect Layers PRO automates the creation of dynamic paths instantly. Select your layers, click once, and watch the connections follow your motion dynamically in real time.
Whether you are building intricate infographics, science-fiction HUDs, user interface diagrams, or organic network maps, Connect Layers PRO helps you build beautiful animated lines and highly customizable structures with complete creative freedom.
Shape Layers Without the Complexity
Fully integrated with After Effects' native shape layer system. Control strokes, dashes, colors, and modifiers from a single, clean effect panel without digging into nested timeline properties.
Native Workflow Efficiency
Work directly inside your active After Effects timeline. Preview and adjust complex network setups on native shape layers without leaving your composition.
Complex Layouts in a Single Click
Building interconnected networks or animating lines by hand is laborious and time-consuming. Connect Layers PRO automates the entire setup: select your elements, choose your connection style, and let the plugin generate and automate the entire structure instantly.
Chain & Ropes
Link layers sequentially to create continuous paths or closed geometric shapes with automatic custom fills.
Spanning Tree
Instantly generate clean, organic branching structures that automatically find the shortest paths between your layers.
Triangulation
Create advanced geometric networks, low-poly grids, and tech meshes that update smoothly as your layers move.
All Connections
Connect every selected layer directly to every other layer to generate dense, fully interconnected constellations and complex data webs.
Many-to-One
Connect multiple target points to a single master layer, perfect for clean UI callouts, corporate diagrams, and map pointers.
Double UI Panel Workflow
The perfect balance between automation and style. Connect Layers PRO includes a custom Script Panel to quickly generate your dynamic setups, combined with an intuitive Effect Panel to tweak the vector parameters directly on the fly.
1. The Script Panel
Dockable workspace UI to select layout styles (chain, spanning tree, triangulation, etc.) and generate links in one single click.
2. The Effect Panel
Tweak styles, curviness parameters, arrowheads, and dynamics behaviors natively from After Effects effect controls.
Curviness & Styles
Shape your paths with complete creative freedom. Choose from a wide variety of curvature styles to give your connections a unique, stylized design. The plugin features steps, arcs, auto-beziers, and over 30 classic Penner easing curves, including in, out, and in-out variations, to match any design aesthetic.
Natural Motion Dynamics
Inject a touch of physics, organic weight, and velocity into your vector paths. Connect Layers PRO features three distinct dynamics engines to automate natural motion without a single keyframe:
Dynamic Bezier
Elastic bounce. Watch your connections bend and stretch like rubber bands or gum. The path reacts automatically to the speed and momentum of your layers.
Dynamic Verlet
Hanging rope physics. Perfect for creating heavy cables, wires, or hanging chains that sag and swing naturally.
Custom Dynamic Bezier
Controlled curves. Get the perfect balance between organic motion and precise design control by manually styling the bend of your connection.
Intelligent Arrowheads
Finish your paths with classic geometric shapes like squares, circles, and triangles, or go custom. You can designate any composition as an arrowhead, allowing you to use complex, custom graphics, even fully animated layers. Your arrowheads will flawlessly track the tip and orientation of your lines, even when using Trim Paths or Offset modifiers.
Colors & Gradients
Stroke and fill colors support both solid and radial gradients. Plus, easily adjust native shape layer modifiers directly from the effect interface.
Trim, Dash, Offset...
Repeater, Round Corners, Twist, Wiggle, Zig Zag... Everything you love about native shape layers is exposed and easy to configure directly inside the Effect Control Panel.
True 3D Space Support
Connect Layers PRO works natively in 3D space. Choose between lightweight camera projection or generate actual 3D vector segments to support authentic After Effects Depth of Field (DoF). (*certain limitations may apply).
The Ultimate Newton Companion
Take your physics simulations even further. Combine Connect Layers PRO with Newton to easily render hyper-realistic physical ropes, hanging cables, suspension bridges, and interactive soft-body animations.
Curviness Presets Map
Connect Layers PRO includes a rich, visual map of presets. Instantly apply linear, step, arc, bezier, or Penner easing curves (in, out, in/out) to shape your lines.
Master Connect Layers PRO
Explore our deep library of video tutorials.
From quick essential guidelines to advanced workflows and creative techniques.
Tutorials
Ready to connect?
Download the fully functional free trial and see for yourself.
(7-day trial, limited to 3 layers per connection, no Add to Existing option).
Download the fully functional free trial and see for yourself.
(7-day trial, limited to 3 layers per connection, no Add to Existing option).
Technical Specifications
COMPATIBILITY
After Effects CC 2018 or later (Windows / macOS). Apple Silicon Native.
PRO TIP FOR VIEWPORT SPEED
Connect Layers PRO makes intensive use of expressions. We highly recommend using After Effects CC 2019 or later with the JavaScript Expression Engine enabled (File -> Project Settings -> Expressions) for maximum performance. Please note that projects saved in older versions of After Effects default to Legacy ExtendScript.
Upgrade Notice
If you previously purchased the old 'Name Your Own Price' version of Connect Layers, you can apply 20% of what you paid as a discount towards this version.
For example, if you paid $20 then you will get a $4 discount.
Simply log in to the same original purchase account and the loyalty discount will be automatically applied at checkout.
If you have questions or need assistance, please open a support request.
Discussions
Want to talk about it?
Head over to r/aescripts to chat with fellow users about this product.
Need Support?
Please open a support ticket to be connected directly with the author of this product
Version History
1.3.4 -
Oct 19, 2022
- fixed a bug (introduced in the previous version) in the Dynamic Verlet option
1.3.3 -
Oct 17, 2022
- added an option that allows you to flip the direction of the Step connection
- updated aescripts licensing framework
- updated aescripts licensing framework
1.3.2 -
Mar 17, 2022
- updated licensing framework to the latest version
1.3.1 -
Feb 7, 2022
- added support to Apple Silicon architecture
- updated licensing framework
- updated licensing framework
1.3 -
Nov 3, 2021
Changes: AE 2022 compatibility.
1.2 -
Apr 9, 2021
- replaced ui icons with text when those icons failed to be loaded properly
- updated the licensing framework with the latest version so the tool is compatible with AE Beta and the next public release of AE
- updated the licensing framework with the latest version so the tool is compatible with AE Beta and the next public release of AE
1.1 -
Nov 13, 2019
- Updated licensing framework
- Notarized the plug-in to satisfy macOS Catalina (10.15) requirements
- Notarized the plug-in to satisfy macOS Catalina (10.15) requirements
1.0 -
Jun 18, 2019
Initial release
Compatibility
After Effects
2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, CC 2019, CC 2018
EULA
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Updated: Oct 21, 2025 1:35 AM