After Effects MCP Server

Name: After Effects MCP Server
Author: zachshallbetter

Community

MCP server by zachshallbetter · updated 3 days ago · ★ 26

Score 73

Drive Adobe After Effects from any MCP client: compositions, layers, animation and rendering. After Effects MCP Server is a community project by zachshallbetter, not verified by a company domain.

Install Add to Cursor Add to VS Code GitHub

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Works withClaude Code Claude Desktop Cursor Codex Gemini CLI VS Code Windsurf Antigravity CLI

Maintenance

Last commit 3 days ago

Licence

MIT: permissive, fine for commercial use

Quality

Clear description, published package or server URL, original repository

Security

Downloads a script from the internet and runs it

What you need

Setting	Needed	What it is
`AFTEREFFECTS_APP_NAME`Environment variable	Optional	macOS only: address a specific copy, e.g. "Adobe After Effects 2025". Default: After Effects by bundle id
`AFTEREFFECTS_ALLOWED_DIRS`Environment variable	Optional	Extra directories allowed for file operations (':' on macOS, ';' on Windows)
`AFTEREFFECTS_SCRIPT_TIMEOUT_MS`Environment variable	Optional	How long to wait for After Effects before reporting that a dialog may be open. Default 120000

From the publisher's entry in the official MCP Registry. Required settings are already in the install config below as placeholders.

Install After Effects MCP Server

Built from the published package, never by AI

claude mcp add after-effects-mcp-server -- npx -y adobe-mcp-aftereffects

Run in your terminal. Add --scope user to use it in every project.

Step-by-step: install After Effects MCP Server in Claude Code

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "adobe-mcp-aftereffects"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Settings, Developer, Edit config. Paste into claude_desktop_config.json and restart.

Step-by-step: install After Effects MCP Server in Claude Desktop

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "adobe-mcp-aftereffects"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (all projects) or .cursor/mcp.json (this project).

Step-by-step: install After Effects MCP Server in Cursor

{
  "servers": {
    "after-effects-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "adobe-mcp-aftereffects"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to .vscode/mcp.json. VS Code uses "servers", not "mcpServers".

Step-by-step: install After Effects MCP Server in VS Code

codex mcp add after-effects-mcp-server -- npx -y adobe-mcp-aftereffects

Step-by-step: install After Effects MCP Server in Codex

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "after-effects-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "adobe-mcp-aftereffects"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.gemini/config/mcp_config.json (all projects) or .agents/mcp_config.json (this project).

Step-by-step: install After Effects MCP Server in Antigravity CLI

gemini mcp add after-effects-mcp-server npx -y adobe-mcp-aftereffects

Gemini CLI was replaced by Antigravity CLI in June 2026 and remains only for enterprise licences and paid API keys.

Step-by-step: install After Effects MCP Server in Gemini CLI

MCP servers run with your permissions and can read what you give them access to. Some need an API key: check the README and add it under env in the after-effects-mcp-server block.

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Security check

Downloads a script from the internet and runs itIn README.md: curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zachshallbetter/adobe-mcp/main/scripts/install.sh | sh

Checked automatically: README.md, package.json. This looks for known risky patterns and is not a full audit. How grades work

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After Effects MCP Server: common questions

How do I install After Effects MCP Server?

In Claude Code run claude mcp add after-effects-mcp-server -- npx -y adobe-mcp-aftereffects. For Claude Desktop, Cursor and VS Code, paste the config shown above and restart. See the install guides.

Is After Effects MCP Server the official server?

After Effects MCP Server is a community project by zachshallbetter, not verified by a company domain.

Is After Effects MCP Server free?

The code is published under the MIT licence. The service it connects to may have its own pricing.

Is After Effects MCP Server safe to use?

It scores 73 of 100. Grades: maintenance A, licence A, quality C. Security check: grade C (downloads a script from the internet and runs it). Review the code before you install. How grades work.

What are alternatives to After Effects MCP Server?

Similar MCP servers: Jitsu, Oh My Posh Validator, World Monitor, mcp.

Does After Effects MCP Server work with ChatGPT?

Not directly. It runs locally, and ChatGPT only connects to remote servers with a URL. Use it in Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code or Codex.