Install MotionLab

MotionLab is a CEP panel for After Effects. Installation takes about a minute on macOS or Windows. After Effects 2019 (v16.0) or newer is required.

Requirements

• After Effects: 2019 (v16.0) or newer. Tested up to AE 2026.
• OS: macOS 10.14+ or Windows 10+.
• Disk: ~18 MB.
• Internet: required only for license activation.

Recommended: ZXP installer

The easiest path is the bundled .zxp installer.

1. Download the latest MotionLab.zxp from your account after purchase or starting the demo.
2. Install a free ZXP installer like aescripts + aeplugins ZXP Installer.
3. Drag MotionLab.zxp onto the installer window. It places the extension in the right folder and signs the install.
4. Restart After Effects.
5. Open Window → Extensions → MotionLab. Dock the panel wherever you like in your workspace.

On an Apple Silicon Mac, some ZXP installers are Intel-only and won't launch without Rosetta 2. If yours quits the moment you open it, run softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license in Terminal, or choose an installer with a native Apple Silicon build. See Troubleshooting for details.

Manual install (developers, advanced)

If you'd rather symlink the source directly — useful while developing or iterating on the panel — drop the unpacked folder into After Effects' extensions directory.

macOS

Place the com.motionlab.panel folder at:

~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions/com.motionlab.panel

Windows

Place the com.motionlab.panel folder at:

%APPDATA%\Adobe\CEP\extensions\com.motionlab.panel

Next steps

With the panel open, head to First Look for a tour of the tabs and interaction patterns, then License & Tiers to activate your demo or paid plan.