📐 Perfect Object Alignment
Achieving pixel-perfect alignment of layers and objects in Adobe After Effects is crucial for professional-looking animations and designs. Whether you're creating UI mockups, title animations, or motion graphics, perfect alignment ensures balance, symmetry, and visual harmony.
This tutorial explores the Align Panel in After Effects and how you can use it to quickly and accurately align layers like a pro.
🎯 What is the Align Panel in After Effects?
The Align Panel is a built-in tool in Adobe After Effects that helps you position layers in relation to:
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The composition frame
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The selection of other layers
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Or a bounding box of multiple selected elements
With just a click, you can align your objects horizontally, vertically, or distribute them evenly.
📍 Where to Find the Align Panel
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Go to the top menu:
Window > Align -
The panel will appear, showing you various alignment and distribution options.
🔧 Basic Align Options
Here are the core buttons you'll find:
🔹 Horizontal Alignment
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Align Left – Moves layer(s) to the left edge of the comp
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Align Center – Centers layer(s) horizontally
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Align Right – Moves layer(s) to the right edge of the comp
🔹 Vertical Alignment
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Align Top – Moves layer(s) to the top edge of the comp
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Align Middle – Centers layer(s) vertically
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Align Bottom – Moves layer(s) to the bottom edge of the comp
📐 How to Use It: Step-by-Step
✅ Aligning a Single Layer to Composition
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Select your shape, text, or image layer
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Click "Align Horizontally Center" and "Align Vertically Middle"
🔁 Your layer is now perfectly centered in the comp.
✅ Aligning Multiple Layers Together
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Select multiple layers
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Use:
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Align Top/Middle/Bottom
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Align Left/Center/Right
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All selected layers will align relative to the bounding box of the selection.
📏 Distribute Layers Evenly
If you want to evenly space multiple layers:
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Select all the layers
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Use the Distribute Horizontally or Distribute Vertically options
🎉 No need to manually calculate distances!
✨ Pro Tips
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🧲 Use “Snap to Guides” with alignment for more precision (enable from View > Snap To...)
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🧩 Pre-compose objects if alignment gets tricky due to anchor points
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🔄 Combine alignment with Anchor Point repositioning for pixel-perfect results
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🔍 Use the Layer > Transform > Center in View shortcut for centering quickly
🧠 Why Alignment Matters
Perfect alignment enhances:
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✅ Visual hierarchy
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✅ Consistency in layout
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✅ Cleaner animations
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✅ Better UX/UI mockups
📦 BONUS: Align Script Extensions
Want even more alignment power? Try scripts like:
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Motion Tools 2
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Align & Distribute by Motion Boutique
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ft-Toolbar
These offer additional grid snapping, group alignment, and responsive layout tools.
📝 Final Words
The Align Panel in After Effects may seem basic — but it’s a powerful feature that saves time and brings visual polish to your designs. Whether you’re animating logos, creating lower-thirds, or building infographics, mastering this panel will make your workflow smoother and more professional.
