Animating Text Along a Path in After Effects: A Complete Tutorial

How to Make Text Follow a Path in After Effects

Step 1: Draw a Custom Path

• With the Text layer selected in the timeline, Select the Pen Tool (G) from the toolbar.
• Draw a curved or straight path directly in your composition. This path will act as the guide for your text animation.

Tip: Use the Convert Vertex Tool (Shift+G) to adjust the anchor points and handles for smooth curves.

Step 2: Attach the Text to the Path

• Select your Text Layer in the Timeline Panel.
• Go to the Path Options dropdown under the text.
• Choose the mask you just created from the Path dropdown.

Your text will instantly snap to the path!

Step 3: Animate Along the Path

• Set keyframes for the First Margin property under Path Options to animate the text’s position along the path.

Step 4: Smooth the Animation with Easing

By default, animations in After Effects can appear linear and robotic. To make the motion feel more natural:

• Select both keyframes and Right-click > Keyframe Assistant > Easy Ease.
• Open the Graph Editor to fine-tune the speed curve, adding gradual acceleration and deceleration.

Pro Tip:

Use the Spacing and Tracking settings under the Character Panel to ensure smooth spacing between letters, especially when animating curved paths or rollercoaster text animations.

Text Animators and Expressions in After Effects

Step 8: Add Text Animators for Extra Effects

• Select your Text Layer and click the Animate dropdown in the Timeline Panel.
• Choose Position, Rotation, or Scale to create unique transformations as the text moves along the path.
• Adjust the Range Selector and Offset values to animate specific sections of the text independently.

Step 9: Use Expressions for Looping Animations

Expressions allow you to automate repetitive motions, saving time and effort.

1. Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac) the Stopwatch icon next to the First Margin property.
2. Enter the following expression to create a looping effect: loopOut(type=”cycle”)

Best Practices for Animating Text Along Paths in Adobe After Effects

Optimize Tracking and Kerning

Text alignment plays a crucial role in maintaining readability, especially on curved paths. Adjust tracking and kerning in the Character Panel to prevent letters from overlapping or appearing too far apart.

• Tracking: Controls the spacing between all characters.
• Kerning: Adjusts the space between specific pairs of letters.

Fine-tune these values as you preview the animation frame-by-frame.

Preview and Refine Keyframes

To ensure smooth motion, always preview the animation using the RAM Preview (Shortcut: 0 on the numeric keypad). If the movement feels jerky, go back to the Graph Editor and adjust the velocity curves for smoother transitions.

Experiment with Effects and Styles

Enhance your design with additional effects like:

• Glow Effects – Add a glowing outline for a futuristic look.
• Shadows and Strokes – Create depth by applying drop shadows or stroke outlines.
• Blur Effects – Use Gaussian blur to simulate camera focus shifting as the text moves along the path.

Exporting High Quality Animations for Social Media

Export Settings for Maximum Quality

1. Go to File > Export > Add to Render Queue.
2. Choose the Output Module and select a format like QuickTime (MOV) or H.264 (MP4) for web and social media use.
3. Enable Alpha Channels if you need a transparent background for overlaying animations in other projects. It’s only available for the QuickTime format.

Alternative Export Options with Adobe Media Encoder

For added flexibility, use Adobe Media Encoder to compress files without sacrificing quality. This is especially useful for sharing animations on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.

Conclusion

We’ve covered everything from keyframes to expressions and text animators, ensuring you have the skills to create smooth, professional-looking animations.

Ready to take your designs further? Explore additional features like masks, shape layers, and gradient fills to make your animations even more dynamic. Don’t forget to experiment, practice, and refine your techniques to keep improving.

With these steps, you’re now equipped to master text path animations in After Effects and add eye-catching visuals to your projects. Happy animating!