After Effects Linux
After Effects for Linux: there isn't one, but there is an alternative
Adobe does not make After Effects for Linux; it runs on Windows and macOS only. Running it through Wine or Proton is not supported by Adobe, and results vary from install to install, so it is not something to build work on. Premation is a free, open-source motion graphics editor that works the way After Effects does, and since 1.0.2 it ships a Linux x64 AppImage beside the Windows and macOS installers. The whole source is on GitHub.
What you can do on Linux
No After Effects for Linux
Adobe has never released After Effects, or any Creative Cloud video app, for Linux, and there is no official download. A site offering an "After Effects Linux download" is not offering an Adobe build.
Wine and Proton: unsupported
Some people try After Effects under Wine or Proton. Adobe does not support it, the installer and sign-in are the usual sticking points, and a setup that works today can break with the next update. For paid work, a native Linux tool is the safer bet.
Premation runs natively
Premation ships one Linux x64 AppImage, Premation-Linux-x86_64.AppImage, since 1.0.2. Mark it executable and run it. It needs FUSE 2 (libfuse2) and a Vulkan-capable GPU driver; on Wayland it runs through XWayland, and the AppImage updates itself in place.
It works like After Effects
Compositions, layers, keyframes, a value-and-speed graph editor, track mattes, nulls, Classic 3D with cameras and lights, and After Effects' shortcuts by default. It opens .aep and .aepx files as a conversion with a report, so projects made on another machine come with you.
Open source, on GitHub
The editor is AGPL-3.0 and its whole source is at github.com/isroil01/premation. You can build it yourself: Node 20 and npm for the interface, and clang, CMake, Ninja and vcpkg for the engine, which has a Linux preset. A build from source is the local edition, with no account.
Other Linux tools, and what they are for
Blender is a free 3D suite with Grease Pencil, a video sequencer and a node compositor. Natron is a free node-based compositor for shot work; its latest stable release is from November 2022. Friction is a free 2D motion graphics app that exports animated SVG. DaVinci Resolve's Fusion page is node-based VFX and runs on Linux too. None of them uses After Effects' layer-and-keyframe model.
The honest caveat
The Linux build is new in 1.0.2 and is checked by CI rather than by daily use. If something goes wrong on your distribution, please report it on GitHub.
Install the AppImage
Download Premation-Linux-x86_64.AppImage from the download page or GitHub Releases, then mark it executable and run it.
chmod +x Premation-Linux-x86_64.AppImage
./Premation-Linux-x86_64.AppImageWhat the AppImage needs
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Architecture | x64 |
| FUSE | FUSE 2 (libfuse2) |
| GPU | A Vulkan-capable driver |
| Wayland | Runs through XWayland |
| Memory | 8 GB minimum, 16 GB or more recommended |
| Updates | The AppImage updates itself in place |
Questions
- Is After Effects available for Linux?
- No. Adobe makes After Effects for Windows and macOS only, and has never released a Linux version.
- Can I run After Effects on Linux with Wine?
- Adobe does not support it, and how far people get varies by version and setup. Even a working install can break on an update, so it is a poor base for client work. A native Linux editor avoids the problem.
- Is there a version for Linux Mint, Ubuntu or Arch?
- Premation has one Linux build, an x64 AppImage, rather than a package per distribution. It needs FUSE 2 (libfuse2) and a Vulkan-capable GPU driver. It is new in 1.0.2 and checked by CI rather than daily use, so please report problems on your distribution.
- Is Premation on GitHub?
- Yes. The editor's full source is at github.com/isroil01/premation under the AGPL v3.0, and the installers, including the AppImage, are published on its Releases page.
- Does Premation work on Wayland?
- Yes, through XWayland.
- Can I open my After Effects projects on Linux?
- Yes. File ▸ Open After Effects Project... converts .aep and .aepx files into Premation projects, with a report of anything that did not come across. Shape-layer contents do not convert yet, and expressions arrive as text.