What is an effect stack in After Effects?

It is the list of effects applied to one layer, shown in the Effect Controls panel. After Effects renders them from top to bottom, so the order of the list decides the result.

How do you reorder effects?

In After Effects, drag an effect up or down in Effect Controls. In Premation, use the reorder handles on each effect in Effect Controls or the Properties panel's Effects section.

How do I apply one effect to multiple layers?

Either pre-compose the layers and apply the effect to the pre-comp, which renders the group first, or add an adjustment layer above them, which applies its effects to everything beneath it.

Glossary

Effect stack

Name: Premation
Author: Premation

The ordered list of effects applied to one layer. Order matters: a blur before a glow and a glow before a blur are different pictures.

Also called Effects stack, Effect order, Stacking effects.

In After Effects

In After Effects the stack is the Effect Controls panel (F3, or Window ▸ Effect Controls). Effects render top to bottom, you drag them to reorder, and the fx switch beside each one turns it off without deleting it.

In Premation

The Effect Controls panel on the left rail. 275 built-in effects across twelve folders, plus any plugin effects; the fx toggle bypasses one without removing it.

Step by step

Select the layer and open Effect Controls with F3 (or Window ▸ Effect Controls). The same stack is also the Effects section of the Properties panel.
Add an effect from the Effects panel, the + on the Effects section's header, the Effect menu, or the command palette. You can also drag an effect from the library onto a layer on the canvas.
Use the reorder handles to change the order. Effects apply in order, so moving one up or down changes the picture.
Turn an effect off with its enable toggle to compare with and without it; its settings are kept.
Click a parameter's stopwatch to keyframe it, then press U on the layer to see every animated effect parameter in the timeline.

Tips

Order is the whole point: a blur after a glow softens the glow, a glow after a blur blooms a soft image. If a look is wrong, try reordering before adding more effects.
Colour correction usually goes before stylising effects such as glows, so the glow works on the corrected image.
To put one effect on several layers at once, pre-compose them and apply it to the pre-comp, or put it on an adjustment layer above them.
If a stack plays slowly, check the per-frame timings in View ▸ Viewport ▸ Performance HUD before removing effects at random.

Read the docs: The effect stack

Questions

What is an effect stack in After Effects?: It is the list of effects applied to one layer, shown in the Effect Controls panel. After Effects renders them from top to bottom, so the order of the list decides the result.
How do you reorder effects?: In After Effects, drag an effect up or down in Effect Controls. In Premation, use the reorder handles on each effect in Effect Controls or the Properties panel's Effects section.
How do I apply one effect to multiple layers?: Either pre-compose the layers and apply the effect to the pre-comp, which renders the group first, or add an adjustment layer above them, which applies its effects to everything beneath it.

Related terms

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