by Autokroma·Rendering
Images © Autokroma. Used for product review; image policy.
AfterCodecs sits at rank 30 in the aescripts library and stands out for putting ProRes, H264, H265 and HAP exports natively inside Adobe's apps without QuickTime. Note a known Dark Mode bug on macOS shows wrong colors, which the developer says will be fixed in AfterCodecs V2.
AfterCodecs is a set of native exporters for After Effects, Premiere Pro and Adobe Media Encoder, adding ProRes, H264, H265 and HAP codecs for high-quality, lightweight video output. It runs on Windows and macOS with no QuickTime installation needed, and comes as three separate integrations: AfterCodecs for After Effects, AfterCodecs for Premiere Pro and AfterCodecs for Media Encoder.
Its MultiRender feature handles batch export of thousands of videos, and inside After Effects you can render straight from the render queue without touching the command line or Adobe Media Encoder. Premiere Pro and Media Encoder gain their own extras, including MultiRenders Markers, exporting all audio tracks separately, quick sub-resolution buttons and custom framerate settings.
Advanced controls cover FileSize targeting, 10 bpc, Full Range, YUV 4:2:2 and 4:4:4, and Tuning profiles, while a one-parameter YouTube Upload profile follows YouTube's upload recommendations. All four HAP codecs from Vidvox are included with faster algorithms and no resolution restrictions.
AfterCodecs is best for editors and motion artists who need to export ProRes, H264, H265 or HAP directly from After Effects, Premiere Pro or Media Encoder, and to batch-render many videos at once.
AfterCodecs is completely free to download and use.
AfterCodecs supports Adobe 2017 through 2026 for After Effects, Premiere Pro and Adobe Media Encoder. That range covers CC 2017, CC 2018, CC 2019 and 2020 through 2026, and version 1.12.1 added support for the 2026 (v26) releases in Adobe Creative Cloud. If you're on a recent Creative Cloud update, the plugin keeps pace with Adobe's yearly releases across all three applications. Check the developer's page to confirm the exact build matches your installed Adobe version before installing.
AfterCodecs runs on macOS from version 12 (Monterey) up to 26 (Tahoe) and supports both Apple Silicon (M1 and later) and Intel Macs, as well as Windows 10 and 11. There's a known issue on macOS where Dark Mode displays wrong colors, which the developer says will be fixed in AfterCodecs V2. Aside from that, the plugin exports natively on both platforms with no QuickTime installation required.
AfterCodecs uses one license for the same user across up to two computers, provided they are not used at the same time. That fits a common desktop-and-laptop arrangement for a single artist. This entry is listed as free in our catalog, so for current licensing terms and activation details, check the developer's page at Autokroma or aescripts before setting up on multiple machines.
AfterCodecs requires even dimensions for H264 and H265 exports, so odd resolutions will fail. The one exception is choosing YUV 4:4:4 for H264, which removes that restriction. If an export stops unexpectedly, check that your composition or sequence width and height are both even numbers. On interlacing, lower field first in H264 is recognized by Adobe as top field first, so you can safely select top field first.
AfterCodecs offers both x264 and x265 encoders for MOV and MP4 output. Files encoded with x265 come out roughly 25% lighter than x264 at the same quality, with the tradeoff being slower encoding. If final file size matters more than render time, x265 is the leaner option; if you need faster exports, x264 finishes quicker. The plugin also includes FileSize targeting among its advanced options for controlling output size directly.
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