by BAO Plugins·Motion Graphics
Images © BAO Plugins. Used for product review; image policy.
Bones earns its place in the toolfarm library as a native, GPU-accelerated IK rigging option that keeps compositions light by driving a full character from a single layer.
BAO Bones brings inverse kinematics rigging to After Effects as a native plugin. Setup and animation happen with IK in as little as three clicks, and a whole character can be driven from a single layer without additional nulls or controllers. Because it runs natively and does not rely on expressions, it stays fast, and it is GPU accelerated.
Rigging does not require straight arms or legs, so layers do not need to be prepared or unbent in Photoshop first. The distortion mesh is defined to fit joint bending and can be modified at any time, and masks can be used to define the mesh for smooth skinning. The workflow is fully keyframable: IK mode switches between Automatic and Manual, and Parenting and Selection points can be keyframed.
The Puppeteer module controls many instances of Bones from one layer. Recent releases added the ability to add a child to any bone and to scale any part of an IK chain. Bones runs across a wide range of After Effects versions, from CS6 through the 2026 release.
BAO Bones is best for rigging and animating characters with inverse kinematics inside After Effects.
BAO Bones is completely free to download and use.
BAO Bones is listed as compatible with a broad span of After Effects releases: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, CC 2019, CC 2018, CC 2017, CC 2015.3, CC 2015, CC 2014, CC, and CS6. That coverage means it can run on older installs as well as the current 2026 release. An M1 macOS compatibility issue was addressed in an earlier update. If you run a specific version, check the developer's page to confirm the current build matches your setup.
BAO Bones does not require straight arms or legs to rig, so you avoid the work of preparing and unbending layers in Photoshop before setup. Its distortion mesh is defined to fit joint bending rather than generated automatically, and you can modify that mesh whenever you want. Masks can also be used to define the mesh for smooth skinning. This gives control over how body parts deform as they move, without depending on an automatic mesh you cannot adjust.
BAO Bones does not rely on expressions. It is a native plugin, which the developer credits for its speed, and it is also GPU accelerated. Alongside performance, it keeps compositions tidy by letting you control a whole character on a single layer without extra nulls or controllers. The Puppeteer module extends this further, controlling many instances of Bones from one layer.
BAO Bones is listed as free in this catalog. Pricing and licensing can change over time, so for current terms it is best to check the developer's page directly. The changelog shows several updates to the plugin's licensing code and libraries over the years, so confirming the latest details with the developer is the most reliable way to know what applies to your version.
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