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AEAfter Effects

Fast HSB Color

by Data Power·Color Grading

Images © Data Power. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Fast HSB Color earns its place in the aescripts library by pulling color sampling and adjustment into a single After Effects panel, spanning HSB, HSL and RGB alongside a PCCS-inspired tone system. Compatibility runs from After Effects 2022 to 2026 on Windows and macOS, and version 2.3.1 arrived on May 28, 2026.

What is Fast HSB Color?

Fast HSB Color is an After Effects extension focused on sampling and adjusting the color properties of layers. It brings an open color picker and a color coordinate system directly into the After Effects interface, with adjustment across HSB, HSL and RGB. An auto-detected ColorList collects most color properties in After Effects, excluding Layer Styles, graying out properties without color while highlighting those that carry one.

Color sampling runs through an eyedropper toggled with the 1 key or a left mouse click, and a Screen Color Picker can grab colors from anywhere on screen, including browsers, design files and reference images outside After Effects. The workflow is three steps: select a layer in the timeline, choose a property from the ColorList, and adjust it in the ColorPicker. Keyboard shortcuts handle saturation, brightness and hue, with Shift for larger changes.

For broader color decisions, the Color Chessboard System draws on PCCS tone classification, offering eight hue contrast schemes at fixed 30° intervals and 2×2, 3×3 or 4×4 tone grid divisions. Multiple color cursors allow simultaneous tone region comparison, elastic hue zones offer adjustable range, and both triangular and quadrilateral picker modes are supported.

Who is Fast HSB Color best for?

Fast HSB Color is best for artists sampling and adjusting layer color properties inside After Effects who want an open color picker, a PCCS-based tone system and keyboard-driven adjustments.

How much does Fast HSB Color cost?

Fast HSB Color is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Eyedropper toggled with the 1 key or a left mouse click, plus a Screen Color Picker that samples pixels from anywhere on screen, including outside After Effects
  • Auto-detected ColorList that collects most color properties in After Effects (except Layer Styles), graying out empty properties and highlighting those with color
  • HSB, HSL and RGB color adjustment directly in the After Effects interface
  • Color Chessboard System inspired by PCCS tone classification, with 8 hue contrast schemes at fixed 30° intervals and 2×2, 3×3 or 4×4 tone grid divisions
  • Multiple color cursors for simultaneous tone region comparison, plus elastic hue zones with adjustable range
  • Triangular and quadrilateral picker modes
  • Keyboard shortcuts for saturation, brightness and hue, with Shift for larger adjustments, and 3D object color support in After Effects 2026

Tags

#After Effects#color picker#HSB#eyedropper#color adjustment#extension#Data Power

Frequently asked questions

Does Fast HSB Color work with After Effects 2026 and 3D layers?

Fast HSB Color lists compatibility with After Effects 2022 through 2026 on both Windows and macOS. Version 2.2 added 3D object color support in After Effects 2026, letting you select and modify colors of 3D objects and 3D layers. The most recent release, 2.3.1, also fixed an issue in After Effects 2026 where keeping the extension panel open could interfere with text input direction. For current details, check the developer's page before installing on your specific After Effects build.

Does Fast HSB Color run on both Windows and macOS?

Fast HSB Color runs on both Windows and macOS across After Effects 2022 to 2026. Most controls are shared, though the fine color adjustment shortcuts covered in the demo video are noted as Windows only. On either platform you can use the eyedropper, the Screen Color Picker to sample pixels from anywhere on screen, and the HSB, HSL and RGB adjustment tools inside the After Effects interface. For platform specifics, the developer's page is the best reference.

How do I sample and adjust colors in Fast HSB Color?

Fast HSB Color uses a three-step workflow: select a layer in the timeline, choose a color property from the auto-detected ColorList, then adjust it in the ColorPicker. You can pick colors with the 1 key or a left mouse click, and the Screen Color Picker samples pixels from anywhere on screen. Arrow keys adjust saturation and brightness, Ctrl with Left or Right rotates hue, and holding Shift makes larger adjustments. The Color Chessboard System adds hue contrast schemes and tone grid divisions for rougher color choices.

Is Fast HSB Color free?

Fast HSB Color is listed as free here, so there is no purchase required to add it to your setup. Licensing and distribution can change over time, and the changelog notes that version 2.3.1 updated internal licensing guard logic without changing the official aescripts licensing workflow. For the current licensing terms and to download the extension, check the developer's page on aescripts, which is the authoritative source for how it is offered today.

Alternatives to Fast HSB Color

Also in Color Grading for After Effects.

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