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AEAfter Effects

TextDuratifier

by Artem Artemenko·Workflow

Images © Artem Artemenko. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Its wide compatibility, spanning After Effects CS3 through 2025, makes TextDuratifier easy to fit into both legacy and current pipelines.

What is TextDuratifier?

TextDuratifier sets the duration of text layers in After Effects based on their content and the viewer's reading speed. Instead of listening to the text repeatedly to work out its timing, the script calculates duration from what the layer contains, making it suited to text-based videos and to working with text in an unfamiliar language.

Alongside duration, the script can arrange layers one by one on the timeline and create an adaptive background for text. Version 1.1.0 modified the default values for speed calculation, replaced the text box color picker palette, and added an option to set the corner radius for the background. Script settings are also restored after restarting After Effects.

Compatibility reaches back a long way, covering After Effects from CS3 through 2025, so the script fits both current and older projects. A demo video is available on the developer's page.

Who is TextDuratifier best for?

TextDuratifier is best for editors and motion designers producing text-based videos, including work with text in an unfamiliar language.

How much does TextDuratifier cost?

TextDuratifier is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Sets the duration of a layer based on its content
  • Calculates timing from the viewer's reading speed
  • Arranges layers one by one on the timeline
  • Creates an adaptive background for text
  • Option to set the corner radius for the background
  • Script settings restored after restarting After Effects

Tags

#After Effects#text#timing#text layers#reading speed#script#text-based video#aescripts

Frequently asked questions

Which After Effects versions does TextDuratifier support?

TextDuratifier supports a broad range of After Effects versions, from CS3 up to 2025. That span also includes CS4, CS5, CS5.5, CS6, CC, CC 2014, CC 2015, CC 2015.3, CC 2017, CC 2018, CC 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. This wide coverage means the script can be used in older projects as well as recent releases, so you are unlikely to be blocked by the version of After Effects you currently run.

How does TextDuratifier decide how long a text layer should last?

TextDuratifier sets the duration of a text layer based on its content and the viewer's reading speed. Rather than listening to the text over and over to judge its timing manually, you let the script calculate the duration from what the layer contains. Version 1.1.0 modified the default values used for speed calculation. This approach is aimed at text-based videos and at working with text in a language you are not familiar with, where judging reading time by ear is difficult.

Is TextDuratifier free?

TextDuratifier is listed as free in this catalog. Because licensing and availability can change over time, check Artem Artemenko's page on aescripts for the current terms before you download. The listing here reflects its status at the time of cataloging, and the developer's page is the authoritative place to confirm how the script is distributed and any conditions attached to its use.

What changed in TextDuratifier version 1.1.0?

TextDuratifier 1.1.0, released on February 26, 2025, modified the default values for speed calculation and replaced the text box color picker palette. It also added an option to set the corner radius for the background and made script settings persist so they are restored after restarting After Effects. The initial 1.0.0 release arrived on January 16, 2025. These changes refine both the timing calculation and the background and interface handling within the script.

Alternatives to TextDuratifier

Also in Workflow for After Effects.

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