by Casey Baker·Workflow
Images © Casey Baker. Used for product review; image policy.
Trigger stands out in the aescripts library for its marker-based approach to retiming and sequencing precomp animations, with compatibility stretching from CS3 to the 2026 release.
Trigger is a script for After Effects that sets up and retimes animations by triggering them inside a precomp using layer markers. You can create Trigger comps, add markers, and trigger animations from within a precomp, turning a linear workflow into an automated, event-based one. This lets you non-destructively retime complex animations, test out multiple versions of an animation, and sequence together multiple animation events from your global composition.
The workflow starts by selecting a comp nested inside another composition and pressing Retime, which places a null object called Trigger inside your selected composition. Inside the precomp, select the Trigger null and choose Add Trigger to add a layer marker at that point in time. To hold several animation events in one precomp, add multiple markers that encapsulate each animation. Creating multiple animation events with one click auto-generates event triggers onto global comp layers.
Version 1.3 runs across a broad span of After Effects releases, from CS3 through the 2026 version. A demo video is available on the developer's page.
Trigger is best for after Effects artists who want to retime and sequence precomp animations non-destructively using layer markers.
Trigger is completely free to download and use.
Trigger supports a wide range of After Effects versions, from CS3 and the CC and Creative Suite releases through to CC 2019 and the 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 versions. The current build is version 1.3, updated in June 2026, which brought it in line with the latest aescripts licensing framework. If you're on an older version of After Effects, the broad compatibility span means it should still install and run on your setup.
Trigger works by selecting a comp nested inside another composition, the precomp layer, and pressing Retime. That places a null object called Trigger inside your selected composition. You then go inside the precomp, select the Trigger null, and choose Add Trigger to add a layer marker at that point in time. If you want several animation events in a single precomp, add multiple layer markers that encapsulate each animation. You can also create multiple animation events with one click, which auto-generates event triggers onto your global comp layers.
Trigger is listed as free here in the catalog, so you can add it to your After Effects setup without a purchase. For current licensing details and any terms, check the developer's page on aescripts. License activation, deactivation, and trial mode are managed through the plugin's help panel, reached by clicking the ? button, and existing licenses continue to work after the version 1.3 update with no action needed from current users.
Trigger version 1.3, released in June 2026, updated the tool to the latest aescripts and aeplugins licensing framework. Existing licenses continue to work, so current customers need take no action. License activation, deactivation, and trial mode are now managed through a new help panel opened with the ? button. The update also fixed an incorrect file name in the ReadMe install instructions and included minor code cleanup along with stability improvements.
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