Parental Controls Guide

Learn how to use Parental Controls to attach child layers their parent in After Effects.

Step 1 - Install script: Add Parental Controls.jsxbin to the Scripts UI Panels folder. After Effects (2023) > Scripts > Script UI Panels > Parental Controls.jsxbin. Step 2 - Allow scripts: In After Effects, make sure 'Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network' is turned on. Preferences > Scripting & Expressions > 'Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network'.

Step 1 - Open Parental Controls panel: Open the Parental Controls panel (Window > Parental Controls). The Parental Controls panel is responsive, so you can size it however you like to best fit your workspace. Step 2 - Set controls: Inside a comp, select any child layer. With a child layer selected, you can assign 1 horizontal control (left, right, center) as well as 1 vertical control (down, up, center). When you apply a control, you won't notice any visible change immediately. Instead, this will affect the direction the child will move as the shape, path, or text of the parent changes. You can remove the controls by selecting a layer and click the trash can icon. This will remove the position expression, while keep the relative position the same.