What It Does
PathLink transfers vector paths and text between Adobe Illustrator and After Effects. Select artwork in Illustrator, click send, and paths appear in After Effects as editable shape layers or masks. The process works in both directions, so you can refine paths in either application without redrawing.
The plugin preserves layer structure, colors, and positioning. Gradients transfer with up to five color stops. Text layers maintain font, size, and formatting. If you select a layer in After Effects before receiving paths, they paste directly into that layer as masks.
Key Features
Layer preservation. Illustrator layer hierarchy and layer colors carry over to After Effects. If your Illustrator file has organized layers, they arrive organized.
Smart pasting. Select one or more layers in After Effects before sending, and paths paste inside those layers. Works for both shape layers and masks.
Multiple comp support. Send the same Illustrator artwork to several open After Effects compositions at once.
Gradient transfer. Linear and radial gradients transfer from Illustrator to After Effects with up to five color stops. Colors and gradient direction preserve for immediate keyframing.
Text support. Text layers transfer from Illustrator to After Effects while keeping font, size, and formatting. Requires Illustrator 29.7.1 or newer.
Image support. Send images from Illustrator to After Effects. Images without linked files save to an assets folder in the same directory as your After Effects project.
Timeline sync. When sending layers to After Effects, they start at the current time indicator position. Useful for staggered builds or timed reveals.
PathLink handles Bezier curves, compound paths, and complex shapes. Paths remain editable after transfer, so you can adjust anchor points or animate masks without starting over.
Who It’s For
Motion designers who build vector assets in Illustrator and animate them in After Effects. If you frequently redraw Illustrator artwork as After Effects masks or shape layers, PathLink removes that step. Also useful for teams who separate design and animation tasks, since it preserves layer structure between applications.
The plugin does not run background processes. It activates only when you click send.
Pricing
PathLink costs $9.99 for a single-user license (one installation plus one archival copy). One-time purchase, no subscription. Floating server licenses available for multi-seat deployments.