Practical, visual instructions for the AEShiper 1.4.0 Figma plugin, companion panels, and Blender extension.
Main workflow
Supported
Destination3D destination47 guides
4 topics
Find it: Homepage → Download
Use it whenBefore your first transfer or after installing an update.
The matching AEShiper panels are available in After Effects and Illustrator.
Find it: Adobe apps → Window → Extensions (Legacy); Figma → Plugins / Community
Use it whenWhen starting a design-to-motion session.
The design panel can find the local After Effects companion automatically.
Find it: After Effects panel → Manage License
Use it whenOn a computer that has not yet been activated.
That computer becomes available for licensed transfers, within the current two-computer policy.
Find it: Figma or Illustrator AEShiper panel → Ship to AE
Use it whenWhen selected artwork is ready to move into After Effects.
Supported artwork arrives as editable After Effects content; marked or explicitly rasterized artwork arrives as images.
18 topics
AEShiperConnectedFind it: Figma panel → Ship to AE
Use it whenFor the normal editable handoff of selected artwork.
Supported shapes, text, and images become editable AE layers; complex effects may need raster export.
Find it: Figma panel → icon beside Ship to AE
Use it whenWhen Figma group hierarchy should remain organized in After Effects.
Figma groups are shipped into organized After Effects precomps.
Find it: Figma panel → square-plus tool
Use it whenWhen you need an empty AE composition matching one Figma frame or root.
AEShiper creates a matching composition only; it does not ship artwork.
Find it: Figma panel → image-plus / image-minus
Use it whenWhen selected artwork should keep its rendered appearance while the rest stays editable.
The marked selection exports as an image on the next shipment; the Figma original is not converted to a bitmap.
Find it: Figma panel → wand
Use it whenWhen a duplicate can be simplified for a cleaner handoff.
Selected originals are intentionally changed: hidden layers, Auto Layout, and incompatible styles are removed; components are detached while supported strokes and text styling are preserved.
Find it: Figma panel → image-down
Use it whenWhen exact rendered appearance matters more than editability.
Each selected root becomes one flattened PNG with transparency outside the selection.
Find it: Figma panel → scan-eye
Use it whenWhen you want a visual comparison layer beside an editable rebuild.
The frame arrives as a rendered reference image, not editable layer recreation.
Find it: Figma panel → Export settings gear → Images
Use it whenWhen choosing where image assets go or how dense raster exports should be.
Marked images, PNG shipments, and references use the selected density and folder.
Find it: Figma panel → Export settings gear → New comp → Design scale
Use it whenWhen a new AE composition should be larger than the Figma design dimensions.
New composition dimensions and shipped design sizing use that scale; Figma artwork stays unchanged.
Find it: Figma panel → Export settings gear → New comp
Use it whenWhen new compositions need project-specific timing.
Only newly created compositions use these values; fractional frame rates are retained.
Find it: Figma panel → 1× / 60 fps / 30 s / PNG 2× summary
Use it whenWhen checking or quickly opening the active export setting.
The summary updates to show the active design scale, frame rate, duration, and PNG density.
Find it: Figma panel → Export settings gear → Node mode
Use it whenWhen you want to request one Figma layer per AE layer where supported.
With Node mode on, AEShiper requests the one-layer-to-one-layer route for supported content. The switch is off by default.
Find it: Figma panel → connection indicator; transfer status → Cancel
Use it whenBefore shipping, or when stopping a transfer already in progress.
The indicator reports bridge status; Cancel requests cooperative cancellation and may not stop instantly.
Find it: Figma panel → conditional Update card
Use it whenWhen AEShiper reports that a matching plugin or companion update exists.
AEShiper opens the available update path or postpones the reminder.
Find it: Figma panel → Settings → bottom → Blender 3D
Use it whenWhen supported Figma shapes or text should be sent to Blender instead of After Effects.
The setting persists and routes the main shipment to Blender. Turning it off restores the After Effects tools.
Find it: Figma image fills → supported adjustments
Use it whenWhen image treatment should remain adjustable after arrival in After Effects.
Supported image adjustments arrive as native After Effects controls instead of being permanently baked into the image.
Find it: Figma artwork → supported Glass designs
Use it whenWhen subtle Glass artwork uses supported editable styling.
Supported Glass designs use more natural surface lighting while retaining editable controls.
Find it: Figma panel → cube action
Use it whenWhen selected supported Figma artwork should be shipped to After Effects as 3D.
Supported shapes and text can become editable 3D layers and geometry. Extruded geometry uses the Cinema 4D renderer; image cards remain flat.
9 topics
Find it: Illustrator panel → top destination switch
Use it whenWhen choosing between the active AE composition and a new artboard-matched composition.
The transfer uses the selected destination without changing the Illustrator document.
Find it: Illustrator panel → AE button
Use it whenWhen checking whether Illustrator can reach the local AE companion.
The panel checks and reports the local After Effects connection.
Find it: Illustrator panel → Ship to AE + dropdown
Use it whenWhen choosing how selected roots should become AE layers.
The selected shipment structure arrives in AE; required compositing groups remain preserved.
Find it: Illustrator panel → Structure
Use it whenWhen controlling group, wrapper, and parametric-shape organization.
AEShiper applies the chosen structure while preserving required clips and appearance-owner groups.
Find it: Illustrator panel → Mark; arrow → Image marking options
Use it whenWhen selected objects need raster-on-ship behavior.
Marked objects rasterize on shipment while Illustrator originals remain editable.
Find it: Illustrator panel → PNG
Use it whenWhen unsupported appearance must be preserved as rendered artwork.
Each selected object arrives as one flattened image; the scale also applies to marked images.
Find it: Illustrator panel → Stop, while transferring
Use it whenWhen an active Illustrator shipment should be cancelled.
AEShiper requests cooperative cancellation; stopping may not be instantaneous.
Find it: Illustrator artwork → before shipment
Use it whenWhen deciding whether artwork should stay editable or render as PNG.
You choose a practical balance between editable AE layers and rendered fidelity.
Find it: Illustrator panel → Prep
Use it whenWhen the document should be organized before shipment.
The selected preparation actions organize the Illustrator document for a clearer handoff.
6 topics
Find it: AE panel → Bridge status; Current / New Comp
Use it whenBefore receiving artwork from Figma or Illustrator.
The automatic local bridge receives artwork in the selected destination.
Find it: AE panel → image preferences
Use it whenWhen choosing linked-asset storage and raster density.
Incoming raster assets use the selected project-relative folder and density.
Find it: AE panel footer → Manage License
Use it whenTo activate, refresh, buy, or manage licensed computers.
The companion updates its activation status or opens the appropriate secure website page.
Find it: AE panel footer → Check for updates / conditional Update AEShiper
Use it whenWhen checking for or installing a matching companion release.
The available companion update flow opens or the reminder is postponed.
Find it: AE panel → footer version label
Use it whenWhen checking compatibility or asking for support.
You can identify the exact companion build in use.
Find it: After Effects companion → Manage License → computers
Use it whenWhen identifying this computer or freeing a place for another one.
The old registration is removed and its place becomes available for another computer.
3 topics
Find it: Homepage → Download → AEShiper Mac or Windows installer
Use it whenBefore the first Ship to Blender workflow, or after installing Blender for the first time.
The AEShiper installer includes the Blender extension and installs/enables it automatically for detected Blender 4.2+ installations. No extra Python or runtime download is needed.
Find it: Figma panel → Settings → Blender 3D; main action → Ship to Blender
Use it whenWhen supported Figma shapes or text should become editable Blender geometry.
Supported shapes and text arrive as editable 3D layers and geometry with depth and bevel controls.
Find it: Blender → received AEShiper geometry
Use it whenWhen shaping the dimensional result after shipment.
The received 3D geometry stays editable for dimensional refinement in Blender.
7 topics
Find it: Figma / Illustrator panel → AE connection status
Use it whenThe source panel cannot find After Effects.
The local bridge can reconnect without duplicate shipment attempts.
Find it: AE panel → Manage License / website → My account
Use it whenWhen activation fails or you need to move to another computer.
You keep the same lifetime license and manage its two computer places without buying again.
Find it: AE destination → Current Comp
Use it whenA Current Comp shipment has nowhere to arrive.
AEShiper has a valid destination for the shipment.
Find it: Figma Images settings / AE image preferences
Use it whenLinked images are not where expected.
Disk files and their imported AE Project panel items can be located separately and relinked correctly.
Find it: Source artwork and resulting AE layers
Use it whenFonts, live effects, masks, or unsupported appearance do not match.
Rendered appearance is preserved where editable conversion is not suitable.
Find it: Figma Export settings / Illustrator PNG scale / AE image preferences
Use it whenScene dimensions or bitmap sharpness differ from what you expected.
Composition sizing and raster density are controlled independently.
Find it: Active transfer status / conditional update card
Use it whenA stop takes time or the expected update action is not shown.
You avoid overlapping transfers and can complete a manual companion update safely.