Customizing Workspaces in Adobe After Effects

This video focuses on how to customize your workspace in Adobe After Effects to fit your workflow and boost efficiency. A well-organized workspace can make a big difference, so you’ll see how to rearrange panels, create and save custom layouts, and reset to default when needed. We’ll also cover some handy tips like using panel groups and soloing panels to keep your screen uncluttered. By the end, you’ll have a workspace tailored to your needs. Let’s jump in!

Every editor and motion designer works a little differently. After Effects lets you move things around so your tools fit your workflow. A good workspace can make you faster and more focused.

What Is a Workspace?

A workspace is just a saved layout of panels. That includes which panels are open, where they sit, and how big they are. After Effects comes with several default workspaces, like “Animation,” “Editing,” or “Standard,” but you can always create your own.

Switching Workspaces

To switch between existing workspaces:

  1. Go to the top right corner of the app.
  2. Click the workspace dropdown (you’ll see names like “Default,” “Animation,” etc.).
  3. Choose a workspace from the list.

You can also find them under Window > Workspace.

If the panel you need isn’t visible, go to Window and select it from the list. It will appear somewhere in your layout.

Rearranging Panels

Once you know which panels you use most, move them where they make sense for you.

  • Click and drag a panel by its name tab.

  • Dock it when a blue highlight appears inside or between other panels.

  • Resize panels by dragging their edges.

  • Close panels you don’t need by right-clicking the tab and choosing Close Panel.

There’s no one right way to set this up. Some people want a big timeline, others want a large Composition viewer. Try a few layouts until one feels right.

Saving Your Own Workspace

When you’ve got a layout that works, you can save it.

  1. Go to Window > Workspace > Save as New Workspace.
  2. Give it a clear name. For example: “James – Text Work” or “James – Color Grading”.
  3. It now appears in your workspace dropdown for quick access.

You can update a saved workspace anytime by choosing Window > Workspace > Save Changes to this Workspace.

Resetting or Deleting Workspaces

If things get messy or panels vanish, don’t panic.

  • To reset your current layout, go to Window > Workspace > Reset [Workspace Name].

  • To delete a workspace, go to Window > Workspace > Manage Workspaces and remove it from the list.

Resetting is a quick way to get back to normal if something gets moved accidentally.

Nesting and Docking Tips

You can stack panels on top of each other in tabs or dock them side by side. Nesting panels this way lets you group tools by task, like stacking Character, Paragraph, and Align if you’re doing text work.

To nest:

  • Drag a panel into another panel’s tab area until you see the whole space highlighted in blue.

  • Drop it and it’ll become a new tab.

To dock side-by-side:

  • Drag the panel to the edge of another panel. When only that edge highlights, release to dock them next to each other.

Workspace Use Cases

Here are a few examples of task-based workspaces:

  • Animation Workspace: Big Timeline panel, Graph Editor open, Effects & Presets nearby.

  • Design Workspace: Large Composition panel, Character and Paragraph panels grouped, Project panel kept small.

  • Review Workspace: Clean layout with just the Composition and Preview panels for playback.

Creating focused workspaces helps you avoid distractions and speeds up your process.

Wrap-Up

Workspaces are a small thing that makes a big difference. As your projects get more complex, a layout that fits how you think and work will save you time and reduce frustration.

Set up your tools the way you like, and save your layout. You’ll spend less time hunting for panels and more time making something great.