Adobe After Effects 2025 is a respected VFX powerhouse offering a host of visual effects tools in a neat GUI designed for beginners and professionals. This version comes with more features, improved performance, and a refreshed interface.

The latest changes to the VFX software includes easier 3D models import, faster rendering speeds, optimized UI, and enhanced AI-driven features, among others. To top it off, its performance boost allows it to work up to four times faster on Windows.

Features and Highlights

Fresh Design

How software looks matter because of its significant impact on how users interact with the interface. In this case, Adobe has done a great job. The company manages to maintain the aesthetic of After Effects while improving its usability over the years.

In the 2025 release, though the visual changes are not groundbreaking, they help enhance user experience and streamline workflows. In addition to the improved typography and fonts, the changes include the Theme modes that consist of Light, Dark, and Darkest.

Streamlined 3D Model Import

Since version 24.1, Adobe After Effects doesn’t rely on third-party plugins anymore to import 3D models. This capability has since been refined by recent updates, which have streamlined the import process by removing all supporting files of the imported 3D model from the root level in the Project panel, leaving only the primary model file.

By decluttering the visuals, the view becomes cleaner, allowing you to focus on what matters most without distraction.

Improved Workspace

In addition to the new interface design, Adobe After Effects 2025 also comes with a new preference to remember the current workspace layout and use it every time you open the same or a new project. When the “Maintain current workspace when opening projects” option is enabled, you will no longer need to rearrange your workspace if you want to keep using the same workspace across different projects.

Improved Preview Playback Performance

The High Performance Preview Playback option is another new feature in Adobe After Effects 2025. It addresses the limitation of earlier versions that relied heavily on RAM for previewing and rendering, which could significantly impact the performance when working on complex projects.

The feature is enabled by default. If you need to disable it, you can open the Preferences window, navigate to Media & Disk Cache, and check “Enable Preview from Disk Cache.”

When it is enabled, After Effects utilizes both your computer’s RAM and disk storage for cache management, improving performance especially on PCs with less RAM.

Adobe After Effects 2025 Free Download for Windows

The recent updates also include support for previewing HDR (High Dynamic Range) compositions on HDR-capable displays, 3D model options in the Properties panel, enhanced Environment Light, adjustable transparency grid’s color and size, better file import, new presets for file naming automation, shadow catchers, Roto Brush, label color menu swatches, and more.

All of the features require a Windows PC running on at least an Intel 6th generation or AMD Ryzen 1000 Series that supports Advanced Vector Extensions 2 (AVX2). You can click the link below to download Adobe After Effects 2025 for Windows: