The wiggle expression in After Effects, one axis and looping
The wiggle expression is After Effects' wiggle(), written as an expression on a property, for example wiggle(2, 20). Check its arguments in Adobe's expression language reference. To skip typing, mouzekit's Wiggle rig adds a wiggle with frequency, amount, detail, seed and loop controls. mouzerun's Wiggle starter puts a fixed wiggle(2, 20) on selected properties. Both run on Windows and Mac.
wiggle(2, 20)is the fixed expression mouzerun's Wiggle starter puts on the selected properties.- mouzekit's Wiggle rig adds frequency, amount, detail, seed and loop controls. Hold Shift to drive the selected layers from one controller null.
- mouzekit and mouzerun are extensions and run on Windows and Mac. We make mouzeclick.
- Motion lab's 14 camera shakes and flickers are in the After Effects workspace, which is Windows only.
- After Effects itself costs US$22.99/mo on its own (Annual, billed monthly, US page, checked on 3 November 2026).
What is the wiggle expression in After Effects?
The wiggle expression is wiggle(), typed as an expression on a layer property. The version most people start from is wiggle(2, 20), the exact text mouzerun's Wiggle starter writes.
The argument list, the one-axis forms and the looping forms are in Adobe's expression language reference and the community-run After Effects expressions reference. Read them there, in the version that matches your After Effects.
This page covers what we can show directly: two one-click ways to add a wiggle with mouzeclick, a ready-made shake if a wiggle isn't the look you want, and what you need to run any of them. If you are new to expressions, start with our guide on how to add expressions in After Effects. For keyframed motion that repeats, see the After Effects loop expression guide. For motion that overshoots and settles, see the inertial bounce expression.
How do I add a wiggle with controls in one click?
Use mouzekit's Wiggle rig. It adds a wiggle with five controls: frequency, amount, detail, seed and loop. We make mouzeclick, and mouzekit is part of it, so weigh this section as ours.
- Install mouzeclick and paste your key. The 3-day trial key arrives by email, with no card.
- In the mouzeclick app, open the Tool wheel page and press Install After Effects bridge, then restart After Effects.
- Open mouzekit from Window › Extensions. Keep mouzeclick running while you work.
- Select the layer and apply the Wiggle rig. To shake several selected layers together, hold Shift as you apply it, and the rig drives them from one controller null.
- Set frequency, amount, detail, seed and loop on the rig's controls.
Each mouzekit tool is one undo step, so if the result isn't what you wanted, one undo takes the whole rig back. mouzekit's expressions work in any language of After Effects, so the rig behaves the same in a non-English install. mouzeclick's panels were run tool by tool in both After Effects expression engines on Windows.
mouzekit is sold as 28 After Effects tools in 7 groups: Rigs, Properties, Layers and time, Looks, Text, Tidy and Make. The feature library lists 40 items, because it also counts looks and variants. See them all on the mouzekit feature page.
How do I put a plain wiggle(2, 20) on a property in one click?
Use mouzerun's Wiggle starter. It is one of mouzerun's six starter buttons, and one click puts a fixed wiggle(2, 20) on the selected properties. We make it.
The starter has no controls. To change the numbers, edit them in the property's expression field after you apply it. If you want sliders, a seed or a loop, use mouzekit's Wiggle rig instead.
mouzerun is also where you keep your own wiggle variants. A mouzerun button can hold one of five things: a script, an expression, an animation preset, a menu command or a keyframe ease. Save the wiggle you use most as an expression button, with your own numbers, and it is one click on any project. Buttons can be exported and imported, so a team can share the same set. See mouzerun's buttons, 31 items in the feature library.
mouzerun is an extension like mouzekit. It runs on Windows and Mac and opens from Window › Extensions once the After Effects bridge is installed.
Which wiggle route should I use?
Pick by how much control you need. Use mouzerun for a quick fixed shake, mouzekit for one you will tune, and your own button for a wiggle you repeat on every job. Checked on 3 November 2026.
| Route | What it writes | Controls | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typing it yourself | Whatever you type, for example wiggle(2, 20) | The numbers in the text | Anywhere After Effects runs |
| mouzerun Wiggle starter | A fixed wiggle(2, 20) on the selected properties | None; edit the text afterwards | Windows and Mac |
| Your own mouzerun button | The expression you saved | Whatever your expression includes | Windows and Mac |
| mouzekit Wiggle rig | A wiggle rig; Shift uses one controller null for the selected layers | Frequency, amount, detail, seed, loop | Windows and Mac |
Typing it yourself costs nothing beyond After Effects and is the better pick when you only need one wiggle now and then. The panels earn their place when you add wiggles often or want controls without writing them.
Is there a ready-made camera shake instead of a wiggle?
Yes. On Windows, the After Effects workspace's Motion lab has 14 camera shakes and flickers. Click one to preview it, double-click to apply it, then set Speed, Strength and a flash. The workspace is part of mouzeclick on Windows. The Mac app does not include it, so on a Mac use the mouzekit rig instead.
Our page on After Effects camera shake presets compares those 14 shakes with the wiggle method. The workspace page lists every Motion lab tool.
If you build shakes on a controller null by hand, the After Effects Tool wheel (Windows and Mac) makes a Null + Parent rig in one flick, and each action is one undo step. Our After Effects radial menu guide covers its 114 tools in 13 groups.
Where can I find more ready-made expressions?
Three places in mouzeclick, two of them Windows only. We make all of them.
- mouzeexpr (Windows and Mac): 24 ready expressions with settings, in five groups. Apply one, update it, remove it, or bake it to keyframes. See mouzeexpr's expressions.
- The workspace Library (Windows): 25 recommended expressions, next to Comp Saver and FFX presets.
- Easing lab (Windows): copy any of its curves as an expression. Our After Effects easing presets page covers its 44 ready curves.
Our After Effects expressions library guide goes through what is in each set. The list of all 22 extensions shows which panel does what.
What do I need to run a wiggle in After Effects?
You need After Effects. The rest is optional.
After Effects. Adobe sells it only as part of a Creative Cloud membership. On 3 November 2026 the US product page showed the single app at US$22.99/mo on the Annual, billed monthly plan. The India plans page showed ₹733.96/mo incl. GST, Annual, billed monthly. Adobe's free trial works on macOS, iPadOS and Windows, on desktop and iPad but not phones. You have 14 days after the trial ends to cancel and get a full refund.
mouzeclick, if you want the one-click routes. It runs on Windows 10 and 11 and macOS 12 or newer, on Apple Silicon and Intel. It needs an internet connection while it runs. Everything comes in one plan: $25 a month, $249 a year, or $499 once for one of the first 100 lifetime keys. The trial is 3 days with no card, and every After Effects tool works fully during it. See pricing, and on a Mac follow the four install steps.
mouzeclick publishes no minimum After Effects version, so check your own version during the 3-day trial.
Add a wiggle rig with five controls in one click, free for 3 days. One plan with everything included, $25 a month, or $249 for a year.
Questions people ask
Do I need a plugin to use wiggle in After Effects?
No. wiggle() is an expression: plain text on a property, which After Effects runs itself. mouzerun's Wiggle starter writes exactly that text,wiggle(2, 20). Panels such as mouzekit's Wiggle rig save typing and add controls for frequency, amount, detail, seed and loop. You can always type the expression yourself, and Adobe's expression language reference lists the arguments.Does mouzekit's Wiggle rig work on a Mac?
Yes. mouzekit and mouzerun are extensions, and the extensions run on Windows and Mac. The After Effects workspace, where Motion lab's camera shakes live, is Windows only, and the Mac app does not include it. Apple has not notarized the Mac app yet, so macOS asks you to allow it the first time it opens. The 3-day trial needs no card.Can mouzerun's Wiggle button add sliders or a loop?
No. The Wiggle starter puts a fixedwiggle(2, 20) on the selected properties and has no controls. Change the numbers in the expression field afterwards. For frequency, amount, detail, seed and loop controls, use mouzekit's Wiggle rig. You can also save your own wiggle expression as a mouzerun button, and it applies in one click like the starter.How do I make several layers wiggle together with mouzekit?
Select the layers and hold Shift as you apply mouzekit's Wiggle rig. The rig then drives all the selected layers from one controller null, so they move as one, which is what a camera shake needs. Without Shift, the rig goes on the layer you selected. Each mouzekit tool is one undo step, so one undo takes the rig back.Can I save my own wiggle expression as a one-click button?
Yes, with mouzerun. A button can hold a script, an expression, an animation preset, a menu command or a keyframe ease. Save your wiggle as an expression button with your own numbers, then apply it to the selected properties in one click. Buttons export and import, so you can move them to another computer or share them with a teammate.Does mouzekit's wiggle work in a non-English version of After Effects?
Yes. mouzekit's expressions work in any language of After Effects, so the Wiggle rig and the other mouzekit tools behave the same in a localised install. mouzeclick's panels were also run tool by tool in both After Effects expression engines on Windows. mouzeclick publishes no minimum After Effects version, so check yours during the 3-day trial.Can I turn a mouzeclick expression into keyframes?
For the 24 ready expressions in mouzeexpr, yes: each one can be applied, updated, removed or baked to keyframes from the panel. mouzeexpr runs on Windows and Mac. Baking suits a shot you want to tweak by hand, or a project you are handing to someone who shouldn't edit code. We make mouzeclick, mouzeexpr included.Is there a free trial of After Effects and of mouzeclick?
Both have one. Adobe's After Effects trial works on macOS, iPadOS and Windows. You have 14 days after it ends to cancel for a full refund (checked 3 November 2026). mouzeclick's trial is 3 days with no card. It starts the first time you open the app with the key, and every After Effects tool works fully during it.Sources
Checked on 2026-11-03. Prices and features change: each link goes to the maker's own page.