Mister Horse

How to install and fix Animation Composer (Mister Horse)

Updated 2026-11-03 · by the mouzeclick team

To install Animation Composer, go to Mister Horse's Animation Composer page, pick After Effects or Premiere Pro, and download the Mac or Windows version. It needs After Effects 2025 or newer, or Premiere 2025 or newer. Premiere Composer is the same plug-in, renamed in an announcement dated 10 June 2026. To update, open the Mister Horse Product Manager app and hit the update button.

Animation Composer is a free Mister Horse plug-in for After Effects and Premiere: text animations, transitions and effects applied in one click.
Premiere Composer was renamed Animation Composer. Mister Horse calls it the same plug-in with new features. The announcement is dated 10 June 2026.
Compatibility: After Effects 2025 and newer, Premiere 2025 and newer. Both have Mac and Windows downloads.
The free version holds up to 500 items in your library. A subscription removes the limit (price not published on the pages we checked).
Updates go through the Mister Horse Product Manager app: open it and hit the update button.

What is Animation Composer, and is it the same as Premiere Composer?

Animation Composer is Mister Horse's free plug-in for After Effects and Premiere. Premiere Composer is the same plug-in under its old name. Mister Horse's Premiere page says it plainly: Premiere Composer was renamed to Animation Composer, the same plug-in with new features and polish. The rename post is dated 10 June 2026.

Mister Horse describes it as text animations, transitions, effects and more, ready to apply in one click. It is also a host for content. The plug-in itself is free, and Mister Horse offers packs that run inside it. One example is Text Presets for Premiere, a pack of more than 500 animated text presets that needs the free Animation Composer to work.

The rename matters when you troubleshoot. If you search your apps or menus for "Premiere Composer" after updating, look for Animation Composer instead.

We checked every Mister Horse page cited here on 3 November 2026. All facts about the plug-in come from those pages, listed under Sources. Where Mister Horse does not publish something (exact install screens, menu paths, subscription price), this page says so rather than guessing. We make mouzeclick, a different set of Premiere Pro and After Effects tools. It has its own labelled section near the end.

What do you need before you install Animation Composer?

You need After Effects 2025 or newer, or Premiere 2025 or newer, on a Mac or Windows computer. That is the whole published requirement. Mister Horse does not list operating system versions, RAM or GPU needs on the pages we checked.

Version	Host compatibility	Downloads	Free library limit
Animation Composer for After Effects	After Effects 2025 and newer	Mac and Win; works with Apple Silicon Macs	Up to 500 items
Animation Composer for Premiere	Premiere 2025 and newer	Mac and Windows	Up to 500 items

Checked on 3 November 2026 against Mister Horse's After Effects and Premiere pages.

Sort out three things first:

Your host version. Check which version of After Effects or Premiere Pro you run. If it is older than 2025, the published compatibility line does not cover it.
Which host you want it in. Mister Horse has a separate page and download for each host. If you edit in Premiere and animate in After Effects, plan for both.
Your computer. Pick the Mac download on a Mac and the Windows download on a PC. The After Effects page says the plug-in also works with Apple Silicon Macs. The Premiere page offers a Mac download too; the Apple Silicon statement we found is on the After Effects page.

No Linux version or other host is listed. Mister Horse's own wording is that Animation Composer works inside After Effects and Premiere Pro.

How do I install Animation Composer step by step?

Start on Mister Horse's Animation Composer page, choose your host app, and use the download button for your system. The page says to select the app you use to learn more and install the plugin.

Close the host app. Save your project and quit After Effects or Premiere Pro first.
Open the Animation Composer page on misterhorse.com and select the app you use: After Effects or Premiere Pro.
Pick your download. The After Effects page shows Download for Mac and Download for Win. The Premiere page shows Download for Mac and Download for Windows.
Run what you downloaded and follow the screens it shows. The Mister Horse pages we checked do not publish the installer's steps. They also don't say whether the download is the plug-in itself or the Mister Horse Product Manager app, so follow the on-screen prompts rather than an old tutorial.
Make sure you have the Mister Horse Product Manager app. Mister Horse names it as the way to get updates, so you will need it later.
Open your host app again and look for Animation Composer. Mister Horse does not publish the menu path on the pages we checked. If you can't find it, check the plug-in's page or contact Mister Horse.

If you use both After Effects and Premiere Pro, repeat steps 2 to 6 for the second host. The two versions have separate pages and separate downloads.

For the general difference between a plug-in, a script and a panel, and why each installs somewhere different, see our guide to After Effects plugins vs scripts vs extensions. For other tools, we have separate guides on installing After Effects plugins and installing Premiere Pro extensions (ZXP and UXP).

How do I install Premiere Composer now that it has a new name?

Install Animation Composer for Premiere: that is Premiere Composer under its new name. Use the Premiere page on misterhorse.com and its Download for Mac or Download for Windows button.

If Premiere Composer is already on your computer, you don't need to hunt for a separate installer. Mister Horse's rename post says: to get the new update, open the Mister Horse Product Manager app and hit the update button. That update is the renamed plug-in.

The same post lists what the update added:

new transitions: VHS tape, film and light leaks
a new Film category
new glitches: CRT, VHS, Betacam and Digital
organic light leaks

Guides and forum posts that say "Premiere Composer" describe the same plug-in. They may show the old name, so when an old screenshot doesn't match your screen, trust what you see in the current version.

How do I update Animation Composer?

Open the Mister Horse Product Manager app and hit the update button. That is the only update route Mister Horse publishes on the pages we checked.

Two habits help:

Quit After Effects and Premiere Pro before updating, then reopen them when the update is done.
Update for both hosts. If you run Animation Composer in After Effects and in Premiere, make sure each one is current after the update.

Updating is also the first thing to try when something stops working after you move After Effects or Premiere Pro to a new version. The plug-in lists 2025 and newer as its compatibility, so rule out an old copy of the plug-in in a newer host before anything else.

Why is Animation Composer not working?

Start with five checks: the host version, the plug-in version, the download you installed, the rename, and the 500-item library limit. Mister Horse does not publish a troubleshooting list on the pages we checked, so these come straight from what it does publish.

Is your host 2025 or newer? The compatibility lines read "Adobe After Effects 2025 and newer" and "Premiere 2025 and newer". An older host is outside what Mister Horse lists.
Is the plug-in up to date? Open the Mister Horse Product Manager app and hit the update button.
Did you install the right version for the host? The After Effects and Premiere versions have separate pages and downloads. Installing one does not put it in the other app.
Did you download for the right system? Use the Mac download on a Mac and the Windows download on a PC. For Apple Silicon Macs, the After Effects page says the plug-in works.
Are you looking for the old name? After the update, Premiere Composer is called Animation Composer.

Can't add more items to your library? That is the free tier working as published. The free version lets you add up to 500 items to the library, and Mister Horse says to subscribe to remove the limit. The subscription price is not shown on the pages we checked.

A pack doesn't show up? Packs such as Text Presets for Premiere need the free Animation Composer installed. Install or update the plug-in first, then the pack.

If none of these fit, contact Mister Horse. They make the plug-in and its installer, and only they can say what their software writes where. If the panel shows but is greyed out in Premiere Pro, our guide to Premiere Pro extensions greyed out covers the usual checks for panels.

Where do Adobe panel extensions live if you need to check by hand?

Adobe CEP panels sit in a per-user folder or an all-users folder, with a separate cache folder. Mister Horse does not say on the pages we checked whether Animation Composer uses these folders. Treat this section as general Adobe background, not an Animation Composer fix.

These paths come from the install script in Adobe's Photoshop generator-panels repository:

Folder	Windows	macOS
CEP extensions, current user	`AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CEP\extensions\` in your user folder	`~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions/`
CEP extensions, all users	`C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\CEP\extensions\`	`/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions/`
CEP cache	`AppData\Local\Temp\cep_cache\` under your home folder	`~/Library/Caches/CSXS/cep_cache/`

The script has a step that removes matching folders from the CEP cache. It doesn't claim that clearing the cache fixes any particular fault, and neither do we.

Some background helps when you read older install advice:

ZXP files. Adobe's CEP resources say extensions built with the CEP SDK must be packaged as ZXP files to be seen and loaded by Extension Manager. ZXPSignCMD is Adobe's command-line tool for packaging and signing them.
Extension Manager. The same page lists an announcement titled "Extension Manager End of Life". Advice that sends you to Adobe's Extension Manager is likely out of date.
Third-party installers. Adobe's page lists zxpinstaller.com and install.anastasiy.com under other tools. They are for ZXP packages. Mister Horse's published routes for Animation Composer are its download buttons and the Product Manager app.
UXP. Adobe describes UXP (Unified eXtensibility Platform) as an integration framework built into Premiere and other Creative Cloud apps, powered by a modern JavaScript engine.

How do you use Animation Composer in Premiere Pro and After Effects?

Open Animation Composer inside your host, find a text animation, transition or effect, and apply it in one click. That is how Mister Horse describes it. The exact menu path and panel layout are not published on the pages we checked, so look at the plug-in itself after installing.

What you get in each host, from Mister Horse's pages:

In After Effects: four tools marked free: Keyframe Wingman, Keyframe Actions, Anchor Point Mover and Transition Shifter. Mister Horse describes Anchor Point Mover as a way to reposition anchor points without breaking your animation. For the native ways to do that, see our guide to the After Effects anchor point tool.
In Premiere: adding your own content to the library is free for up to 500 items.
After the rename update: VHS tape, film and light-leak transitions, a Film category, CRT, VHS, Betacam and Digital glitches, and organic light leaks.

A simple order of work for a first project:

Put your clip or text on the timeline in Premiere Pro, or your layer in the comp in After Effects.
Open Animation Composer and find the text animation, transition or effect you need.
Apply it, then play it back and check the result.
Add items you reuse to your library, keeping the free 500-item limit in mind.

For text work in Premiere Pro without any plug-in, see text animation in Premiere Pro, step by step. If you're weighing other options, see our roundups of Premiere Pro text animation presets and Premiere Pro transitions.

Where mouzeclick fits (we make it)

mouzeclick is our own set of Premiere Pro and After Effects tools. The one contrast worth making here is how it installs: its panels are extensions that the mouzeclick app installs itself, with no separate installer for each panel.

Install the mouzeclick app and paste the key. There is no driver.
On the app's Tool wheel page, press Install Premiere bridge or Install After Effects bridge, then restart the editor.
Open any panel from Window › Extensions. Keep mouzeclick running while you work; updates refresh the panels by themselves.

Platforms, plainly: the mouse app, the wheels and the 22 extensions run on Windows and Mac. The two workspaces, auto, styled and Hinglish captions, Retakes, cloud sync and in-app updates are Windows-only. Apple has not notarized the Mac app yet, so macOS asks you to allow it the first time; our Mac install steps cover that. mouzeclick publishes no minimum Premiere Pro or After Effects version, so check your version with the 3-day trial (no card).

Where Animation Composer is the better pick: if you want ready-made text animations, transitions and effects, and Mister Horse's packs, Animation Composer is free and mouzeclick is not. Our Animation Composer alternative comparison sets the two side by side, and the best After Effects extensions roundup covers other workflow tools. Prices are in the pricing section.

Try mouzeclick's Premiere Pro and After Effects panels free for 3 days, no card. One plan with everything included, $25 a month, or $249 for a year.

See the price

Questions people ask

Is Animation Composer free?

Yes, the plug-in is free. Mister Horse calls it a free plug-in for After Effects and Premiere. The free version lets you add up to 500 items to your library, and Mister Horse says to subscribe to remove that limit. The subscription price and plans are not shown on the pages we checked on 3 November 2026. Mister Horse also offers packs that run inside the free plug-in.

Is Premiere Composer discontinued?

No, it was renamed. Mister Horse's Premiere page says Premiere Composer was renamed to Animation Composer: the same plug-in, now with new features and polish. The rename post is dated 10 June 2026. If you already have it, open the Mister Horse Product Manager app and hit the update button to get the renamed version.

Does Animation Composer work on a Mac with Apple Silicon?

Yes, for After Effects. Mister Horse's After Effects page offers Mac and Windows downloads and says the plug-in works with Apple Silicon Macs. The Premiere page offers Mac and Windows downloads too, but the Apple Silicon statement we found is on the After Effects page. If Premiere on an Apple Silicon Mac misbehaves with the plug-in, ask Mister Horse.

Which After Effects and Premiere versions does Animation Composer need?

Mister Horse lists Adobe After Effects 2025 and newer, and Premiere 2025 and newer. Older versions are not on the compatibility lines. If your host is older than 2025 and the plug-in fails to load or behaves oddly, rule out the version before reinstalling.

Do Mister Horse packs need Animation Composer installed?

Yes for Text Presets for Premiere, the pack we checked. It is a pack of more than 500 animated text presets, and it needs the free Animation Composer. Install the plug-in first, then the pack. If a pack doesn't appear, update Animation Composer through the Mister Horse Product Manager app and check again.

Why can't I add more items to my Animation Composer library?

You have likely reached the free limit of 500 items. Mister Horse's After Effects page says the free version lets you add up to 500 items to the library, and to subscribe to remove the limit. The Premiere page says adding your own content is free for up to 500 items. The subscription price is not shown on the pages we checked.

Can I install Animation Composer with a ZXP installer?

Mister Horse doesn't publish a ZXP file or ZXP steps on the pages we checked. Its published routes are the Download for Mac and Windows buttons on each host's page, and the Mister Horse Product Manager app for updates. Adobe lists tools such as zxpinstaller.com for ZXP packages, which is a different install path.

Does Animation Composer work in DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro?

Not according to Mister Horse's pages. Its Animation Composer page says it works inside After Effects and Premiere Pro, and offers one version for each, with Mac and Windows downloads. No other host is listed on the pages we checked on 3 November 2026, so plan on using it in After Effects or Premiere.

What free tools come with Animation Composer in After Effects?

The After Effects page marks four tools as free: Keyframe Wingman, Keyframe Actions, Anchor Point Mover and Transition Shifter. Mister Horse says Anchor Point Mover repositions anchor points without breaking your animation. These come with the free plug-in, separate from any paid pack.

Sources

Checked on 2026-11-03. Prices and features change: each link goes to the maker's own page.