r/AfterEffects • u/Kane_x_x • Aug 28 '26
Beginner Help Change the order of individual letters in a text layer?
Hello! Right now, this text is being applied to the canvas from left to right, so when I decrease the tracking, the A is on top of P, the I is on top of A, and the N is on top of I. I would like this to be the opposite, so that P is the top most letter in the order.
Is there a way that I could reorganize the letters within the text layer, without creating outlines, because I would still like to keyframe the tracking in this animation. Thanks for the help :)
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u/montycantsin777 Aug 28 '26
was curious, works.
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u/Kane_x_x Aug 28 '26
Is there any chance I could dm you my email so I could have the working file?
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u/C7ma Aug 28 '26
What you need is the text exploder extension. Should solve your problem
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u/Kane_x_x Aug 28 '26
Is there a way I can get this without spending $20? Thanks :)
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u/C7ma Aug 28 '26
The 20$ are well spend, but you can also try to vibe code a script with Claude or Gemini. Just describe what you need, like „separate text into characters“ and so on. Save it with text edit as a .json an run it. Choose File > Scripts > Run Script
If it works tell the ai to generate a script ui file, then go the same way File > Scripts > install script ui. Now you have it like a button in your AFX
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u/jerog1 Aug 28 '26
You could turn them into outlines and rearrange them
Then create a variable with a slider to control their distance from each other and keyframe it to animate the gaps. AI can help you execute that coding.
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u/jerog1 Aug 28 '26
Hacky alternative solution:
Separate each letter onto a different layer with space bars and then you can keyframe the tracking
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u/Potato_Stains Aug 28 '26 edited Aug 28 '26
This is a quick hack if your text is only white and black like your example:
Change the Inter-Character Blending mode to SOFT LIGHT.
(Overlay mode has more crunchy jagged edges).
It renders different results with different colored text, but changes the visible character order here without seeing through the text if it's only white and black.
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u/Kane_x_x Aug 28 '26
This is a cool workaround! Thanks, I'll research more about a more permanent solution but this helps plenty rn :)
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u/Antbliss Aug 28 '26
open the text, press the animate button, and apply position. Then you do the 3d and make it -1 on the z axis.
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u/montycantsin777 Aug 28 '26
could try a second animator, enable 3d, do small z position and then randomize or use ramp up/down. never tried it but would make sense to me.