How to import Figma designs into After Effects on Mac and Windows

Turn a Figma dashboard card into an editable After Effects scene with MotionUI.

• You will: Import a frame, inspect its layers, and animate an entrance.

• Prerequisites: macOS or Windows, MotionUI, Figma desktop, After Effects, a Figma design file

How do you import a Figma frame into After Effects?

Use Send selection for a normal Figma to After Effects import. Follow the setup below, then choose whether your dashboard card belongs in an existing composition or a separate scene.

Step 1: Open MotionUI and set up both plugins

Open MotionUI, the desktop app by HIVER connecting Figma, After Effects, Claude Code and Codex. Keep it running throughout the workflow. Start plugin setup from the MotionUI app: you need the MotionUI Figma plugin and the MotionUI panel in After Effects.

To install the Figma plugin:

• Open the Figma tab in MotionUI and find Get the plugin.

• Click Copy plugin files. MotionUI prepares the local files and copies the manifest path.

• In Figma desktop, choose Plugins → Development → Import plugin from manifest.

• On macOS, press Command + Shift + G in the file picker and paste the copied manifest path. On Windows, paste that path into the File name field. Open manifest.json.

• Open your design file and run Plugins → Development → MotionUI.

Access the After Effects plugin setup from the MotionUI app, then open the MotionUI panel in After Effects. Keep the Figma plugin open and check that your file appears under Linked files in MotionUI.

Expected result: Your Figma file is linked, with both plugin interfaces open. See the Figma plugin setup instructions for the manifest workflow.

Opening Figma alone does not link a file. Run the MotionUI plugin inside the file you want to import.

Step 2: Prepare and select a dashboard card

For this example, create a frame containing a rounded card background, a Revenue heading, a metric text layer, and a simple vector trend line. Keep the text and artwork as separate source elements so you can inspect them individually after import.

Give those elements descriptive names, such as Card background, Revenue heading, Metric, and Trend line. Select the containing frame in Figma rather than an isolated heading.

Expected result: Your selection contains the complete dashboard card. This gives you a small scene with text, shapes, and a vector path to review.

Step 3: Choose the destination composition

Open the destination composition in After Effects if the card should join an existing scene. For a separate scene, use New comp in the Figma plugin.

A new composition uses the Figma frame size. Its frame rate and duration come from the active After Effects composition, or the latest composition when none is active. Set your intended timing in After Effects before importing.

Expected result: You know where the card will land. There is no separate target selector to configure. For timing details, see creating a new composition from Figma.

Step 4: Send the selected frame

For the normal import, click Send selection in the Figma plugin. You can also trigger it from the Figma tab of the After Effects panel. If you chose a separate scene, click New comp instead.

Check Recent imports in the MotionUI app while MotionUI reads and builds the selection. Then open the imported composition in After Effects.

Expected result: The card appears in your chosen destination, with supported text, shapes, and vector paths imported as editable layers. Artwork needing an image representation can be imported as an asset. The Send selection help page covers this direct workflow.

Step 5: Inspect the imported layers

Check editability before animating. Select the Revenue heading and inspect its text controls. Make a temporary text edit, then undo it. Inspect the card background and trend line for editable shape or path properties.

Compare the imported composition with the Figma frame, checking placement and text appearance. Identify any artwork represented as an image asset rather than assuming every element has editable paths.

Expected result: You know which layers support content edits and which are image assets.

Step 6: Make a first motion pass

Animate a simple entrance in After Effects: select the card background, add Opacity keyframes from invisible to fully visible, then give the heading and metric a later entrance. Preview and adjust the spacing between entrances until the metric remains easy to read.

An AI agent is optional for importing. MotionUI also supports Claude Code or Codex control of Figma and After Effects. Once Claude Code or Codex is connected, use this suggested starting point for animation:

Animate the imported dashboard card in After Effects. Fade in the card background first, then reveal the Revenue heading and Metric. Preserve the final layout and keep the text editable.

Expected result: A first entrance animation with the imported UI available for further editing.

Troubleshooting: What should you check first?

• Figma file isn't linked: Run MotionUI inside that file and keep the plugin and MotionUI app open.

• Plugin needs refreshing after an update: Close the Figma plugin and run it again to load the refreshed local files.

• Import lands in the wrong scene: Open the intended composition before sending, or use New comp for a separate scene.

• Composition timing differs from your plan: Review the active or latest After Effects composition before creating the new scene.

• Artwork appears as an image: Inspect its layer type. Edit supported text and paths separately from image assets.

Need to set up the app first? Follow the MotionUI setup guide for Mac and Windows.