by 
Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Create a graphic in your Premiere Pro timeline
Start with a simple graphic above your video. In the tutorial it is a grey rounded rectangle, made as a shape layer on V2, sitting over a clip on V1. Any shape or text graphic works. This is the layer you want to animate in After Effects instead of rebuilding it with keyframes in Premiere Pro.
Step 2: Replace the graphic with an After Effects composition
Right-click the graphic in the timeline and choose Replace With After Effects Composition. Premiere Pro opens After Effects for you, so make sure it is installed. If the After Effects version you want to use is not already open, give it a moment to launch.
Step 3: Name and save the After Effects project
After Effects asks where to save a new project. Type a project name, pick a folder you will remember and click Save. All you need to do here is give it a name. Premiere Pro creates a linked composition inside the new project and the project opens in After Effects.
Step 4: Animate or edit the layer in After Effects
In After Effects, double-click the linked composition to open it. Inside you will find your shape layer. Now you can do whatever you like with it, from changing the fill colour (the video turns the grey rectangle red) to animating it with shape tools, expressions and effects that Premiere Pro does not have.
When you are happy with your changes, press Ctrl + S (Cmd + S on Mac) to save the After Effects project.
Step 5: Go back to Premiere Pro and see the changes
Switch back to Premiere Pro and look at the Program Monitor. The graphic now shows your After Effects changes, with no rendering and no import step. Dynamic Link keeps both programs connected, so any new change you save in After Effects shows up in Premiere Pro.
Step 6: Edit the layer again whenever you need to
You can reopen the project at any time. Open After Effects, open the saved project, change the layer and save again. The update flows back to Premiere Pro the same way. In the video the rectangle is changed from red to blue this way.
If you cannot find the project file, there is a faster way. Right-click the linked clip in the Premiere Pro timeline and choose Edit Original. After Effects opens the right project right away, so you can make your changes, save and see them sync back into Premiere Pro once again.
Tips
- Save in After Effects every time. Premiere Pro only updates once the After Effects project is saved with Ctrl + S.
- Keep the project file in a safe place. If you move or delete it, the linked clip in Premiere Pro goes offline.
- Use it for anything After Effects does better. Shape animation, text animators and complex effects are good candidates for a quick round trip.
FAQ
What is Dynamic Link in Premiere Pro?
Dynamic Link connects Premiere Pro and After Effects so a composition in one program can be used live in the other. You do not have to export, render or re-import anything.
Do I need to render the composition before it plays in Premiere Pro?
No. After Effects renders the composition in the background and Premiere Pro displays it. Heavy compositions may play back slower until they are rendered.
How do I reopen an After Effects composition from Premiere Pro?
Right-click the linked clip in the timeline and choose Edit Original. After Effects will open the project, ready for you to edit.
Prefer to skip the After Effects round trip? Browse our ready-made motion graphic templates for Premiere Pro.
