How To Create Animated Arrows In After Effects (easiest method - no clickbait!)

How To create an animated arrow in After Effects:

1. Draw a stroke path with the pen tool
2. Add a trim path to the stroke and animate
3. copy the path
4. Create a triangle shape
5. Paste the path into the position parameter of the shape
6. right-click and select 'Transform - Auto Orient' - Orient Along Path'

[LookingForTheTop]

Dude I just want to thank you, I've seen many tutorials on how to animate an arrow and I always thought it was so silly that something so simple was complicated, but your tutorial is short and effective, perfect!

[wsgtzey]

Has anyone else had the problem of after pasting the line's path the triangle does not match?

[emmacarmichael]

Thank you so much! So glad I discovered you early on learning After effects, I will just go straight to your channel and search from here on in! Simple, clear instructions, good pace. I appreciate you!

[KerryMAllen]

Excellent method. Just found out this works perfectly even if you're converting an illustrator file into shape layers. After effects was even nice enough to automatically separate the arrowhead from the path automatically.

[neil_lich]

If you're trying to center the anchor point and using a Mac whose keyboard doesn't have a home button:
Step 1: Select “Layer” in your top menu.
Step 2: Select “Transform” from the dropdown menu.
Step 3: Select “Center Anchor Point in Layer Content”

[kickheavy]

Quick and handy! So much simpler than the other methods here on youtube

[tkwolik]

Thank you! Yes this is so much easier than other tuts I've seen.

[kayonji]

Dude, thank you so much for the clear tutorial. People tend to overcomplicate when it comes to After Effects, but you went straight to what mattered. I am going to subscribe to your channel :)

[BayWeli]

This is awesome! Thank you so much for sharing. Very helpful 😊

[srikkanth-tech]

Nice explaination, , I did shadowing your tutorial and could accomplish it.. I had some problem with the arrow going faster than the path... i had to adjust the key frames a bit but it worked nicely.

[dandelatv]

Thank you very much for this tutorial easy and not confusing.

[michaelore]

Thank you so much for this, easy, straight forward, and to the point. Appreciate the help

[ARCHIPLUSINTERNATIONAL]

this is very very useful and super simpler than the expression!! thank you very much!

[constantadi]

lovely, straight to the point. thanks!

[danielazahalka]

OMG I have been doing this the hard way all this time. Thank you!

[GoChopsticks]

OMG this is the easiest method with the clearest explanation I came across so far !

[rizzo-films]

Nice! The only thing I would say in support of using the pickwhip is if you need to edit the path or trim paths value over time, make tweaks, i.e. a client wants you to move something or a designer sends you updated designs or any number of changes you'll have to make gradually, if it's pickwhipped then you just need to change the values on the line, those changes are reflected on the arrow and you don't have to keep copying and pasting the path every time you need to make a change.

[jasonk]

Wow. I just used the null along path/pickwhip method to animate an arrow. This is so much easier. Subbed.

[williamvargas]

awesome tutorial, thanks for sharing bro!! Seamless explanation

[jeremycowan]

My man. This is precisely what I needed and yes, simple!