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Free — After Effects 2026

Smoke - Drifting After Effects preset

This is what the built-in Smoke - Drifting preset does. It is in the Synthetics folder of the After Effects animation presets, and it works on a solid layer.

Click the preview to copy the name.

Where
Effects & Presets › Animation Presets › Synthetics
Works on
A solid layer
Comes with
After Effects. Nothing to download.

How to apply Smoke - Drifting

  1. Make a solid the size of your composition: Layer › New › Solid.
  2. Select the solid.
  3. Open Window › Effects & Presets, paste the name in the search box and double-click Smoke - Drifting.

Open the Effect Controls panel on the solid. The colours and the speed of the background are settings of the effects the preset added.

Where is Smoke - Drifting in After Effects?

Open Window › Effects & Presets and go to Animation Presets › Synthetics. It is quicker to type the name in the search box at the top of the panel.

Do I need to download Smoke - Drifting?

No. It is installed with After Effects; this preview was rendered in After Effects 2026. On disk it is an .ffx file in the Presets › Synthetics folder inside the After Effects application folder.

How do I change Smoke - Drifting after applying it?

Open the Effect Controls panel on the solid. The colours and the speed of the background are settings of the effects the preset added.