How to Create a VHS Effect in After Effects

The VHS effect is a popular retro style that mimics the look of old analog tapes – complete with noise, color distortion, scan lines, and flicker.

There are two main ways to achieve this effect in After Effects:

Manual method – more control, but takes time
Using a plugin (AEJuice) – faster, easier, and more polished

Below, you’ll learn both approaches step by step.

Method 1: Create VHS Effect Manually in After Effects

Step 1: Import Your Video

Go to File → Import → File, then drag your video onto the timeline to start working.

Step 2: Add Grain

From the Effects & Presets panel, apply Add Grain to your video. In the Effect Controls panel, set:

Viewing Mode: Final Output
Preset: Kodak Vision 250D
Intensity: 1.8
Size: 1.2

This simulates analog noise found in VHS footage. Step 3: Pre-compose and Duplicate

Right-click the video layer → Pre-compose. Then duplicate the pre-comp twice so you have three identical layers.