How to Animate a Speedometer in After Effects

Introduction

A speedometer animation is a great way to visualize progress, performance, or dynamic data in motion graphics. In After Effects, you can build a fully customizable speedometer using shape layers and simple rotation animation. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to design the dial, create tick marks, and animate the needle smoothly.

Step 1: Create a New Composition

Click New Composition, choose your desired resolution and frame rate, and press OK to create your working timeline. Step 2: Create the Main Circle

Select the Ellipse Tool (Q) and hold Ctrl + Shift (Windows) or Cmd + Shift (Mac) while dragging to create a perfect circle from the center; set Fill to None and set the Stroke color to Black with a Stroke Width of 48 px.

Step 3: Create a Tick Mark

Using the Pen Tool (G), draw a short horizontal line on the left-middle side of the circle to represent a speed mark, then expand the layer properties and set Line Cap to Round Cap for smoother edges.