At some point in any video and motion graphic project, you will probably need to figure out how to make a typewriter text animation with cursor. And it may surprise you to know that it is not as easy as it seems. For that reason, I have decided to write this blog so no one has to spend hours making a typing text animation in After Effects.

In this post, I will show you multiple methods to make a typewriter effects animation with and without a blinking cursor and provide the After Effects projects template and presets for free. I completely understand that sometimes you don’t have the time or luxury to even watch a tutorial and you need to get your project out the door. I have been in this situation, so I am here offering the shortcut. If you find this helpful and informative, please like the page 🙂

Let’s start with the basics for the beginners. Here the simplest and fastest way to create a typewriter effect in After Effects without a cursor. Follow these steps- it takes only 20 seconds.

  1. Create a new composition
  2. Click on the T icon and type your text
  3. Open Effects & Presets window
  4. Search the “Typewriter” presets
  5. Select Typewriter and drag to your text
  6. Boom! If you press play, the text should animate with the typing animation

See the demo below for visual reference:

To achieve this After Effects type animation with a cursor, we actually won’t use the default typewriter presets just because the expression is much more powerful than the regular typewriter preset. This whole article is based on my research online, so if you are the programmer of this awesome After Effects typewriter with cursor expression, I’ll be happy to link this blog to your website and give you the proper credit.

Demo of the typewriting animation with cursor below
Typing text-with cursor in after effects

I have created 4 ways to learn this After Effects typing effect. Just choose the one that best fits you.

  • Instructions
  • Video Tutorial
  • Free After Effects project file (at the end of this article)
  • Free typewriter with cursor preset (at the end of this article)

Instructions

  • Create a new composition
  • Select T (Horizontal Type Tool CTRL+T)
  • Type your text
  • Open the Effects & Presets windows
  • Search for Slider Control
  • Drag and drop Slider control on your text layer
    Rename the slider control to Speed
  • rename control slider after effects
  • Go to Source Text
  • Alt click on the Stop Watch icon to add a expression
  • Copy and paste this expression
    L = text.sourceText.length;
    It = time – thisLayer.inPoint;
    T = It*effect(“Speed”)(“Slider”);
    F = Math.round( It % 1);if(F==1 |(T0)){Fl=”|”;}else{Fl=” “;}substr(0,T) + Fl
  • Increase the slider control speed (this defines how fast the text is typing)
  • Press Play and you should see you your text typing with the blinking cursor

Video Tutorial

Free Typewriter Effect After Effects template

Download the AE project Typewriter text with cursor here

Free After Effects typewriter with cursor preset FFX

Download typewriter with cursor presets here

Enjoyed my work above? Donate generously so I can work on more stuff 🙂 [wpedon id=4038]

Adding color to the cursor of this typing animation is actually easy once you know where to add the expression.

Demo of the typewriter animation with blinking colored cursor below

Below I have created 4 ways to learn this After Effects typing effect with a colored cursor. Just choose the one that works best for you.

  • Instructions
  • Video Tutorial
  • After Effects project file (at the end of this article)
  • Typewriter with with color cursor preset (at the end of this article)

Instructions

  • Create a new composition
  • Select T (Horizontal Type Tool CTRL+T)
  • Type your text
  • Open the Effects & Presets windows
  • Search for Slider Control
  • Drag and drop Slider control on your text layer
  • Rename the slider control to Speed
  • Go to Source Text
  • Alt click on the Stop Watch icon to add a expression
  • Copy and paste this expression
    L = text.sourceText.length;
    It = time – thisLayer.inPoint;
    T = It*effect(“Speed”)(“Slider”);
    F = Math.round( It % 1);if(F==1 |(T0)){Fl=”|”;}else{Fl=” “;}substr(0,T) + Fl
  • Increase the slider control speed to 20 (this defines how fast the text is typing)increase type speed
  • Now if you  press play, you should see you your text typing with the blinking cursor
  • Let’s make the blinking cursor bar a different color
  • Click on the animate arrow and choose Fill > RGBfill RGB color blink cursor
  • Expand Range Selector 1
  • Alt click on the Start stop watch and add this expression below:
    text.animator(“Animator 1”).selector(“Range Selector 1”).end-1
  • Alt click on the End stop watch and add this expression below:
    text.sourceText.length
  • Expand Advanced
  • Change unit from Percentage to Indexstart end index cursor expression
  • Now play. You should the the text typing with a red blinking cursor color.
  • Obviously now you can change the cursor to a different color by changing the Fill Color

Video Tutorial

Download Free After Effects typewriter project template file below

Download the AE project type text with colored cursor here

Download Free After Effects typewriter with cursor preset FFX below

Download the After Effects typewriter with color cursor preset here

Enjoyed my work above? Donate generously so I can work on more stuff 🙂 [wpedon id=4038]

I have actually created 2 cool After Effects template projects if you are looking for a way to show a typing text on a web search, check out below

Web Search Typing Text After Effects Google Search After effects Template
Web Search Typing Text After Effects Google Search After effects Template