Compatibility
Which After Effects versions, operating systems, and AI clients Prism supports — AE 2024/2025/2026 on macOS and Windows, with any MCP client.
Prism runs inside the After Effects versions professional teams use today, on both desktop operating systems, and pairs with any AI client that speaks MCP. Because the logic lives on Prism's server and the panel only runs each instruction, compatibility is mostly about three things: your AE version, your OS, and your AI client.
After Effects versions
Prism ships as a panel that loads inside After Effects. The panel itself carries no logic of its own — Prism sends a small instruction, the panel runs it in After Effects, and it returns the result — so it stays compatible across recent AE releases without per-version builds.
| After Effects version | Supported |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Yes |
| 2025 | Yes |
| 2024 | Yes |
| 2023 and earlier | Not supported |
You can upgrade After Effects without losing your setup. The panel and your activation move with you; reinstall the panel in the new version if needed, and your existing license key reactivates the device.
AE 2026 has a few version-specific quirks (default stroke, intermittent operations, PostScript font names) — see troubleshooting if text looks clipped or an operation returns nothing the first time.
Operating systems
Prism supports both desktop platforms equally. The same panel, the same tools, and the same JSON pipeline behave the same way on each.
| OS | Supported |
|---|---|
| macOS | Yes |
| Windows | Yes |
There is no terminal, Node.js install, or build step on either platform. See setup for the full install flow.
AI clients
Prism is bring-your-own-AI. It works with any MCP-compatible AI client — Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, Windsurf, and more. You add one server entry, your personal Prism MCP URL, and it serves every client you use. AI actions are unlimited on Pro — bring your own AI.
| MCP client | Supported |
|---|---|
| Claude (Desktop or web) | Yes |
| Cursor | Yes |
| ChatGPT | Yes |
| Windsurf | Yes |
| Any other MCP-compatible client | Yes |
Connecting is a single entry in your client's MCP or connector settings — copy the URL the panel shows. To choose a client and learn why Prism stays model-agnostic, see bring your own AI; for step-by-step setup, see connect your AI.
What stays the same across upgrades
Because tools update server-side, you never re-install to get new capabilities and there is no version drift between clients. Your license key is permanent — one key per subscription, valid on two devices on every plan — so changing AE versions, switching machines (within your device limit), or moving between AI clients does not require a new key.
Related
- Connect your AI — per-client setup for Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, and Windsurf
- Bring your own AI — why Prism is model-agnostic and your AI actions stay unlimited
- Troubleshooting — AE 2026 quirks and connection debugging
- License and activation — one permanent key across devices and AE versions
License Portal
Prism's Polar customer portal: copy your license key, manage or cancel your plan, download the After Effects panel, and free a device slot in one place.
FAQ
Short answers to the questions designers ask before connecting Prism to After Effects: data privacy, paying for your own AI, audio handling, sharing a license, cancelling, and which AI clients work.