Glow Effect
Add a luminous glow to bright areas of your layer. Customize threshold, radius, and colors.
Effects
Shortcut: No shortcutBeginner5 min readQuick Reference
Glow Effect
Adobe After EffectsKeyboard Shortcut
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Where to Find
Go to Effect > Stylize > Glow. You can also find it by searching "Glow" in the Effects & Presets Panel.
Best Used For
- ▸Adding neon and luminous effects to text
- ▸Creating magical or sci-fi visual elements
- ▸Highlighting bright areas in composites
- ▸Making logos and graphics pop visually
Beginner-Friendly⏱ 15-30 minutes to master
Key Settings
Threshold: Brightness cutoffRadius: Spread distanceIntensity: Glow brightness
The Glow Effect adds a luminous halo around bright areas of your layer. It's perfect for neon text, magical effects, light sabers, and making elements pop. With adjustable threshold, radius, and color controls, you can create everything from subtle highlights to intense, blinding glows.
Where to Find
Go to Effect > Stylize > Glow. You can also find it by searching "Glow" in the Effects & Presets Panel.
How to Use
- Apply: Drag and drop from Effects & Presets Panel or use the menu
- Threshold: Set how bright a pixel needs to be before it glows (50% is a good start)
- Radius: Controls how far the glow spreads from the bright areas
- Intensity: Adjust the brightness of the glow effect
- Color: Use original colors or set a custom glow color
Pro Tips
- Duplicate the layer and apply Glow to just the duplicate for more control
- Use the "Glow Based On" option to choose Alpha Channel for glowing transparent elements
- Combine Glow with Blur effects for stylized neon looks
- Animate the Intensity value for pulsing glow effects