After Effects vector artwork looks soft when enlarged

Check the artwork type before changing its scale

Save a project copy before changing a finished animation. Compare a stationary frame where a sharp edge is easy to recognize.

Follow the layer back to its source

Confirm whether the selected layer is an imported vector item, a raster image, or a precomposition. A renamed layer called "Logo" does not identify its file type. Ask the artwork supplier for the original source if the project only contains a small raster export.

Adobe's vector and raster overview explains the difference: vector geometry can be rendered at a new size, while enlarging a raster uses its existing pixels.

Renaming an extension does not change the artwork type.

Enable the switch on the vector footage layer

Select the imported vector layer. Press F4 if the Timeline shows Modes instead of Switches. In the Collapse Transformations/Continuously Rasterize column, enable the switch for that layer. Keep its intended Scale unchanged and compare the same edge again.

Adobe's layer reference documents support for Illustrator, PDF, and EPS footage, among other vector formats. It also notes that native text and shape layers already use continuous rasterization.

Treat a precomposition as a separate decision

The switch in the same column means Collapse Transformations on a precomposition. It can preserve detail through nested scaling, but it also changes render behavior. Open the nested composition and check its actual vector layer first; do not enable every switch across the project.

If you also change the outer precomposition's switch, compare masks, effects, and any 3D interaction throughout the affected passage. Adobe's nesting and render-order reference explains why collapsing is more than a sharpness setting. Restore the earlier state if the composition changes in an unintended way.

Separate a preview shortcut from the delivered picture

For the comparison, use Full in the Composition panel's resolution menu and Layer > Quality > Best on the affected layer. Lower preview resolution is useful for working quickly, but it is a poor basis for judging a fine edge. Adobe covers downsampling in its preview guide.

Render a short sample under a new filename and inspect the actual saved image at its intended display size. If only working playback is reduced or slow, use the preview troubleshooting guide. If softness remains in the render, use the Community link in the layer reference with the source type, scaling location, and a small non-sensitive example. A faster preview or a larger output frame alone does not establish that the source has more detail.