Electrochemomechanical deformation (ECMD) studies have been performed in the freestanding films of poly(pyrrole-co-anisidine) prepared electrochemically. Formation of copolymers was confirmed by UV-visible, cyclic voltammetry and electrical conductivity measurements. Enhanced loading of anisidine moieties in copolymer main chain leads to the decrease in the electrical conductivity and mechanical property of the film. It was found that copolymers show enhanced deformation magnitude and electroactivity at low pH where polypyrrole (PPy) homopolymer fails to do so. At the same time copolymers show good electroactivity as well as ECMD behavior in 1 M NaCl like PPy but poly(o-anisidine) homopolymer is unable to exhibit this feature. Copolymers show fast transformation of cation driven ECMD into anion driven ECMD along with the decrease in the magnitude of electrochemical creeping. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.