We have investigated an antiferroelectric liquid crystal which is stabilized by a polymer network. The latter is formed byinsituphotopolymerization of a mesogenic diacrylate. The pure liquid crystalline monomer shows the well‐known tristable electro‐optic switching due to a field induced transition from the antiferroelectric to the ferroelectric state. The change of the optical transmittance due to this transition becomes more continuous if a polymer network is present. Thus, different gray shades can be easily achieved in polymer‐stabilized antiferroelectric liquid crystals. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.