Exporting Your Work

Once you’ve finished your animation, it’s time to export it into a video file you can share or upload. In this video, I’ll show you how to use the Adobe Media Encoder and the Render Queue to export your composition and explain which settings to choose depending on your needs.

Once your animation is complete, it’s time to share it. Exporting from After Effects turns your composition into a file that can be played, uploaded, or passed along to others. You’ll usually send your comp to Adobe Media Encoder to create a video file, but After Effects also has a built-in Render Queue for basic exports.

Step 1: Check Your Composition

Before you export, double-check a few things:

  • Timeline length: Make sure your work area covers the whole animation.

  • Resolution: Set the preview resolution to Full to confirm sharpness.

  • Errors: Watch your comp one more time for any missing assets or timing issues.

A clean export starts with a clean comp.

Step 2: Choose an Export Method

You have two main options:

Adobe Media Encoder 

Media Encoder gives you flexible export options and smaller file sizes. It runs separately from After Effects, so you can keep working while your render processes.

To use it:

  1. With your comp selected, go to File > Export > Add to Adobe Media Encoder Queue.
  2. Media Encoder will open and your comp will appear in the queue.
  3. In the Format column, choose H.264 for a standard .mp4 file.
  4. Click the Output File name to choose where to save.
  5. Click the green play button in the top-right to start the export.

This is the best choice for uploading to the web, sending to clients, or sharing on social media.

Render Queue

The built-in Render Queue is helpful if you need an uncompressed file or image sequence.

To use it:

  1. Select your comp and go to Composition > Add to Render Queue.
  2. In the Render Queue panel, set Render Settings (usually Best Settings is fine).
  3. Set Output Module (choose H.264, QuickTime, or Image Sequence, depending on your needs).
  4. Click Output To to choose a save location.
  5. Click Render.

This method will include the background color you selected in the Composition Settings, if ever visible.

Common Export Formats

Format

Use Case

H.264 (.mp4)

Most common, good quality, small size. Ideal for web and sharing.

QuickTime (.mov)

Higher quality. Useful for archiving or pro workflows.

PNG Sequence

Exports each frame as an image. Good for transparency or 3D workflows.

GIF (via Photoshop or third-party)

For short loops or web animations. This is only available using the Media Encoder.

Tips for Exporting

  • Use Collect Files to gather your project and assets for backup or sharing.

  • Name your output file clearly. include version numbers if needed.

  • If you need transparency, export using QuickTime with the Animation or ProRes 4444 codec and enable RGB + Alpha.

  • Watch your final render before sending it off. A last look can catch issues that slipped by.

Snapshot Tool (Optional)

Need to compare frames or reference a specific moment?

  • Use Take Snapshot (camera icon in the Composition panel) to save a frame to memory.

  • Then use Show Snapshot to toggle between the current frame and your saved image.

This won’t export anything, but it helps during review.

Wrap-Up

Exporting is the final step in your motion design process. Choose the right settings for your destination, and stay organized with file naming and folder structure. Whether it’s a quick social media post or a polished title sequence, your work deserves a clean finish.