To export a video in After Effects, you'll add your composition to the Render Queue. Here's how:
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Select your Composition: Make sure the composition you want to export is selected in the Project panel or Timeline.
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Add to Render Queue: Go to
File > Export > Add to Render Queue. This will open the Render Queue panel. -
Adjust Render Settings (Optional): In the Render Queue panel, you'll see options to customize your export:
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Render Settings: Click "Best Settings" (or whatever is displayed) to adjust settings like resolution, frame rate, and quality. Generally, you'll want to adjust these if you have very specific needs. Leaving on "Best" is usually fine.
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Output Module: Click "Lossless" (or whatever is displayed) to choose your export format (e.g., QuickTime, H.264, etc.), codec, and other output options. This is a crucial step. The most common choice for online video is H.264 in an .mp4 container. Different codecs offer different balances of quality and file size.
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Output To: Click on the file name (usually the composition name) to specify where you want to save the exported video and what you want to name it.
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Render: Click the "Render" button (usually located at the top right of the Render Queue panel). After Effects will begin exporting your video. The time it takes to render depends on the complexity of your composition and your computer's processing power.
