To export a GIF from After Effects, you'll essentially create a PNG sequence and then use Photoshop to convert that sequence into a GIF. Here's a breakdown:
Exporting the PNG Sequence from After Effects
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Add to Render Queue: In After Effects, select your composition and add it to the render queue (Composition > Add to Render Queue).
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Output Module Settings: In the Render Queue panel, locate the "Output Module" settings for your composition. Click on the current output module (likely "Lossless").
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Change to PNG Sequence: In the Output Module Settings window, change the "Format" to "PNG Sequence". This ensures you export a series of individual PNG image files, one for each frame of your animation. You can adjust other settings like the color depth if needed, but PNG sequence is key.
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Set Output Location: Specify where you want to save the PNG sequence by clicking on the "Output To" field and choosing a folder.
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Render: Click the "Render" button at the top right of the Render Queue panel. After Effects will now render your composition as a sequence of PNG files.
Creating the GIF in Photoshop
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Import Image Sequence: Open Photoshop. Go to File > Open and navigate to the folder where you saved your PNG sequence. Select the first PNG file in the sequence and, importantly, make sure the "Image Sequence" checkbox is selected before you click "Open."
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Create Timeline: If the Timeline panel isn't already open (Window > Timeline), open it. In the Timeline panel, click the button that says "Create Frame Animation."
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Make Frames From Layers (if needed): If your layers aren't already individual frames in the Timeline panel, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the upper-right corner of the Timeline panel and select "Make Frames From Layers."
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Set Frame Delay: Select all frames in the Timeline panel (click the first frame, then Shift+click the last frame). Click the dropdown menu below any of the frames that says "0 sec" and choose the desired delay time. This controls the speed of your GIF. Experiment to find what looks best.
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Set Looping: At the bottom of the Timeline panel, choose "Forever" from the looping options dropdown.
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Save for Web (Legacy): Go to File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy). This is the standard method for creating GIFs in Photoshop.
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GIF Settings: In the Save for Web window, choose "GIF" as the preset. Experiment with the number of colors to find a good balance between file size and image quality. Lowering the number of colors will reduce the file size, but can also introduce banding or other artifacts. Also check the "Looping Options" are set to "Forever".
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Save: Click "Save" and choose a location to save your GIF file.
