How to fix missing file in After Effects

Sometimes, when you open After Effects (especially projects you haven’t opened in a while) it can look like this. (See the image below).

One thing you can do when you see this is to unplug your computer, open the window, and throw it out in frustration. (But seriously, don’t do that.)

How to fix missing file in After Effects

Another more constructive solution is to click the search field in your Project window, search for “Missing footage”, right-click on the file you want to relink, go to “Replace footage” and click “File”.

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Here you can simply select the same file again to relink it. Use the search field if you need to find it and then click “Open”.

🎞 Watch the tutorial (and all my other tutorials) here!

💡 Pro-tip is to gather all your footage for your specific project in your project folder, meaning, the same folder as where your specific After Effects project is located.

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