An AETX file serves primarily as an XML version of an AE template that stores a project in readable text rather than the usual binary AEP/AET format, existing so the project’s structure can be examined and exchanged more easily, describing comps, folders, layers, timing, and settings in XML even if it’s larger or slower to load, and inside it you’ll find project hierarchy, comp attributes like resolution, frame rate, duration, and nested comps, plus layer types, in/out ranges, transforms, parenting, 2D/3D options, blending modes, track mattes, masks, and full effect stacks with their parameters and order.
An AETX file commonly provides animation information like keyframes, interpolation, easing, paths, and expressions, along with text and shape details such as the actual text content, styling settings (font, size, tracking, alignment, fill/stroke), text animators, and vector paths, strokes, fills, trim paths, and repeaters with individual transforms and keyframes, yet it excludes embedded media, fonts, and plugins, instead holding references to external assets and requiring AE to relink them, which can cause portability issues; the proper method is to load it into After Effects, replace or relink files, handle font/plugin warnings, and re-save as AEP/AET, while a text editor can show XML but not replicate the project in full.
If you have any type of questions concerning where and just how to use AETX file type, you could call us at the webpage. Where an AETX originates can be crucial because it indicates what extras should come with it—fonts, assets, plugins, licensing—and what issues to expect, especially when it’s from a marketplace or graphics pack where the AETX is just part of a larger bundle containing an Assets folder, a Preview folder, and a readme of required resources, making missing-footage warnings common if opened alone, fixable by keeping folders intact or relinking, while licensed fonts/footage are typically excluded and must be downloaded or replaced legally.
If an AETX comes from a client or teammate, it’s usually a media-free way for them to share the project skeleton while keeping large assets separate or because they’re working through Git/version control, making it essential to check whether they also provided a Collected project package or an assets folder, since missing those means lots of manual relinking, and the file may also depend on specific AE versions, plugins, or scripts, with studio-pipeline exports often containing path references that won’t exist on your machine, guaranteeing relinking unless everything was packaged correctly.
Receiving an AETX from a random or unknown origin calls for caution because although it’s text-based XML, it can still link to external files and rely on expressions or plugins you shouldn’t install without trust, so the smart approach is to use a clean AE environment, avoid unverified plugins, and anticipate missing assets, and then choose your follow-up based on the source type: marketplace templates require checking bundled folders/readmes, client files call for collected assets, and pipeline exports may expect specific directory structures and AE versions.
