An AETX file serves as an XML version of an After Effects project template so the project can be stored in readable form rather than binary, making the structure easier to debug across pipelines, capturing comps, folders, layers, timings, and settings, and typically containing comp parameters like resolution, frame rate, duration, nested comps, plus layer types, transforms, in/out points, parenting, 2D/3D features, blending, mattes, masks, and ordered effect parameters.
An AETX file contains extensive motion information including keyframes, interpolation, easing, paths, and expressions, plus text and shape-layer details like the actual text, styling choices (fonts, sizing, tracking, alignment, fill/stroke), text animators, and vector shapes with strokes, fills, trim paths, repeaters, and their keyframes, but it lacks embedded media, fonts, and plugins, instead referencing footage paths and requiring After Effects to relink items or report missing effects; to use it properly, you open/import it in AE, fix missing assets or fonts, replace placeholders, and save as AEP/AET, whereas viewing the XML in a text editor is mainly for inspection rather than a functional substitute for AE.
Here is more about AETX file reader take a look at our own web-site. Knowing where an AETX was obtained helps clarify expectations because it reveals what other materials should accompany it—media, fonts, plugins, licensing—and what problems may occur, especially if it originated from a template pack in which the AETX is only one piece alongside an Assets folder, possibly a Preview folder, and a readme listing required items, so missing-footage alerts appear when opened alone and can be fixed by keeping folders intact or relinking, with licensed fonts/footage excluded intentionally for legal distribution reasons.
When an AETX is sent by a client or teammate, it’s often a structure-only interchange file meant to share the project layout without the heavy media, which is common in Git or shared workflows, so the key question is whether they included a Collected project or at least the assets folder, because otherwise you’ll spend time relinking and replacing files, and you may encounter version mismatches, missing plugins, or script-based expression errors, especially if it originated from a studio system where internal paths won’t match your setup.
When an AETX comes from an unknown email, forum, or other unverified source, its origin helps gauge trust because even though it’s XML and not an EXE, it can still point to external media and rely on expressions, scripts, or plugins you shouldn’t install without vetting, so the practical workflow is to load it in a clean AE environment, avoid installing suspicious plugins, and expect missing items until you know the template’s requirements, with next steps varying by source—marketplace bundles need their folders/readme, client files need collected assets, and pipeline exports may assume certain folder structures and AE versions.
