An AETX file is mainly an After Effects XML template that stores a project in readable text rather than the usual binary AEP/AET format, existing so the project’s structure can be inspected 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 holds animation-related content like keyframes, interpolation, easing, paths, and expressions, and contains text/shape information such as text content and styling attributes (font, size, tracking, alignment, fills/strokes), text animators, and vector paths, strokes, and fills with their own transforms and keyframes, but it does not embed media, fonts, or plugins, instead referencing external files that must be relinked if moved, so opening it on a different system may trigger missing-footage or missing-effect warnings; the usual approach is to open/import it in After Effects, relink assets, handle fonts/plugins, and then save as AEP/AET, while XML inspection alone cannot recreate the template’s full behavior.
Where an AETX comes from strongly affects expectations because it signals what should be included with it—fonts, media, plugins, licensing—and what issues might arise, especially if it was downloaded as part of a template bundle that normally ships with an Assets folder, a Preview folder, and a readme of required fonts/plugins, so opening the AETX alone results in missing-footage errors that are resolved by keeping the folder setup unchanged or relinking, with licensed items purposely excluded and requiring separate downloads or replacements.
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 means the source matters 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 If you cherished this article therefore you would like to be given more info with regards to file extension AETX generously visit our web-site. .
