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 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 you got the AETX makes a big difference because it usually hints at what should accompany it—assets, fonts, plugins, and licensing—and what problems you might face when opening it, especially if it came from a template marketplace or motion-graphics pack where the AETX is only one part of a bundle that normally includes an Assets folder, maybe a Preview folder, and a readme listing required fonts/plugins, so opening the AETX alone often triggers missing-footage prompts and the solution is to preserve the original folder structure or relink files, with licensed items intentionally excluded so you may need to download or substitute them.
If an AETX comes from a client or teammate, it’s usually a structure-focused 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.
If an AETX arrives from a random email, forum post, or unknown sender, the origin is important for security because although it’s plain XML—not an executable—it may still reference external files, use expressions, or depend on scripts/plugins you shouldn’t install blindly, so the safest approach is to open it in a clean AE setup, avoid untrusted plugins, and expect missing assets until you verify what the template needs, with your next step depending on the source: marketplace files require checking bundles/readmes, client files need a collected package or asset list, and pipeline files may rely on specific directory layouts or AE versions If you liked this short article and you would such as to obtain more information regarding AETX file viewer kindly go to our page. .
