Specify filenames and locations for rendered output



You can locate a previously rendered item or check the destination of a queued render item by expanding the Output Module group in the Render Queue panel and clicking the underlined file path, or by right-clicking (Windows) or Control-clicking (Mac OS) the Output Module heading.
Click the triangle to open the Output To menu, or click the underlined text to enter a destination.

Specify the filename and location for a single render item

  • To manually enter a filename and destination folder, click the underlined text next to the Output To heading.
  • To name a file using a file naming template, click the triangle next to the Output To heading, and choose a template from the menu.

Create and use a custom file naming template

You can use custom templates to name the output according to properties of the composition and project.
To make a file naming template the default template, hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS) as you choose the template from the Output To menu.
  1. In the Render Queue panel, choose Custom from the Output To menu.
  2. If you want to base the new file naming template on an existing template, choose the existing template from the Preset menu.
  3. Click in the Template box where you want to insert a file naming rule, and do any of the following:

    • To add a preset property to the filename, choose the property from the Add Property menu.

    • Enter text in the Template box.

    Note: Make sure that the insertion point is outside the square brackets ([ ]) of preset properties.
  4. Do any of the following:

    • To save the file naming template as a preset for future use in the Output To menu, click the Save button . In the Choose Name dialog box, enter a name for the file naming template, and click OK.

    • To always use the selected file naming template, select Default.

    • To apply the selected file naming template to the current Output Module, click OK.

Name output files automatically

The Use Default File Name And Folder preference ensures that all compositions added to the render queue are automatically assigned a unique output filename (except for files created by saving RAM previews, which still use the composition name). When this option is selected, each render item is assigned the same folder name as the previous render item until you change the path. If a composition is rendered more than once, After Effects adds a number to the filename (for example, composition_name_1).

Note: Avoid using high-ASCII or other extended characters in filenames for projects to be used on different platforms or rendered using a watch folder.
  1. Choose Edit > Preferences > Output (Windows) or After Effects > Preferences > Output (Mac OS).
  2. Select Use Default File Name And Folder.