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When After Effects freezes on the startup screen or crashes immediately on Windows 11, the issue is typically caused by GPU driver conflicts, corrupted preference files, or incompatible plugins. This guide walks you through the three most common causes and their proven solutions, step by step.
Have you upgraded to Windows 11 only to find After Effects freezing on the splash screen or crashing within seconds? This frustrating issue stems from specific system conflicts or configuration problems, but the good news is that most cases can be resolved with a few targeted fixes. This guide focuses exclusively on verified solutions that you can apply immediately in your workflow.
Table of Contents
- GPU Driver and Compatibility Issues
- Corrupted Preferences and Cache
- Plugin Conflicts
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
GPU Driver and Compatibility Issues
After Effects relies heavily on GPU acceleration for rendering and preview operations. When outdated graphics drivers or recent Windows 11 updates conflict with your system, the application may fail to access GPU resources during initialization and crash immediately.
Solutions
1) Update Your GPU Driver
Download and install the latest Windows 11-compatible driver directly from NVIDIA or AMD's official website. Manufacturer drivers are generally more stable than those delivered through Windows Update.
2) Switch GPU Acceleration (Diagnostic Test)
If After Effects launches at all, go to File → Project Settings → Video Rendering and Effects → Use and switch to Mercury Software Only. If the crashes stop, you've confirmed a GPU/driver issue. Once resolved, switch back to Mercury GPU Acceleration — CUDA (NVIDIA) or OpenCL (AMD/Intel) on Windows — for full performance.
3) Install Studio/Pro Drivers
Instead of gaming-oriented drivers, install NVIDIA Studio Drivers or AMD Pro Drivers. These are optimized for creative applications and prioritize stability over gaming performance, reducing the likelihood of crashes. Adobe also recommends using the latest NVIDIA Studio Driver on supported GPUs for best stability with creative apps.
Corrupted Preferences and Cache
During startup, After Effects loads user preference files and media/disk cache. If these files become corrupted or incompatible between versions, the application cannot initialize properly and crashes. This is especially common after updates when settings files don't migrate cleanly.
Solutions
1) Reset Preferences (Official Method)
Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift while launching After Effects to trigger the reset dialog. Alternatively, rename the folder at this location to OldAfterEffects to force a reset:
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\After Effects\[Version]
2) Clear Media and Disk Cache
Navigate to Edit → Preferences → Media & Disk Cache and click Empty Disk Cache followed by Clean Database & Cache. To verify cache locations, use Choose Folder in the same window. If manual deletion is needed, check these paths (note that locations may vary between Roaming/Local):
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Common\Media Cache Files
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Common\Media Cache
Note: Cache paths can differ by setup. Confirm the exact locations in Edit → Preferences → Media & Disk Cache before deleting files manually. For a quick sweep, you can also use Edit → Purge → All Memory & Disk Cache.
3) Relaunch and Verify
After resetting, launch After Effects again. If it starts normally, corrupted preferences were the culprit. You'll need to reconfigure your workspace, but the crashes should be resolved.
Plugin Conflicts
After Effects automatically loads all installed plugins at startup. Outdated third-party plugins or effects incompatible with Windows 11 can trigger errors during initialization, forcing the application to close. Legacy scripts and free plugins are common culprits.
Solutions
1) Back Up Your Plugin Folder
Close After Effects and navigate to:
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects [Version]\Support Files\Plug-ins
Copy the entire folder to a safe location like your desktop. This ensures you can restore plugins later if needed.
2) Temporarily Remove Third-Party Plugins
In the original Plug-ins folder, move all third-party plugins (excluding Adobe's native plugins) to a separate folder. This includes plugins from Red Giant, Video Copilot, Boris FX, and other external developers.
3) Test After Effects Launch
Launch After Effects with plugins removed. If it starts successfully, you've confirmed a plugin conflict. Now restore plugins one at a time from your backup to identify the problematic one.
4) Update or Replace Problem Plugins
Once you've identified the conflicting plugin, check the developer's website for updates. If no update is available or the plugin is no longer supported, consider finding an alternative or working without that particular functionality.
Note: Some plugins also install to this shared location →
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Common\Plug-ins\7.0\MediaCore
Caution: Only install into the MediaCore folder if the plugin vendor explicitly instructs it; otherwise, use the app-specific Plug-ins folder to avoid conflicts with other Adobe apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. After Effects freezes on the splash screen and crashes immediately. What's the troubleshooting order?
Start by updating your GPU driver to the latest version. If the problem persists, reset preferences and clear cache. Finally, disable plugins to test. Following this sequence helps you quickly narrow down the root cause.
Q2. Won't switching to "Mercury Software Only" hurt performance?
Yes, disabling GPU acceleration will significantly slow down rendering and preview speeds. However, this is a temporary diagnostic step. Once you've resolved the underlying issue, switch back to GPU acceleration for full performance.
Q3. I lost my saved presets and settings after resetting preferences
You should back up your preferences folder before resetting. If you've already reset without a backup, automatic recovery isn't possible. You'll need to manually reconfigure your workspace layout, render settings, and other customizations.
Q4. How can I confirm plugins are causing the crash?
Move all third-party plugins from the plugin folder to another location, then launch After Effects. If it starts normally, plugins are the issue. Restore them one by one to pinpoint the problematic plugin.
Q5. After Effects started crashing after a Windows 11 update
This likely indicates a conflict between your GPU driver and the Windows update. Completely uninstall your current driver and perform a clean install of the latest version. Alternatively, use System Restore to roll back to a point before the Windows update.
Conclusion
Most After Effects crashes on startup in Windows 11 trace back to three main issues: GPU driver conflicts, corrupted preferences, or plugin incompatibilities. By systematically working through the solutions in this guide, you should be able to resolve the problem quickly. Once your environment is stable, maintain GPU acceleration, keep plugins updated, and regularly clear cache to prevent future issues. These preventive measures will significantly reduce the likelihood of crashes recurring.
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