After Effects Version Swap Guide

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This is a quick, comprehensive guide on how to swap After Effects versions efficiently. This guide includes how to transfer your workspaces, plugins and scripts, along with your User Presets. Note that if you are simply updating the same version (e.g 25.1 → 25.2), it will automatically override your settings and transfer everything by itself. This guide only applies if you are swapping years (e.g 2024 → 2025).

You can always have two versions of After Effects installed at the same time. There’s no need for you to uninstall one then install the other nor is this recommended in case something goes wrong. Instead, install the version you’d like to switch to, open it and make sure everything is working perfectly, and if everything checks out then you can uninstall your previous version.

Plugins such as Sapphire, BCC, Twixtor and RSMB will automatically transfer.
These plugins are called global plugins and will be located in your MediaCore folder.

Now, let’s get started. I will use 2024 → 2025 as an example in this guide, but change it to your versions if you aren’t doing the same. ⚠️ If any paths don’t appear, make sure hidden folders are visible (e.g AppData on Windows or ~/Library on Mac). ⚠️


win Windows win

Install your new version of After Effects. You can have 2+ versions installed simultaneously.

  1. Create a new folder anywhere on your computer. This will be your backup folder. I recommend placing it on your Desktop for easy access.
  2. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2024\Support Files and locate the “Plug-ins” folder.
    • Copy everything except these folders inside of Plug-ins:
      • (AdobePSL)
      • Cineware by Maxon
      • Effects
      • Extensions
      • Format
      • Keyframe
    • In your backup folder, create a subfolder called Plug-ins and paste the copied files there.
  3. In C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2024\Support Files, locate the “Scripts” folder.
    • Copy the entire Scripts folder and paste it into your backup folder.
  4. Go to Documents\Adobe\After Effects 2024
    • Copy the User Presets folder and paste it into your backup folder.
  5. Finally, go to C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\After Effects\24.4
    • Copy the folders:
      ModifiedWorkspaces
      OriginalUserWorkspaces
    • Paste both into your backup folder.

Now, let's transfer stuff:

  1. Copy the contents of your backup "Plug-ins" folder and paste them into:
    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2025\Support Files\Plug-ins
    • Do not replace any existing files or folders if prompted.
  2. Copy your "User Presets" folder from your backup and paste it into:
    Documents\Adobe\After Effects 2025
    • Do not hit replace if prompted.
  3. Copy "ModifiedWorkspaces" and "OriginalUserWorkspaces" from your backup folder and paste them into:
    C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\After Effects\25.2
    • Hit replace if prompted.

mac MacOS mac

Install your new version of After Effects. You can have 2 versions+ installed simultaneously.

  1. Create a new folder anywhere on your computer. This will be your backup folder. I recommend placing it on your Desktop for easy access.
  2. Navigate to /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2024/Plug-ins
    • Copy everything except these folders inside of Plug-ins:
      • (AdobePSL)
      • Cineware by Maxon
      • Effects
      • Extensions
      • Format
      • Keyframe
    • In your backup folder, create a subfolder called Plug-ins and paste the copied files there.
  3. In /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2024, locate the “Scripts” folder.
    • Copy the entire Scripts folder and paste it into your backup folder.
  4. Go to ~/Documents/Adobe/After Effects 2024
    • Copy the User Presets folder and paste it into your backup folder.
  5. Finally, go to ~/Library/Preferences/Adobe/After Effects/24.4
    • Copy the folders:
      ModifiedWorkspaces
      OriginalUserWorkspaces
    • Paste both into your backup folder.

Now, let's transfer stuff:

  1. Copy the contents of your backup "Plug-ins" folder and paste them into:
    /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2025/Plug-ins
    • Do not replace any existing files or folders if prompted.
  2. Copy your "User Presets" folder from your backup and paste it into:
    ~/Documents/Adobe/After Effects 2025
    • Do not hit replace if prompted.
  3. Copy "ModifiedWorkspaces" and "OriginalUserWorkspaces" from your backup folder and paste them into:
    ~/Library/Preferences/Adobe/After Effects/25.2
    • Hit replace if prompted.

And you are done! Happy editing! Guide created by Tindra — discord.gg/satvrn

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Pub: 09 Apr 2025 21:46 UTC
Edit: 11 Jun 2025 14:38 UTC
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