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How To Change FPS In After Effects - 3 EASY Steps!

In this guide we'll go over some of the ways to change the FPS of compositions and footage layers in Adobe After Effects. We'll also cover different things you can do with adjusted FPS and how it can be utilized to make higher quality videos.

April 16, 2023
How To Change FPS In After Effects - 3 EASY Steps!
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Changing the frame rate in Adobe After Effects can be a crucial step when creating high-quality videos. A higher frame rate can make the video smoother and more visually appealing, while a lower frame rate can help reduce file size and improve playback performance. In this article, we will guide you through the process of changing the frame rate in Adobe After Effects, step by step.

Change Framerate In After Effects Tutorial - What Is FPS?

Frame rate, or FPS (frames per second), is a measure of how many individual frames are displayed in a second of video. In Adobe After Effects, the frame rate is controlled in the Composition Settings dialog box. You have the control to change the frame rate to match the frame rate of your source footage or to create a desired look or feel for your animation. A higher frame rate will result in a smoother and more fluid video, while a lower frame rate can give a more stylized or cinematic look. It's important to choose the right frame rate for your project, as changing it can have a significant impact on the final result.

Plugin/extension for low and high FPS effects in After Effects

VideoLancer's time stretch function let's you manipulate the speed of a video in real time, without affecting the framerate of the composition.

change frame rate in Adobe After Effects
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How do I change the framerate of a composition in After Effects?

The first step is to create a new composition from or with your existing footage. To create a new composition, go to the "Composition" menu and select "New Composition". In the "New Composition" dialog box, you can set the desired frame rate and other settings for your video. Once you've done that, follow these steps to change the FPS to your desired amount after the comp has been created:

  1. Open your project in After Effects.
  2. Go to the Composition menu and select Composition Settings.
  3. In the Composition Settings dialog box, go to the Frame Rate drop-down menu and select the desired frame rate. The dropdown menu will show you a few popular framerates to choose from, but if you want to use a more specific framerate, simply type it manually in the input field.
  4. Click OK to apply the changes.

Another way to do this is by clicking on a composition and selecting Composition Settings from the context menu and re-setting the FPS from there.

Adjust layer timings

Changing the frame rate of a composition can affect the overall timing and duration of your animations and effects. It's a good idea to preview your changes and adjust any keyframes or timings as needed.

If you notice any timing errors as a result of the FPS change, you may need to adjust the timing of the layers in your video to match the new frame rate. To do this, select the layer you want to adjust in the "Timeline" panel and use the "Stretch" tool to adjust the timing of the layer.

Here's a visual demonstration of the steps we mentioned above:

How to set the fps in After Effects

The framerate of your composition is automatically set from the selected preset when creating a composition. If you are unhappy with the framerate that comes with the preset, then choose a different preset (or just customize it with your own framerate).

How to convert footage to a different frame rate in After Effects?

How do I get 30 FPS to 60 FPS in After Effects? Follow these steps to convert the FPS of any footage in AE!

  1. Right-click the file in the file list and select "Interpret Footage" > Main.
  2. In the Interpret Footage dialog box, go to the Frame Rate drop-down menu and select the desired frame rate.
  3. Right-click the file again and choose "New comp from selection."
  4. The new composition will have the frame rate and length that you specified. You can then export this composition to create a video with the desired frame rate.

How to change frames to seconds in After Effects

To perform this conversion in After Effects, you can use the Timecode panel, which displays the current time in the composition as a combination of hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. To access the Timecode panel, go to Window > Timecode.

Alternatively, you can also use the Layer > Time > Time Remapping function to add keyframes to the layer's time remapping property, which allows you to stretch or compress the layer's timing over time. This can be helpful if you want to change the duration of a layer or the entire composition.

Best frame rate in After Effects for cinematic & lifestyle videos

Depending on what type of video you're creating, the ideal framerate can vary from as low as 15 FPS to 240FPS and beyond. We recommend 24 FPS for short films and movies. For YouTube videos, 30 FPS is most ideal, and for music videos and other types of content that requires plenty of movement and effects, you could even go up to 120 FPS and add in your own motion blur if necessary.

How to Change Video Frame Rate in After Effects

Now that you know how to change the framerate of your composition in After Effects, it's time to learn how to edit the footage of a video layer. Here's how it's done: 

To recap:

  1. Right click on your footage in the project menu and select "Interpret footage" then "main."
  2. Select "use framerate from file" or select the "conform to framerate" option to enter in your desired FPS

How to match the frame rate of a composition to the frame rate of your footage in After Effects

To match the frame rate of a composition to the frame rate of your footage in Adobe After Effects, follow these steps:

  1. Import your footage into After Effects by going to File > Import > File, or by dragging and dropping the footage into the Project panel.
  2. Select the footage in the Project panel and go to File > Interpret Footage > Main.
  3. In the Interpret Footage dialog box, go to the Frame Rate drop-down menu and select the option that matches the frame rate of your footage.
  4. Click OK to apply the changes.
  5. Create a new composition by going to Composition > New Composition or by right-clicking in the Project panel and selecting New Composition from the context menu.
  6. In the Composition Settings dialog box, go to the Frame Rate drop-down menu and select the option that matches the frame rate of your footage.
  7. Click OK to apply the changes.

Now, your composition will have the same frame rate as your footage, and you can edit and animate your footage within the composition using the tools and features of After Effects. Keep in mind that changing the frame rate of a composition can affect the overall timing and duration of your animations and effects. It's a good idea to preview your changes and adjust any keyframes or timings as needed.

How to change frame rate in After Effects - Conclusion

Now that you know how to adjust the framerate of your composition and footage in Adobe After Effects, go out there and make some awesome videos! Use a high frame rate for time remapping. Use 24 - 30fps for YouTube videos and social media content, and last but not least, go all the way down to just 15FPS to achieve a retro/vintage camera vibe for your video! Use in conjunction with the right editing style and color correction to create the perfect video!