How to Fix "After Effects Not Rendering Audio"
After Effects is a powerful tool for motion graphics and video editing, but one of the most frustrating issues users encounter is when the audio refuses to render or is missing from the final output.
This problem can stem from a variety of sources, ranging from incorrect audio settings to system conflicts.
The first step in resolving this issue is to ensure that your composition has the correct audio settings.
Start by checking the composition's audio settings to ensure that the audio track is enabled.
Go to the Timeline panel and make sure the audio layer is not muted or disabled.
You can check the audio waveform to verify that the audio is present in the timeline.
If the audio still isn't rendering, check your export settings.
When exporting a video, ensure that the audio checkbox is selected in the Output Module settings.
If you're using a custom export preset, make sure that the audio codec is set properly, for example, AAC or Uncompressed.
If the audio settings are correct and the issue persists, it could be due to After Effects' audio hardware settings.
Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio Hardware, and ensure that your output device is properly selected.
If you’re using external audio equipment, like a sound card, try disconnecting and reconnecting it.
Sometimes, after making updates or changes to your hardware, After Effects may fail to recognize the correct device, resulting in audio issues during export.
Another common issue is the sample rate mismatch between your audio files and the project.
Check that the audio file’s sample rate matches your project’s audio settings.
For example, if your project is set to 48 kHz and your audio file is 44.1 kHz, After Effects might have trouble processing the audio during export.
You can either convert the audio sample rate in an external program or change your project’s settings to match the audio file.
Clearing the cache can also resolve audio rendering issues.
Go to Edit > Preferences > Media & Disk Cache and clear the cache, especially if you’ve been working on the project for an extended period.
Corrupted cache files may interfere with the audio rendering process.
If none of these steps resolve the issue, try reinstalling your audio drivers or updating After Effects to the latest version.
In some cases, audio rendering issues are related to bugs or compatibility problems that are fixed in newer releases of the software.
Lastly, check if you have any third-party audio plugins that might be conflicting with After Effects.
Disable or remove them temporarily to see if the issue persists.
If After Effects renders audio without any issues after removing the plugin, you can either find an alternative plugin or contact the plugin developer for an update.
