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

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.

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

1. Launching Your Workspace

‍After you open After Effects, you'll be greeted by the standard workspace. This is where all the magic happens. At the top, you'll see the main menu, which is your primary navigation tool. Here, you'll find options ranging from file operations, editing tools, to advanced settings.

Example: As I'm writing this, I've just launched After Effects on my system, and the familiar workspace appears with the main menu prominently displayed at the top.

2. Starting a New Project

‍From the main menu, hover your cursor over the 'File' option. This will reveal a dropdown menu. From this list, select 'New', and then click on 'New Project'. This action will set the foundation for your new creation.

Example: On my screen, I'm hovering over 'File', and as the dropdown appears, I'm moving down to 'New' and then selecting 'New Project'. A blank canvas awaits my creative inputs.

3. Creating a New Composition

‍Now that you've got your project open, it's time to create a new composition. Go back to the main menu, find 'File', then select 'New', and this time choose 'New Composition'. A composition in After Effects is akin to a sequence in other video editing software. It's where you'll place all your layers, effects, and animations.

Example: Following the previous steps, I'm now clicking on 'New Composition'. The 'Composition Settings' window pops up, revealing a myriad of settings waiting to be adjusted.

4. Adjusting the Frame Rate

‍Once the 'Composition Settings' window is open, you'll notice the frame rate section. By default, After Effects sets this to 29.97 FPS. However, depending on your project, you might want to change this. Look for the 'Frame Rate' tab, which is situated right under the project's size settings tool. Click on it, and a dropdown will appear, allowing you to modify the FPS to your desired value.

Example: On my 'Composition Settings' window, I see the default frame rate of 29.97. But for my current project, I want a cinematic look, so I'm pulling down the 'Frame Rate' tab and selecting 24 FPS.

Bonus Tip - 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:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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!