How to Make After Effects Run Faster (7 Simple Fixes)

Working in After Effects can be frustrating when things start to lag or slow down. Whether you're previewing a comp or rendering a final export, performance issues can really kill your momentum.

The good news? There are several easy ways to speed things up.

These are the same tips I use on both client projects and personal work to keep things running smoothly, even on mid-range machines.

Let’s walk through the most effective fixes.

1. Lower Your Preview Resolution

One of the quickest ways to reduce lag is by adjusting your preview resolution.

1. Go to the Preview Panel
2. Change Resolution from Full to Half or Quarter

This tells After Effects to render fewer pixels during playback, which speeds things up without affecting your final output.

2. Enable Disk Cache and Increase Its Size

After Effects uses disk cache to store preview frames so it doesn’t have to re-render them every time.

1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Media & Disk Cache (Windows) or After Effects > Preferences > Media & Disk Cache (Mac)
2. Make sure Disk Cache is enabled
3. Increase the Maximum Disk Cache Size (20–50 GB is a good starting point)
4. Set the cache location on a fast drive (SSD if possible)

This helps with smoother previews and faster re-renders of previously viewed sections.

3. Purge Memory and Disk Cache Regularly

If you’ve been working for hours, memory can get clogged. Clearing it out helps free up resources.

1. Go to Edit > Purge > All Memory & Disk Cache (Windows) or After Effects > Purge > All Memory & Disk Cache (Mac)

Do this especially after heavy comps or when things start feeling sluggish.

4. Use Proxies for High-Resolution Footage

If you’re working with 4K or RAW files, proxies can make a huge difference.

1. Right-click your footage in the Project panel
2. Choose Create Proxy > Movie
3. Render a lower-resolution version
4. After Effects will use this lighter file while editing but switch back for final render

This keeps your timeline responsive without sacrificing quality later on.

5. Close Unused Comps and Layers

Every open comp adds overhead. If you’re not actively working in it, close it out. Same goes for layers that are hidden or turned off but still processing effects in the background.

Also consider precomposing complex groups of layers and turning off motion blur or effects temporarily while editing.

6. Turn Off Unused Effects During Editing

Some effects like Glow, Blur, or third-party plugins can be heavy on performance. You don’t have to delete them, just disable them temporarily:

1. Select the layer
2. Click the fx icon next to the effect name in the timeline

You’ll still see your layout but without real-time processing of those effects until you turn them back on.

7. Use GPU Acceleration When Available

Make sure you’re using GPU acceleration if your system supports it:

1. Go to File > Project Settings
2. Under Video Rendering and Effects, choose Mercury GPU Acceleration

This offloads some tasks from your CPU to your graphics card, which can help with rendering and previews depending on your hardware setup.

Final Thoughts

After Effects is powerful but resource-hungry. If it’s running slow, don’t panic, small changes like lowering resolution or using proxies can make a big difference right away.

And if you're working on complex projects regularly, investing in more RAM or an SSD drive will pay off long-term too.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make After Effects run faster?

To speed up After Effects:

1. Lower preview resolution
2. Enable disk cache
3. Use proxies for large files
4. Turn off unused effects
5. Enable GPU acceleration
   These steps reduce lag and improve overall performance during editing and rendering.

How do I make After Effects less laggy?

Reduce lag by setting preview resolution to Half or Quarter, clearing memory cache often, disabling heavy effects while editing, and using proxies for high-res footage. Also close unused comps and layers that aren’t needed at the moment.

How do you speed up a project in After Effects?

Speed up a project by precomposing complex layers, trimming unused footage from timelines, using simpler effects during previews, and enabling disk cache with enough space allocated on an SSD drive if possible.

How to run After Effects better?

Optimize performance by:

• Using Mercury GPU Acceleration
• Increasing RAM allocation in preferences
• Keeping compositions clean and organized
• Avoiding unnecessary expressions
  These help After Effects run more efficiently across different types of projects.