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1Load engine

2Detect source

3Select target

4Create copy

AEP STRUCTURE CONVERTER

Downgrade After Effects Projects
Open them in older versions

Pick a .aep file and a target version — the engine parses the structure and fixes compatibility fields. Everything runs in your browser memory, your file never leaves the device.

No upload · 100% local

Runtime

In browser

Targets

AE 2018-2026

Upload

0 bytes

Latency

< 1 sec

Import project

Drag your project file here

or click the button to browse

Choose target version

Loading engine

Convert & download

Why it works

Structured rebuild with on-device processing

Private by design

Runs entirely in browser memory — files never leave your device

Structured parsing

Reads the RIFX structure and patches compatibility fields per target

Wide version coverage

AE 2018 → 2026, available targets unlock automatically

Free online AEP downgrader

Qi AEP Downgrader is a free, install-free After Effects project downgrader that converts high-version .aep files into formats openable by AE 2018 - AE 2026, right inside your browser. Instead of patching a single version byte, it rebuilds the RIFX container structurally and replaces the complete version signature table, avoiding corrupted projects and “cannot open file” errors after conversion. Ideal for team collaboration, asset hand-off and working on older machines.

How to downgrade an After Effects project

Three steps, under ten seconds

1
Import the .aep file
Drop the After Effects project into the area above. The engine immediately reads the RIFX container header and detects the current project version.
2
Pick a target version
Choose any version from AE 2018 to AE 2026. Only versions lower than the current one are unlocked — greyed-out targets cannot be downgraded safely.
3
Download the downgraded copy
The engine rewrites the version signature and compatibility fields for the target version and downloads a new copy. Your original file is never modified.

Supported After Effects versions

Structured rebuild aligned with the official logic, AE 2018 - 2026 covered

AE 2018
v15
EXPERIMENTAL
AE 2019
v16
EXPERIMENTAL
AE 2020
v17
EXPERIMENTAL
AE 2021
v18
EXPERIMENTAL
AE 2022
v22
EXPERIMENTAL
AE 2023
v23
STABLE
AE 2024
v24
STABLE
AE 2025
v25
STABLE
AE 2026
v26
STABLE

STABLE targets are fully verified. EXPERIMENTAL targets should be test-opened on a copy first.

Frequently asked questions

About AEP downgrading, compatibility and privacy

Why can’t older After Effects open a newer project?＋

An After Effects project (.aep) is a big-endian RIFX container. The version signature stored in the file header decides whether After Effects accepts the file. A project saved by a newer build is rejected outright by older builds, which is why the version identifier and related compatibility fields must be rewritten.

Why does patching a single version byte corrupt the project?＋

After AE 2020 the format introduced new chunks such as ldta and ppSn. Changing only the version number makes the parser read data at wrong offsets, corrupting the structure. This tool performs a structured rebuild: chunks are trimmed or padded for the target version and the complete version signature table is replaced, matching the official result.

Will I lose content after conversion?＋

Compositions, layers, keyframes and effects are preserved, because only version-related fields are rewritten and chunks unknown to the target version are trimmed. Features that do not exist in the target version (new effects or properties) are naturally unavailable, so bake or replace them beforehand.

Is my project uploaded to a server?＋

No. Conversion runs entirely in your browser memory — file data never leaves your machine, and no sign-up is required.

Which input versions are supported? Can it upgrade?＋

The engine recognizes projects from AE CC 2014 through AE 2026 and offers AE 2018 - AE 2026 as downgrade targets. This tool only downgrades (newer to older); it cannot upgrade an old project to a newer version.

What do the error codes mean?＋

1002 means unsupported file format — make sure you selected a .aep rather than .aepx or an archive. 1003 means version detection failed and the project may be damaged. 1005 means structured rebuild failed. Re-save the project in After Effects and try again.