After Effects target version
Downgrade your project to After Effects 2026
Turn a newer .aep into a file After Effects 2026 opens directly. The conversion runs in your browser, so the file never touches a server. The newest target, used to bring a project built in a prerelease back to a release build.
- Target version
- After Effects 2026
- Adobe version number
- 26.0
- Stability
- Stable
- Source versions that can come down
- none — already the newest target
- Where the file goes
- Nowhere — it stays in your browser
- Cost
- Free
Which versions can be downgraded to AE 2026
Any AE project newer than 2026 can come down to it.
What changes after downgrading to AE 2026
Anything 2026 cannot read is cleared out, which is what lets it open the project. That is the nature of downgrading, not a conversion error. Layers, effects and expressions are kept wherever possible.
- 1
Open the After Effects downgrader and drop in your .aep.
- 2
Pick “AE 2026” as the target version.
- 3
Download the converted file from the browser; your original project stays as it is.
Questions about this page
Can I downgrade a project from the newest AE to 2026?
Yes. 2026 is one of 9 target versions available here.
Is my project uploaded during conversion?
No. After Effects conversion runs entirely inside your browser. The file is never sent to a server, and your original project is never modified.
The result will not open — how do I check?
Confirm the AE you have installed is at least version 26.0. If it is lower, the target you picked is newer than your install.