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xjuanfx
Inspiring
August 17, 2025

After Effects 25.4 won't start, it crashes on the splash screen, but there is a solution.

  • August 17, 2025
  • 5 replies
  • 1538 views

After Effects 25.4 does not start, it crashes on the splash screen, but deleting the microsoft.ai.machinelearning.dll file located in: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC\File Formats, fixes the problem.

I am not sure if that same file is present in version 25.3.

PC SPECS:
- Ryzen 7 2700X
- RX 6500XT
- 16GB of RAM
- Windows 11 Pro 24H2 (26100.4946)

    5 replies

    J
    jayborland
    Participant
    June 5, 2026

    If you use the windows resource available to you, specifically Event Viewer and go down into Windows Logs → Application and select the error logged, you will see clearly that it tells you microsoft.ai.machinelearning.dll is causing the problem, then renaming it from microsoft.ai.machinelearning.dll → microsoft.ai.machinelearning.bak and running AE again, you will find it now loads. There is no credit due or special fix, simply use your common logic and the tools available to troubleshoot.

    J
    jayborland
    Participant
    June 5, 2026

    Log Name: Application
    Source: Application Error
    Date: 05 Jun 2026 12:32:28
    Event ID: 1000
    Task Category: (100)
    Level: Error
    Keywords: Classic
    User: N/A
    Computer: AUX-DESIGN
    Description:
    Faulting application name: AfterFX.exe, version: 26.2.1.2, time stamp: 0x69e301de
    Faulting module name: microsoft.ai.machinelearning.dll, version: 1.23.0.0, time stamp: 0x68e9647b
    Exception code: 0xc0000409
    Fault offset: 0x00000000000e0827
    Faulting process ID: 0x310c
    Faulting application start time: 0x01dcf4d68ca305f7
    Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2026\Support Files\AfterFX.exe
    Faulting module path: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC\File Formats\microsoft.ai.machinelearning.dll
    Report ID: 30ca96f7-6f9a-42eb-8237-54755938b44d
    Faulting package full name:
    Faulting package-relative application ID:
    Event Xml: http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event
    <System>
    <Provider Name="Application Error" />
    <EventID Qualifiers="0">1000</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>2</Level>
    <Task>100</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2026-06-05T10:32:28.3172682Z" />
    <EventRecordID>8384</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
    <Channel>Application</Channel>
    <Computer>AUX-DESIGN</Computer>
    <Security />
    </System>
    <EventData>
    <Data>AfterFX.exe</Data>
    <Data>26.2.1.2</Data>
    <Data>69e301de</Data>
    <Data>microsoft.ai.machinelearning.dll</Data>
    <Data>1.23.0.0</Data>
    <Data>68e9647b</Data>
    <Data>c0000409</Data>
    <Data>00000000000e0827</Data>
    <Data>310c</Data>
    <Data>01dcf4d68ca305f7</Data>
    <Data>C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2026\Support Files\AfterFX.exe</Data>
    <Data>C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC\File Formats\microsoft.ai.machinelearning.dll</Data>
    <Data>30ca96f7-6f9a-42eb-8237-54755938b44d</Data>
    <Data>
    </Data>
    <Data>
    </Data>
    </EventData>
    </Event>

    I renamed the microsoft.ai.machinelearning.dll to microsoft.ai.machinelearning.bak and then ran AE again and it loads fine.
    So its definitely the microsoft.ai.machinelearning.dll that causing problems. Is there a different version of it or one thats patched which will allow me to retain the AI functionality?

    S
    something_6935
    Participant
    August 22, 2025

    You can view this yourself on Monkrus app comments section for this from the start of August:
    https://ibb.co/zh408WDJ

    S
    something_6935
    Participant
    August 22, 2025

    This isn't your own fix, you are taking credit for something that has been posted already on non-genuiune Adobe sites.

     

    This is posetd on Monkrus Premiere Pro app comments sesction for Adobe After Effects 2025 (v25.4) Multilingual

     

    You have just posted this on various forums trying to get credit for the fix.

     

    Comment section showing solution from start of August

    E
    erfan_1868
    Participant
    August 21, 2025

    Have the same problem, and it helps. Thank you so much. But, how can we fix this problem without deleting this file. This file will be need it for ai

    M
    Mike_Red
    Inspiring
    August 19, 2025

    Whoah!! Thank you so much for this. Your trick did wonders! I deleted this file and AE can finally launch. I wonder how this basic bug went unnoticed at Adobe's end. 

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