Can no longer import adobe animate FLA files into after effects

[Elijah37672291wpr3]

Every time I try to import a file from adobe animate in to After effects 2024-2025 it remains stuck at 0 then displays the error message "an error occurred while importing this file . Please try again". I have tried every troubleshooting method possible and spoken to Adobe customer service, no luck. Please help.

 

[kglad]

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

<"moved from using the community">

[ShiveringCactus]

I had heard of issues before with FLAs, so did a quick search to find the solution for you.   It looks like there have been issues after updates in the past.

This thread of 2023 talked about a bug with Animate:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects-bugs/unable-to-import-fla-files-into-ae/idi-p/13575254

[Warren Heaton]

@Elijah37672291wpr3 

Sorry to hear that you're experiencing this issue. 

In your trouble-shooting, try to import one of the tutorial FLA files that are included with Animate.  If that imports as expected, you have a better idea of it being a FLA related issue or Animate/Ae issue.

If importing an Adobe Animate FLA file into an Adobe After Effects project file is not working as expected (that is, the FLA Importer is not converting the FLA into SWF files placed inside a Composition), you may need to fall back on one of the older methods for getting from Animate to After Effects.  First, though, double-check on the Animate side that you have "Optimized for After Effects" enabled in the Animate Publish Settings.  I think it was Animate 23.0 that has a known issue that Animate 23.1 resolved - so check your version numbers as well.

The older method that I preferred before we had the FLA Importer was to export SWFs from each Animate Scene that needs to go to the After Effects project; however, this is a little easier said than done.  I would often duplicate the Scene based on how the artwork needs to be layered on the After Effects side (one duplicate Scene for what would eventually be an Ae Layer each), deleting sprites from cells or hiding layers that were not needed in what would be the resulting Ae Comp Layer and then exporting an SWF.  While this always worked well enough, it was enough busy work to made the FLA Importer a very welcome addition to the Animate to Ae workflow.  The duplicate Scenes created for export can be deleted from the FLA once everything in Ae looks as expected.

Another option is to export a QuickTime movie or, if needed for layering, multiple QuickTime Movies.

You may already aware of this, but for best results going from Animate to After Effects, the Scenes in Animate should be set up like linear, time-based animations without Movie Loops or interactive elements commonly used in the frame-based Timeline of Animate. 

It might be worth reviewing Working with Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects from the Animate user guide as well.

[Matt Bean]

Same problem.  Any solution?

[Matt Bean]

I'm seeing that this has been a problem for years.  It appears there's no solution.  I was learning the adobe suite but maybe I'll try another software too for animation.

[nishu_kush]

Hi Matt,

What version of After Effects are you using? Would you mind sharing the FLA file so that we can investigate the issue on our end? Feel free to DM me the file if you do not want to share it publicly.

Looking forward to your response.

Thanks,
Nishu

[Elijah37672291wpr3]

I have installed and uninstalled all versions of After Effects from
2024-2025 and Animate . No FLA file works; the bug is impacting all FLAs .
I have attached a test FLA that does not work.

[Lyla28892556puwp]

Im having this issue right now too - the cloud auto updates so i have AE 25.2 and Animate 24.0.8 and i am getting the error. i also tried bringing the animate file into an older version of AE (2024) and no luck.

This is unacceptable imo, i use this feature all the time (i was literally using it last week???) and now I can't work. This needs to be fixed ASAP

[Warren Heaton]

@nishu_kush 

I'm able to reproduce this issue.

Here's a full bug report:

• Issue – Animate to After Effects workflow does not work as expected. 
  
  
• Steps to reproduce – Import an Animate authoring file (FLA) into an After Effects project.
  
  
• Expected result – After briefly showing “Preparing to Import”, After Effects should show the Import Preferences dialog box where users can choose a folder, enable Import Audio, and then click OK.  There should then be a folder in the After Effects project panel with the name of the FLA that was imported that contains the converted SWF files and a Composition with the name of the FLA where we can see and play the animation.
  How this should work is shown in Chris Georgenes Animate to After Effects workflow beginner tutorial included with the Animate Learn online documentation.  This tutorial includes sample file that can used to reproduce this issue.
  
  
• Actual result -  In After Effects 2025, an “Importing selected items” status window appears as expected and remains at 0%.  After a short wait the following Error dialog box appears: An error occurred while importing this file. Please try again. OK.  Then nothing is imported.
  
  
• Adobe Animate versions – Animate 2024 version 24.0.8, Animate 2023 version 23.0.11
  
  
• Adobe After Effects versions

 – After Effects 2023 version 23.6.9

 – After Effects 2024 version 24.6.4

 – After Effects 2025 version 25.0.8

• Operating system – macOS Ventura 13.7.4
  
  

Work Around – SWF files can be exported from the FLA in Adobe Animate, imported, added to a Composition and layered in After Effects; however, this is a good amount of busy work if the intention is to have one Layer in the resulting After Effects Composition for each Layer in the corresponding Animate Scene as a separate SWF needs to be exported for each Animate Layer.   This includes exporting multiple times, once for each Layer while all the other Layers are set to be Guide Layers.

- Warren

[James31931658069r]

We are seeing this issue too. 

But oddly it does not seem to affect all users, so there is something version or configuration-wise that allows this feature to work for some people. I have tried with the same versions installed as the users who *can* import files, so I'm at a loss why it's not wokring for others including myself. 

[Bewitched_leader3170]

I had this problem too. I thought it was an AfterEffects issue so I downgraded AfterEffects but the fla file was still not imported. So I downgraded Animate and it was imported normally. (24.0.8->24.0.7)

[Magne22016845ysi1]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been importing .fla files from Adobe Animate into After Effects for years as part of my daily workflow. While it’s never been 100% reliable, it did work consistently enough for daily use—until yesterday.

Yesterday, I upgraded to After Effects 2025, and since then, AE freezes whenever I try to import a .fla file. Sometimes I get an error message saying:

"Error importing this file. Please try again."

I’ve since tried reverting to different versions of After Effects, including 2023, which previously worked fine—but I’m still unable to import any .fla files. AE just freezes or becomes unresponsive.

This is a huge issue for me as I rely on this workflow for client projects and have deadlines coming up fast. I’ve tried basic troubleshooting like clearing caches and restarting, but no luck so far.

Has anyone else run into this issue? Any suggestions or fixes would be greatly appreciated. I really need to get this resolved ASAP.

Thanks in advance!

[jenkmeister]

Please make sure you have Adobe Animate installed and up to date. AE relies on Animate for .fla file import.

[Magne22016845ysi1]

It is updated. I have the latest version of both animate and AE as well as 23, 24, version for both programs.

[Caroline27001166shnx]

Exactly the same issue for me! Was fine the last two months, and up unitl Monday . Now yesterday and today I can't use it at all! I have tried older versions, uninstalling, reinstalling both ae and animate. I'm on a deadline. It's ridicuolous!

[Caroline27001166shnx]

ah thanks - I'll try downgrade animate. I've been downgarding ae. 

[Caroline27001166shnx]

OMG THIS WORKED!!!!!!!! Thank you so much! 

[Elijah37672291wpr3]

Are you guys spewing propaganda or bots? I downgraded Adobe Animate and it
still does not work. The issue is with FLA files it does not matter what
version of Animate it is. I don't even see the person you guys are replying
to, so I'm assuming you're all Adobe employees doing damage control.

[Caroline27001166shnx]

Hey - no, I'm a real person. I downgraded my Animate to 24.0.7 and it worked for me. I'm sorry you're not having the same success. It's such a pain!

[heba~]

Same problem here >> seems like it's FIXED with the new update.

I've just updated Animate and After Effects, and now the import works just as it was.

[Magne22016845ysi1]

Hi everyone,

I'm following up because this is still a critical issue for us.

I posted earlier about After Effects freezing when trying to import .fla files from Animate. I received a suggestion to update the software—which I had already done (and which actually triggered the issue in the first place). After that, the thread was closed before the problem was resolved, and my follow-up hasn’t gotten any response.

This is a serious blocker for our studio. We rely heavily on the .fla import workflow for daily production, and we have pressing deadlines coming up. Right now, this feature is completely broken for us, even in versions of AE that used to work fine before the update.

Is anyone at Adobe actively looking into this?

We need to know if this is being addressed, or if there are any workarounds we can use in the meantime. Any updates or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

[Warren Heaton]

@heba~ 

I can confirm that updating the system I use at work (a 2019 Mac Pro running macOS Ventura 13.7.4) to After Effects 23.6.9, 24.6.6, and 25.2.2 resolved the issue for me and I now see the Import Options for FLA files as expected in each version.  These updates were released very recently.

[Warren Heaton]

@Magne22016845ysi1 

Yes, the FLA Importer not working as expected has been a bit of a headache.

Updating the system I use at work (a 2019 Mac Pro running macOS Ventura 13.7.4) to After Effects 23.6.9, 24.6.6, and 25.2.2 resolved the issue for me and I now see the Import Options as expected.  These updates were released very recently.

If you're still having an issue, post your system information in this thread:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects-discussions/can-no-longer-import-adobe-animate-fla-file...

There's a workaround in that thread as well that involves using the old method of exporting SWFs from an FLA for import.

- Warren

[Ulatek333]

im having this problem too, new versions havent fixed anything for me. no fla file works. i cant keep working without polishing in after effects. 

[Caroline27001166shnx]

Did you try downgrade Animate? That solved it for me.