After Effects can’t continue: unexpected failure during application startup

[Concept-Production]

Hello community,
Anybody know how to solve this ?
I am using macOS Catalina Version 10.15.2 Processor 3,6 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9

All other's Adobe applications are loading without any issue. The only one that is throwing error is After Effect…

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[Sebastian_Menendez]

 I found a solution on my own I want to share it.  If you have the message Unexpected failure during application startup or After Effects warning: Could not find the user documents directory.

try to remember if when you installed the software originally you had an additional hard drive,  if that is the case connect a USB drive and start changing the letter on the drive for example from D: to E: and so on. It worked for me when I reached F: because I had multiple hard drives when I installed Adobe Creative Cloud in the past. I hope this helps.

[C2O]

Hi Sajjad,

Thanks for your reply. I'm following up on the matter, I believe the issue stated above was for Mac OS, although your instructions are for Microsoft.

I followed all the above guidance from previous community helpers, but nothing works for me and After effects still can't be opened. It's urgent that I use the sotfware for a client or will loose a bulk of money I live on... I'm desperate and have tried everything.

Can you please help? 
*Screenshots of the error messages are attached.

Coline

[Warren Heaton]

@C2O 

You're experiencing this with the current version of After Effects, correct?

There's a known issue with Catalina that's documented here:
https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/kb/known-issues-after-effects.html

Specifically:

May 2022 (Version 22.4) release
Issue: After Effects 22.3 and 22.4 crashes on start up when running on MacOS versions 10.15.0 through 10.15.3.
Workaround: Upgrade MacOS to 10.15.4 or above, or use After Effects 22.5 Beta, build 29 or above. For After Effects 22.5x29 and above, Transmit of DV video content over Firewire is unsupported on MacOS 10.15.0 through 10.15.3.

[C2O]

Morning Warren,

Thanks for the fast reply.

I'm on the latest OS version (Monterey) and have re-installed the latest After Effects version (not opening). I've also given full disk access to After Effects as recommended in previous replies (screenshots).

[Pixover Lab Inc]

Bro, Sorry for late reply. I'm busy now. So, Already have given solutions for your problem on mac. Please read carefully. Contact me

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[reneed34718078]

This video helped me to resolve the problem

https://youtu.be/sQSvMiBknLs?si=8mqiij7tQNT6lZ5S 

[C.lowe]

I know the issue is long-standing, but I just encountered this issue for the first time. I seem to have solved it for myself, although not sure if this will help everyone. But I opened "After Effects Render Engine" which appeared as a separate icon to my After Effects when i searched in Launchpad. When I did that, it opened the render queue, but also After Effects in whole, without issue. Since then I have not reencountered the error.

[ATOMIC BOY]

Very old thread, but I just had this problem: AE2024 crashed while rendering (something it had already rendered once before). Restarts didn't help, but I noticed in the Security section of 'Privacy & Security' had blocked a legacy 'Canon' format from loading. Have no idea what it is but clicked 'allow'. AE then launched fine.

[Oliver24508349wxhb]

You need to just upgrade Adobe After FX to the 2024 version [mine was stuck on 2022]. Abobe does not automatically upgrade AFX when you upgrade system software to Sonoma 14.5 . You might need Adobe supprt to help you through the stages, Hope this helps .