After Effects CC 2019 & 2020 --- After Effects Error: File Exists but couldn't be open for reading

[bbab22]

Last week, I updated my mac with the latest version of Adobe After Effects 2020.  I still kept the CC 2019 version installed just in case I had a difficult time opening my files.  Now when launching either CC 2019 / CC 2020 version of After Effects, I cannot open any of my previously created after effects files whatsoever.  I am getting the error message: After Effects Error: File Exists but couldn't be open for reading: "FILE NAME.aep" ( 3 :: 0) . At this point I really have no idea what to do to move forward. Any help is greatly appreciated.  

[mikemaes]

Yes this has saved my day!! Thank you so much!

[deepakk96833450]

Thanks . its works👌

[Racquel24560344fvdr]

100000 works!!!!

[koren35422302e39a]

works for mac

[Guest]

 https://www.howtogeek.com/443611/how-macos-catalinas-new-security-features-work/

Head to System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Privacy and click on the “Files and Folders” option to see any apps that have requested access. You can also grant access to your whole disk by clicking “Full Disk Access.” Note that some apps, like duplicate file finders, will require that you allow access to your entire drive using this menu.

[sanuths54811523]

Thank you so much! it worked for me 🙂 

[martak28685463]

Hi! did you find any solution for windows users?
I'm keeping my 2019 version .... because of some previous problems with importing pose to pose, Ps png sequences into Ae 2020 version .... , and now I see I am not able to switch fluently from Ae 2019 to Ae 2020 version with another project ... (sic!)
what a mess!

[Sam Lynch]

Solution for windows found.

If you right click on the application and select "run as administrator", on startup you will be prompted to allow permission for the application to read and write to disk.

Just click accept and it should grand all necessary permissions and solve the issue.

[ericm54114199]

This is still an unsolved issue.

This one isnt a Problem solved thing either. Im a windows user and I tried just that but to no avail. Im expereinceing the very same issue as Bbab22 above and unfortunately its going to cost me the entire job I just shot over 4 days. Cant meet deadline because this error shows up quite randomly and often. Anytime I so much as move a curser or even touch a clip. And with a timeline jam packed full of clips and getting an error for each of those clips, I have to say OK to each and every file in the lineup and out of nowhere.. Thus making this the longest edit in world history;

Sorry this is not a fix either. I truly wish Adobe could understand the severity of their BUGs/issues and just how much it can affect ones career.

[Microsip OR]

Had this problem for weeks and this fixed it!! Thank you so much

Now Media Encoder can't read AE's archives to export...

[aven d]

broo you save my life for real....really thankyou...God

[ericm54114199]

I too have this problem and its affecting my career and reputation as the longest edit in world history. Adobe has no idea the ramifications when these things happen and just how it affects people. Its costing me this entire job. Which I just lost. I racked my head searching for answers for the past 9 days. Too little too late. However Id still love to hear from that amazing Adobe Team. Im kidding obviously. Not amazing. Can anyone please for the love of car payments, rent and insurance please, get your heads out of your butts and help solve this Adobe. Bunch of monkeys

Windows user, with the same error mesaage as stated above.

[Chadman]

Yes l'm on Windows to and having a similar probably with AE and BRAW files!!! Basically once l open up the project l get the error message of "File exists but couldn't etc etc." I then hit the enter button and l get another error message related to the same file saying "Unable to open file F;\(directory path): If the file is opened in another application, closing it may resolve the problem" I hit enter again and then AE moves onto the next BRAW file and l have to repeated the same thing for every BRAW file in the project. The files are still linked in the project but l have to do this EVERY time l go to another window be it Windows File Explorer, a browser etc. 

[keithb95143484]

Same thing happening to me.  I'm on a fresh intall of Windows with BRAW footage too.  Using BRAW studio from Autokroma.  OS, Adobe and Braw studio all at the latest versions as of 9/1/20.  I have never had an issue like this, and it is annoying as hell. Got on this, Adobe.

[erics23675258]

Same here. Adding my voice onto here so that Adobe sees how much of an issue this is. My problem is with BRAW files as well. Thankfully my project only needs a handful of clips, so I only need to mash enter a few times to get around it, but his is far from acceptable for a program I depend on for my career.

[seizeneuvieme]

Same problem. Adobe, you need to do something,  please !

[Stavoula]

Hello to everyone. 

I found another solution! I've tried everything mention but nothing worked for me. So, I did a "FIRST AID" to my external disk, where the AE project and the files were stored. I worked immidiately! 

> First aid: Disk Utility > [Select the disk] > First Aid (at the top right).

Good luck!

[Piotr5C95]

Thanks, it looks like fix for me 🙂 

[greg_3561]

I got the same error message, but figured out it was a DIFFERENT PROBLEM with a DIFFERENT SOLUTION than the "correct answer": the affected files had letters with accents!

The filename had the word "Étoile" in it, and I just changed it to "Etoile". Fixed the problem.