Low memory warning in After Effects 23.0 (2023)

[raymondcraig]

Unfortunately 23.0 did not fix the issue for me on my M1 mac. It still only renders 2 frames at a time and gives the same error. If I revert back to version 22.4 it works perfectly but any subsequent update (including the 23.0 just released) has the playback issue.

Update: version 24.0 working much better!

I had various results with updates 23.1-23.6, most of them still occasionally having the issue saying it's out of memory or even black frames when rendering. It didn't matter if I had all plugins removed, fresh install, and no other programs running. I just updated to v24.0 and instantly started working like it used to before v23.0. RAM previews are loading right away and playing back in realtime speeds. I'll update if anything changes but so far they seem to have fixed the issues plaguing v23+ at least for me.

[cmcilwain4450]

Are you working in an old project? The update started working for me in some existing projects. But I had one in particular (large and spanning a couple AE generations) that just wouldn't work. I had to bite the bullet and start a new one for that client. But AE is working again. The other thing that may have affected it was uninstalling and reinstalling all Red Giant plug-ins.

[raymondcraig]

It looks like you're right. I created a new project and that does seem to playback correctly, but on my older projects the issue persists. Thanks for pointing that out, and I guess I may have to keep both versions installed for the time being so I can still access those files properly.

[Rameez_Khan]

Hi @raymondcraig, 

Try importing your older projects into a new project file and see if that works. 

Thanks for letting us know that new projects work fine, @cmcilwain4450!

Best,

Rameez

[raymondcraig]

I did try that already, and unfortunately I still get the error even when importing it into a new project file.

[tonycomley]

I'm having the same issue. Tried all the fixes listed in this thread, including starting a new project and importing the old. I have no plugins installed and updated to AE 23.1 today with brand new preferences. No settings imported. Still have the issue. AE has been very cumbersome to use for three months now.

I'm on an M1 Mac with 16gb RAM. Project uses just 11 very simple animated shape layers and a static solid over 15 seconds. Had no problems until November last year when this issue showed up.

Here's a screengrab with the issue when trying to RAM preview at quarter res (Full res is 2160 x 2880).

[infactable]

Just install beta version of After Effects and Media Encoder, it's listed
in creative cloud under beta versions

[tonycomley]

Where is that found to have worked? I can see elsewhere in the thread that beta 23.2 was being tested with the intention of pushing it into the full 23.1 release if the issue was fixed. That was two months ago.

[infactable]

I installed the beta version maybe two weeks ago and it worked. In the meanwhile they released an update that I also installed (it was prompted automatically, so I just clicked install). It still works for me on the M1 2021 mac with 8GB memory. I'm loading previews normally even in full resolution.

When you open Creative Cloud under Categories on the left you will find Beta apps, that's where you go to download it. Cheers

[tonycomley]

That's interesting. The latest full update that worked for you didn't work for me. I'm reticent to try betas. Would rather deal with bugs I know than learn about new ones the hard way so close to a deadline.

[John Philip0101]

Just downgrade to 22.3. Will work. 

[billb82733698]

I tried the beta version and still had the low momory issue.

[Warren Heaton]

@tonycomley 

Looks like you need more RAM.

Your screenshot shows that you have at least one Composition that's 9000-by-700 with a duration of four minutes, thirty-seven seconds, and twenty frames in a project that's at 8 bits per channel.  That one Comp is 24 MB per frame for 6,945 frames without factoring in the overhead of After Effects rendering whatever is happening at each frame.  It's hard to tell from the screenshot, but it looks like you have several Comps at these settings.

If I create a Comp at those settings, add a Solid at Comp Size and a Shape Path set to a 10-pixel Stroke Width with Wave Warp applied, After Effects shows that it needs 14.27 GB at first.  After Effects increases to needing 51.99GB as the Preview approaches 00:0130:00 while it caches frames while idle.

While you're working, what do you see when you go to Preferences > Memory & Performance > Show Memory Usage Details?

I've copied and pasted my Memory Details below for reference.

Installed RAM: 64.00 GB Current RAM Usage: 14.27 GB Allowed RAM Usage: 52.00 GB

Process IDApplication NameMin Needed MemoryMax Usable MemoryMax Allowed MemoryCurrent MemoryCurrent Priority

88667After Effects1.0064.0052.0014.271 - High

88674Team Projects Local Hub0.000.000.000.003 - Low

Installed RAM: 64.00 GB Current RAM Usage: 51.99 GB Allowed RAM Usage: 52.00 GB

Process IDApplication NameMin Needed MemoryMax Usable MemoryMax Allowed MemoryCurrent MemoryCurrent Priority

88667After Effects1.0064.0052.0051.991 - High

88674Team Projects Local Hub0.000.000.000.003 - Low

If you have not done so already:

• Disable "Cache Frames While Idle"
• Work at Quarter Resolution or a Custom Resolution (View > Resolution > Full, Half, Third, Quater, Custom)
• Set the Comp duration to a shorter duration (fewer frames = less RAM usage)
• Work with Compositions that are not as wide (fewer pixels = less RAM usage)
• Set the Disk Cache to a high capacity, high bandwidth drive
• More RAM

[tonycomley]

I really appreciate the lengths you've gone to but the variables you list are not the issue:

- I'm not using any of those large comps in the timeline I'm RAM previewing from.

- I recreated the problem today from a project that was reduced to just the timeline you see. So just 11 shape layers and a black solid with no effects, just animated paths with four keyframes on each of the 11 layers in a 2160 x 2880 comp.

- This issue happens across multiple projects and only over the last three months.

- Previously I've used even larger comps with less RAM with no RAM preview issues besides the expected limitations.

- This new issue will render only two frames regardless of preview resolution and return the same specific error that so many here have reported since version 22.4.

I really appreciate the feedback but I've been using After Effects for 15 years and know a bug from a limitation. This issue has been doing the rounds for a few months and you can find several workarounds on YouTube including downgrading to version 22.3.

[jenkmeister]

Hi Tony - I'm going to have one of the engineers who are working on AE's memory management reach out to directly. We'd definitely like to see if we can repro the issue, review your memory settings, the comps you're creating, etc. Clearly something isn't right but to figure that out we'll need to dig in with you further. 

[tonycomley]

Thank you! That's great. I got the DM and will reply in the morning (I'm in
Bali right now with resonating patterns of jet lag). --
Tony Comley
Animation Director

www.tonycomley.com
+44 (0)7917 190748

[Anand26678625z9rk]

Hii i'm still facing this issue in 23.0 on my M1 mac. I created new project and there still showing low ram. 

[Randy - Dice]

V23 major memory leak issue, have 128 gig installed and AE uses all of it even when no project in use, Just by having AE open it starts building up memory usage till it reaches my maximum that I had set in available for AE. Getting same problem as others saying I dont have enough ram to preview a 5 sec clip. Had to revert back to AE 22.5 but even in 22.5 AE builds up ram till it s full but does not affect the previews

[Randy - Dice]

I forgot to mention I m on windows 10, so it has nothing to do with Mac version others are experiencing AE 23 and AE 22.6 are doing the exact same memory eating bug

[michaela55763425]

Same for me! I have M1 max 64go RAM and I cannot play a new project with only a .wav on it...

[jenkmeister]

This perhaps looks more related to having a comp with only an audio file in it. That may still be a bug we need to address, but is this happening when you have visual frames to render?

[Rameez_Khan]

What are your computer specs, @Anand26678625z9rk? 

Do you have any third-party plugins?

[Anand26678625z9rk]

currently my storage 178gb available. and full storage 500gb, and to be honest i don't know i have installed third-party plugins or not. how can i find this?

[Anand26678625z9rk]

@Rameez_Khan my after effect 2023 still not working. they still showing me low memory warning. and i'm doing all things. but that trails dosn't work.

[jmh22]

I am still having the issue on my M1 Max 2021 64 GB computer on AE 23. In fact, it seems to be ocurring even more frequently. New project, no additional programs running etc... I have yet to update my system to Ventura. Has that solved it for anyone?

Thanks!