AE Beta crashes and cannot open

[chrisd11592954]

I updated AE Beta to the last version a few weeks ago and it simply crashes everytime I launch it.

(System Apple m2 max, last OS version.)

Every time the same crash message :

 I avoid updating AE regular to the last version, cause if this happens too I won't be able to work anymore...

[JohnColombo]

Hi @chrisd11592954,

Thank you for reporting this issue. I do see some crashes from you in our system, but they appear to be mostly from Premiere (Beta) and Media Encoder. Have you been seeing crashes in those apps as well?

The crashes appear to be caused by the Insta360 plug-in. Do you have that plug-in installed? If so, does uninstalling it allow After Effects to launch?

Thanks again for reporting this issue and for any further information you can provide,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[chrisd11592954]

Hello John, thanks for answering.

The insta360 reframe plugin is installed in premiere pro and premiere beta. They do not crash and the plugin works normally.

I have another problem in premiere which I reported in the premiere pro section, which is that mp4 files and

With AE, 2024 works normally, but since around 4-6 weeks, since my last update of AE Beta, it simply and systematically crashes when starting...

So I don't understand, how removing the insta360 plugin from premiere and premiere beta would impact AE beta ?

Thanks,

Chris

[chrisd11592954]

Sorry i didn't finish my sentence...the problem in premiere pro and beta is that since updates a few weeks ago, mp4 files cannot be imported, or read when opening a project using mp4 files.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/i-updated-premiere-pro-and-premiere-pro-beta-and-si...

[JohnColombo]

Ah, thank you for that background, @chrisd11592954.

how removing the insta360 plugin from premiere and premiere beta would impact AE beta ?

By @chrisd11592954

Plug-ins are generally installed in a location that is shared by both After Effects and Premiere Pro, and will be loaded by both if both apps support the plug-in. The Insta360 plug-in is supported by both Premiere and AE.

Does After Effects (Beta) launch successfully if you use Safe Mode? Hold ⌘ + ⌥ + ⇧ immediately when launching After Effects (Beta) and then choose "Start in Safe Mode". You'll then be shown a dialog that allows you to disable 3rd party effects—I would first try leaving 3rd party effects enabled to see if After Effects will launch with them, as it would help narrow down the potential cause of the crash if it does launch with them enabled.

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[chrisd11592954]

Hi John,

I tried Safe mode and disabling third-party plugins, but it stills crashed right after...

[chrisd11592954]

Hi John,

I updated to AE beta 25, and I still have the immediate crashing problem.

I removed the insta360 plugin from mediacore, tried to start with and without 3rd party plugins, but the app still crashes directly...Would you have any solutions ?

 

[chrisd11592954]

I updated to the new version of AE Beta, but it still always crashes....Is there anyone to help and give me a solution ??

[lukeripa]

This is also happening to me, but I'm on Windows 11.

[JohnColombo]

@chrisd11592954 Thank you for your patience with my response, I've been out sick most of the month. Are you still experiencing this crash in the latest version of After Effects (Beta)? Is the release version crashing for you as well?

In looking at our crash reporting system, I am only seeing crashes from you coming from Premiere Pro and even those are from September, so the crashes from After Effects don't seem to b

@lukeripa I unfortunately don't see any crash reports from you in our reporting system. Does running in Safe Mode without third-party plug-ins avoid the crash?

Thank you both for any further information,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[lukeripa]

@JohnColombo Hello,

So as I said no crash report is generated, and I think it's because the software never starts.

I tried to enter in safe mode, but happens the same thing. I also did try a good number things (reinstalling; uninstalling, log out of CC and back in, installing; both of the above with rebooting the system in the middle; I removed the third party plugins) but to no luck.

Also, the directory AE Beta is claiming to be the issue it's all there.

The Release version works with no issue, same goes for Premiere Pro and Media Encoder. 

[chrisd11592954]

Hi John,

AE Beta crashes in any situation at start.

Here's the last error message right now.

Otherwise I run AE 24.1.2, which I fear updating to the latest, because if it crashes like the Beta and I can't work anymore...

 

[chrisd11592954]

Sorry normal AE is 24.2.1

[chrisd11592954]

Hello John,

any update on why AE Beta crashes ?

I just installed AE 25, and it crashes exactly the same way AE Beta does...

Could you please find a solution ? AE is at the core of my activity and business...

Thank you,

Christophe

[lukeripa]

@JohnColombo 

John, with all due respect, we are paying customers and radio silence like this is absolutely unacceptable. To make everything even more questionable, when issues like this were presented in the past (meaning identical situation) also there was radio silence. 

Again, given it's a crash happening before the app even starts, it doesn't send ANY crash report. I want to understand what's wrong, and how to fix it, so please tell me all the alternatives there are to a crash report to find a fix.

But I absolutely need to understand how to fix this as it could present itself once the stable major updates come along. 

[JohnColombo]

You're right, @lukeripa, I apologize for my (again) delayed response. This thread had fallen off my radar amidst other tasks.

Without crash logs, the next best option for you and @chrisd11592954  would be to capture application logs and share those with us. Since you aren't able to launch After Effects, you can enable logging by placing a .txt file inside a "logs" folder in the application preferences folder. The name and exact location of the .txt file varies a little based on whether you are using the release or Beta version of After Effects, and by OS as well.

Name of .txt file

• For the release version of After Effects, name the .txt file "After Effects Log.txt" (without quotes)
• For the Beta version of After Effects, name the .txt file "After Effects (Beta) Log.txt"

Path for .txt file

• On Mac, place the file in /Users/<your user name>/Library/Preferences/Adobe/After Effects/25.0/logs
• On Windows, C:\Users\<your user name>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\After Effects\25.0\logs

(you may need to adjust the application name and version number slightly for the app/version you are using)

Once you've placed the .txt file in the location above, start After Effects. Once it has crashed, check that the file has had the log written to it and share it with me in a DM (it will contain some file path information you probably don't want here in the public forum).

Thanks again for your patience,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[lukeripa]

Hey @JohnColombo - thanks for the reply!

I followed your guide and sent the Log to your DM.

[JohnColombo]

@lukeripa Thank you for that log file! It appears that an AVI-related codec plug-in is causing the crash during startup. Do you have any additional import plug-in or codec installed that you could remove? (e.g. GoPro or Insta360).

@chrisd11592954 This may apply to you as well, especially since your prior crashes in Premiere were being caused by the Insta360 plug-in.

Let me know if this helps or what plug-ins might be installed,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[chrisd11592954]

Hi John,

where exactly should I remove the plugins (like Gopro or Insta360) for AE 25 or AE Beta ?

[JohnColombo]

@chrisd11592954 Go to /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/Plug-ins/7.0/MediaCore directory and delete any GoPro folder or Insta360 folder. That's the most common plug-in install location on macOS, but there also might be additional plug-ins in /Applications/Adobe After Effects 2025/Plug-ins that may need to be removed.

Cheers,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[chrisd11592954]

I've checked in mediacore, in AE Beta and AE 25 plugins folder, there are no insta360 or Gopro plugins.

Did you get my log files in PM ?

[JohnColombo]

@chrisd11592954 Yes, I received your log, thank you! The failure does look slightly different than the one @lukeripa is experiencing.

Regarding the plug-ins, do you have any third-party plug-ins in either of those folders? A screenshot of the folder contents may be helpful if you aren't sure.

- John

[chrisd11592954]

Hi John,

I have a lot of third party plugins...But they all work without problem in AE 24.2.1

I will send you screenshots of the common plugins folder and AE Beta 25.2 plugins folder in PM.

[JohnColombo]

@chrisd11592954 Thank you for the screenshots as well. The large number of plug-ins installed definitely increases the chance that one of them is causing the issue, but the log indicates something may be going wrong with the GPU. What specific version of macOS are you running and what is the GPU info for your machine? Are any other applications running that might utilizing the GPU?

Thanks for any further info,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[lukeripa]

Hey @JohnColombo, sorry I'm replying just now but it has been a busy week.

I don't have any plug-in for import, at least not any that I can think of, especially AVI-related. Is there a way to check for them? 

EDIT: nevermind, guess what it was? The damn ff_vfw.dll. Had to delete it from System 32. Now everything works as usual.