Yes — you can upload an After Effects project (.aep) to Google Drive, but you must also include all the assets (videos, images, audio, fonts, etc.) used in the project. If you upload only the .aep file, the project will open with missing files. The correct way is to use File > Dependencies > Collect Files to gather everything into one folder before uploading.
Full Guide: How to Upload an After Effects Project to Google Drive Properly
Uploading an After Effects project to Google Drive is incredibly common for:
- Team collaboration
- Working across multiple devices
- Sending projects to clients
- Backing up important files
But Adobe After Effects uses linked media, which means the project file alone is not enough. Below is a simple and complete explanation.
Why You Can Upload a .AEP File to Google Drive
The .aep file is lightweight and can be uploaded like any other document.
However, the .aep file does NOT contain:
- Videos
- Images
- Audio
- Pre-renders
- Plugins
- Fonts
Because After Effects references external media, you need to upload all dependencies too.
How to Prepare an After Effects Project for Google Drive
Step 1 — Collect Files
This is the official Adobe method to gather everything in one place:
- Open your After Effects project
- Go to File → Dependencies → Collect Files
- Choose All
- Click Collect
- After Effects creates a new folder containing:
- A clean version of the .aep
- All linked media
- A “Footage” folder with your assets
This guarantees zero missing files when someone opens the project from Google Drive.
Step 2 — Compress the Folder
Right-click → Compress to ZIP.
This makes uploading faster and keeps file structure intact.
Step 3 — Upload to Google Drive
Drag the ZIP file or folder into your Drive, or click:
New → File Upload / Folder Upload
Once uploaded, you can share it with teammates or clients via link access.
What Happens If You Upload Only the .AEP File?
The project will open, but After Effects will show:
⚠️ Missing Footage
⚠️ Replace File?
⚠️ Media Offline
Your collaborator will not see any video or images unless they manually relink missing media.
This is why collecting files is essential.
Can You Work on an After Effects Project Directly From Google Drive?
Technically yes, but it’s not recommended.
Why it's risky:
- Sync conflicts can corrupt the .aep file
- Large files sync slowly
- Multiple users editing at once may overwrite each other’s changes
- AE can lag or crash when reading assets from the cloud
Best practice
Download the project → work locally → upload the updated version back to Drive.
Can Google Drive Store Large After Effects Projects?
Yes, but consider the following:
File sizes
After Effects projects can easily be:
- 5–50 GB including footage
- Even larger for 4K or RAW files
Google Drive supports large uploads, but they can take time depending on your internet speed.
Drive storage
Free plan: 15 GB
Paid plans: 100 GB, 200 GB, 2 TB, 5 TB, 10 TB+
If you're handling multiple projects, you may need a paid plan.
Can You Share After Effects Projects With Google Drive?
Absolutely. Google Drive is one of the easiest ways to share AE projects.
Use the share button
- Click Share
- Add emails or set Anyone with the link → Viewer
For collaborators
If someone will edit the project:
✔ Give Editor access
✔ Make sure they download files (not work online)
✔ Ask them to re-upload a new version when done
Best Practices for Uploading AE Projects to Google Drive
✔ Always use Collect Files
Avoids missing media and broken links.
✔ Compress the folder
Reduces upload time and ensures structure stays intact.
✔ Use consistent file names
Avoid renaming assets after uploading.
✔ Share ZIP files for reliability
Google Drive sometimes struggles with very large uncompressed folders.
✔ Version control
Name your files like:project_v1, project_v2, final_v3, finalFINAL_v4 (the classic 😂)
Conclusion
Yes, you can upload an After Effects project to Google Drive — but you must do it correctly. Uploading only the .aep file will cause missing media issues. The proper workflow is to Collect Files, compress the folder, and then upload it.
Google Drive is great for backups, collaboration, and sending files to clients, as long as you follow best practices.
