It’s often useful to loop a video clip in After Effects. This lets the clip play over and over again, as many times as you want.
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to loop a video in After Effects. It’s an easy process that only takes a few seconds. After you learn it, you’ll find yourself using these skills every day. Knowing about After Effects loop expression features is a key part of being a better video editor.
Let’s get started!
Why Loop Video in After Effects?
It’s easy to learn how to loop video in After Effects, but why is this useful? How can it help you create better videos? In fact, there are several key advantages to creating a looping video in Adobe After Effects.
Consider this:
- Looping videos boost engagement. If you’re sharing a video project, loops help keep viewers engaged with you. Instead of having to click "play" over and over, viewers can have the video repeat for as long as they choose.
- Loops help you call attention to key details. There’s nothing like repetition to drive home your key ideas. Repeat a video, and audiences can see the same scenes over and over.
- You can create repeating patterns. After Effects is all about dramatic graphics and styles. With a loop composition in After Effects, you can create beautiful pattern effects in a few clicks.
As you can see, it’s often helpful to build creative loops in Adobe After Effects. Now, let’s learn how to loop video in After Effects, step by step!
How to Loop a Video in After Effects (Step by Step)
It’s easy to learn how to loop a composition in After Effects. All you need to get started is a video clip that you want to loop! In the tutorial below, you’ll learn how to loop video in After Effects for any footage.
We’ll be working with a stock video from Envato Elements as a demo. Want to follow along? Download the video today.
1. Choose Footage to Loop
With After Effects open, your first step is to choose video footage that you want to loop. You’ll want to begin on the Project panel in After Effects. There, you’ll see the media that you’re working with in your next composition.
To open the Project panel, go to the Window dropdown at the top of your After Effects screen. Click Window, and from the list of dropdown options, click Project. You’ll see the Project panel open as a sidebar on the left side of After Effects.
With the Project panel open, browse to footage that you have stored on your computer. Drag and drop it onto the Project panel. Then, move it to your Timeline at the bottom. You’ll use this to learn how to loop a video in After Effects.
2. Launch the Interpret Footage Menu
To loop composition After Effects projects, you’ll need to launch the Interpret Footage menu. This exists on any video clip that you have in the Project panel. It’s a quick way to edit and control the performance of a video clip that you’re working with. Let’s use it to set up After Effects looping footage.
To open the Interpret Footage menu, find the name of your video clip on the Project panel and right-click on it. You’ll see a list of options pop up. Among them is Interpret Footage. To loop video in After Effects, hover over Interpret Footage. Then, click Main.
3. Apply a Loop Expression in After Effects
With Interpret Footage open, you’ll see an array of settings to choose from. At the bottom, in the Other Options group, find the Loop menu. By default, it’s set to a single loop value of 1. To loop more times, choose a higher number. For example, for five loops, type 5 into the box. Finally, click OK.
Look at the video layer down in your Timeline. It’s now lengthened by the number of loops that you’ve added. Notice that the original footage now has a gray bar beside it.
Click and pull on the handles on the right to extend the video. When you play it back, your footage will loop! It’s that easy.
The Top Source for the Best Adobe After Effects Templates (With Unlimited Downloads)
The best way to use Adobe After Effects is to work with premium templates. These help you create amazing video projects, with no editing experience needed. The top source for these templates is Envato Elements. There are thousands of premium Adobe After Effects templates to choose from, with more added every day.
The Elements offer is powerful: unlimited downloads. For a flat monthly rate, you can download and use as many After Effects templates as you want. And that’s not all. Explore fonts, stock video, music, graphics, and so much more. All are included in the unlimited-downloads offer.
It’s now easier than ever to find the perfect digital content on Envato Elements. That’s thanks to our new Envato Elements AI-Search tool. It works like this: describe your project needs in a few words. When you search, Elements will find the perfect content from our vast library, just for you. It takes only a few seconds, and you’ll elevate any video project that you’re working on. It’s that easy.
So what are you waiting for? Join Envato Elements and get started today.
Use After Effects Loop Footage Features Today
In this tutorial, you learned how to loop video in After Effects. As you can see, it’s a remarkably quick and easy process. With the Interpret Footage menu, you can apply the effect in just a few clicks.
Imagine how to put your new After Effects skills to good use in your next project. Don’t wait! Start using After Effects looping footage today. You, and your audience, will be glad you did.
By
