Launch After Effects and create a new project.
Last updated on
Apr. 2, 2025
Learn about previewing your work in HDR to view exactly how it will appear on HDR-capable high-end monitors once exported.
On this page:
When working with HDR (High Dynamic Range) content, previewing them in HDR is crucial to ensure your final project looks as expected on a wide range of display devices, such as HDR-capable high-end monitors. With the latest After Effects, you can accurately view your HDR projects on HDR-capable hardware. This update allows you to import HDR media, place it in a composition, and preview your work in HDR on your monitor or using external hardware. This way, you get an accurate view of what the final output will look like when exported.
Note
For HDR colors to be displayed in HDR, you will need an HDR display, and your operating system HDR display setting enabled.
-
-
Go to File > Project Settings to set your Color options.
-
In the Color tab, do the following:
- In the Color Management section, set Color Engine to Adobe color managed.
- In the Color Settings section, set Bit Depth to 32 bits per channel and select a Working Color Space that supports HDR, such as Rec.2100 PQ.
Use the Project Settings dialog box to adjust the settings for previewing HDR content.
Use the Project Settings dialog box to adjust the settings for previewing HDR content. -
Now import a supported HDR file into After Effects.
-
Check in the Project panel if the color profile of your HDR footage is correctly recognized.
-
If the profile isn't correctly detected, you can use the Interpret Footage option. To launch the dialog box, select the footage in the Project panel, right-click, and select Interpret Footage.
Use the Interpret Footage option to adjust the Color Management and Color Settings if they aren't detected correctly.
Use the Interpret Footage option to adjust the Color Management and Color Settings if they aren't detected correctly. -
In your composition viewer, select the Show Channel and Color Management Settings icon and enable Use Display Color Management.
Use the Enable Display Color Management options to ensure color space consistency across various devices.
Use the Enable Display Color Management options to ensure color space consistency across various devices. -
Once done, you are now previewing the HDR footage in After Effects.
Here are the formats that are currently supported:
- Quicktime Prores SDR
- H264/HEVC
- MXF: XAVC
- AVC
- XAVC-H
- Raw formats: ARRI, Canon, Sony, ProRes, and Red
After Effects also supports previewing your HDR content through Transmit.
Preview to a secondary monitor
If you're using an HDR display directly connected to your computer, enabling Mercury Transmit to that monitor will automatically send an HDR signal. If your monitor supports several HDR modes, make sure to select the appropriate one.
Preview to a display using a hardware interface
If you're using Mercury Transmit with dedicated hardware, such as Blackmagic or AJA devices, you will need to select the proper profile in the device settings.
Third-party hardware support
Support for AJA and Blackmagic will be added in the future. If you are using an HDR-compatible AJA device, you can already select the 10-bit HLG profile to display HDR out of After Effects.
