M Junaid Aslam

Aug 18, 2022·Updated Jun 18, 2026

How To Fix OUT OF MEMORY Error In Adobe AFTER EFFECTS | Unable To Allocate Memory Error FIXED!

If you've spent hours working on a motion graphics project only to be greeted by an error message like:

• Unable to Allocate Memory

• Out of Memory (23::40)

• Out of Memory (2896k Requested)

• RAM Preview Needs More Memory

• Unable to Allocate Memory Error

You're definitely not alone. Memory-related errors are among the most common issues After Effects users encounter, especially when working with large compositions, 4K footage, complex animations, or heavily layered projects.

The good news is that in most cases, these errors can be fixed without reinstalling After Effects or buying a completely new computer.

In this guide, I'll explain why these errors happen, how to fix them properly, and what upgrades actually make a difference if you're regularly running into memory limitations.

What Does "Out of Memory" Mean in After Effects?

Unlike traditional video editing software, After Effects doesn't simply play footage directly from storage. Instead, it constantly:

• Renders frames into RAM

• Stores previews in memory

• Uses disk cache for temporary files

• Loads effects and plugins

• Processes layers simultaneously

When After Effects can no longer find enough available RAM, VRAM, cache space, or virtual memory to complete a task, it throws an Out of Memory error. This doesn't always mean your computer is low on RAM. Sometimes the issue is caused by cache files, project complexity, storage limitations, or incorrect settings.

Common Causes of Memory Errors

Before applying fixes, it's helpful to understand what usually triggers these errors.

Insufficient RAM

After Effects loves RAM. While Adobe's minimum requirements may seem reasonable, real-world projects often require significantly more memory.

Recommended RAM:

If you're working with only 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM, memory errors become much more likely.

High-Resolution Footage

4K, 6K, 8K, RAW, and high-bitrate footage consume substantially more memory than standard HD video. The larger the frame size, the more RAM After Effects needs for previews and rendering.

Complex Compositions

Projects containing:

• Hundreds of layers

• Multiple pre-compositions

• Large Photoshop files

• Particle effects

• 3D layers

• Motion blur

These settings can quickly overwhelm available system resources.

Fix #1: Lower Preview Resolution

This is often the fastest and easiest solution. Many users leave the Composition Preview set to Full resolution throughout the entire editing process. While this provides maximum quality, it also forces After Effects to process significantly more pixels.

How to Change It

In the Composition panel:

Resolution → Change: Full → Half or Full → Quarter

This only affects previews. Your final export quality remains unchanged. For many projects, this single adjustment dramatically improves performance and reduces memory usage. Memory errors often appear with slow previews too, so check this guide on Fixing After Effects lag and slow preview for extra performance steps.

Fix #2: Allocate More RAM to After Effects

Memory allocation settings determine how much RAM After Effects can use.

How to Adjust Memory Allocation

Go to: Edit → Preferences → Memory & Performance

Locate:

RAM Reserved For Other Applications

The goal is to leave enough memory for Windows while giving After Effects as much RAM as possible.

Recommended values:

Avoid allocating 100% of your memory to After Effects. Windows still needs RAM to operate correctly.

Fix #3: Clear Disk Cache

Disk cache stores temporary rendered frames. Over time, cache files can become enormous or corrupted, leading to stability issues and memory-related errors.

Clear Disk Cache

Navigate to: Edit → Preferences → Media & Disk Cache

Click:

• Empty Disk Cache

• Clean Database & Cache

Then restart After Effects. This is one of the most effective troubleshooting steps available.

Why Disk Cache Matters

When disk cache is functioning properly, After Effects doesn't need to re-render every frame repeatedly. When it becomes corrupted, performance often drops and memory usage can increase unexpectedly. I recommend clearing cache periodically, especially on systems used for daily editing work.

Fix #4: Enable GPU Acceleration

Many modern effects in After Effects can utilize the GPU. If GPU acceleration is disabled, the CPU may be forced to handle tasks that could otherwise be processed more efficiently.

Enable GPU Acceleration

Go to: File → Project Settings

Under: Video Rendering and Effects

Select: Mercury GPU Acceleration (CUDA)

For NVIDIA graphics cards. AMD users should select the appropriate GPU acceleration option available on their system. If After Effects still isn’t using your GPU after this, follow our full guide to Enable GPU acceleration in After Effects.

Fix #5: Enable Disk Cache on an SSD

Disk Cache works best when stored on a fast SSD. Using a traditional hard drive for cache can create performance bottlenecks.

Recommended Configuration

• Enable Disk Cache

• Use an SSD or NVMe SSD

• Allocate at least 50 GB

• Keep plenty of free storage available

The faster your cache drive, the smoother your previews tend to be.

Fix #6: Purge Memory and Cache

Sometimes After Effects continues holding old frames in memory long after they're needed.

Purge Everything

Go to: Edit → Purge → All Memory & Disk Cache

This forces After Effects to rebuild previews and often resolves unexpected performance issues. It's particularly useful when projects become sluggish after long editing sessions.

Fix #7: Use Proxies for 4K and 8K Footage

High-resolution footage is one of the biggest memory consumers inside After Effects.

Professional editors often create proxies to reduce system load.

A proxy is simply a lower-resolution version of your footage used during editing.

The original files are still used during final export.

Benefits include:

• Faster previews

• Lower RAM usage

• Reduced cache pressure

• Improved responsiveness

Fix #8: Close Background Applications

Many editors forget that Chrome, Discord, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and other applications consume RAM too. Before opening a large After Effects project:

Close:

• Web browsers with multiple tabs

• Games

• Streaming applications

• Unused Adobe applications

Freeing up memory can make a surprisingly large difference.

Fix #9: Check Windows Virtual Memory Settings

Virtual Memory (also known as the Page File) acts as backup memory when physical RAM becomes exhausted. If it's disabled or incorrectly configured, After Effects may become unstable.

Recommended Setting

Open: Control Panel → System → Advanced System Settings → Performance → Advanced → Virtual Memory

Enable:

Automatically Manage Paging File Size For All Drives

For most users, Windows manages this setting very effectively.

When Hardware Upgrades Become Necessary

Sometimes settings aren't the problem. Your projects may simply require more resources than your system can provide. If you're frequently encountering memory errors, prioritize upgrades in this order:

1. Upgrade RAM

The biggest improvement usually comes from: 16 GB → 32 GB or 32 GB → 64 GB.

If you’re planning upgrades around these limits, this Best PC build for After Effects under $1000 explains practical RAM and storage choices.

2. Upgrade Storage

Switch from: HDD → SSD or SATA SSD → NVMe SSD

This improves cache performance and overall responsiveness.

3. Upgrade GPU

A modern NVIDIA RTX graphics card can improve:

• GPU acceleration

• Rendering performance

• Preview responsiveness

especially when working with GPU-accelerated effects.

4. Upgrade CPU

After Effects benefits most from:

• High clock speeds

• Fast RAM

• Fast storage

Rather than simply having the highest possible core count.

Quick Troubleshooting Checklist

Before starting a large project:

✓ Lower preview resolution

✓ Enable GPU acceleration

✓ Allocate sufficient RAM

✓ Clear disk cache regularly

✓ Use SSD storage

✓ Enable virtual memory

✓ Keep cache drives from filling up

✓ Use proxies for 4K+ footage

✓ Purge memory periodically

Final Thoughts

The "Out of Memory" error in After Effects can look intimidating, but it's usually caused by resource limitations rather than software bugs.

Most editors can solve the problem by:

• Lowering preview resolution

• Clearing cache

• Allocating more RAM

• Enabling GPU acceleration

• Using faster storage

If you're serious about motion graphics work, consider 32 GB RAM the practical starting point and 64 GB the sweet spot for demanding projects. A properly configured system doesn't just eliminate memory errors—it makes After Effects feel dramatically faster, smoother, and far more enjoyable to use every day.