01
Confirm the composition is transparent
Enable the Transparency Grid and verify that the background area shows a checkerboard.
After Effects export · 8 min read
How to Export Transparent Video in After Effects
Updated August 29, 2026
Transparency survives only when the composition has empty pixels and the output codec stores an alpha channel. In After Effects, verify the checkerboard first, then use RGB + Alpha and an alpha-capable codec such as Apple ProRes 4444.
Transparency Grid
RGB + Alpha
Straight (Unmatted)
Apple ProRes 4444
Step-by-step
Follow the workflow in order
02
Inspect the alpha channel
Switch the viewer channel to Alpha when you need to evaluate the matte directly.
03
Add the composition to Render Queue
Use the Render Queue for direct access to Output Module settings.
04
Choose RGB + Alpha
Open Output Module Settings and select RGB + Alpha, Millions of Colors+, and Straight (Unmatted).
05
Select Apple ProRes 4444
Choose QuickTime and an alpha-capable codec such as Apple ProRes 4444.
06
Reimport and verify
Place a bright solid behind the exported file to reveal halos or missing transparency.
Common mistake
A transparent composition can still become an opaque export
If Channels is set to RGB instead of RGB + Alpha, or the codec cannot carry alpha, the empty background will be flattened. Always verify both the channel setting and codec.
- Channels: RGB + Alpha
- Depth: Millions of Colors+
- Color: Straight (Unmatted)
- Codec: Apple ProRes 4444
What this page resolves
Match the workflow to the real job
Transparency survives only when the source contains an alpha channel and the chosen codec or container can preserve it. A checkerboard preview does not guarantee that the exported file still includes alpha.
Check the exported file in a second application over a contrasting background. For this product, transparent WebM is the direct output; professional editors may also use alpha-capable mezzanine codecs before a later WebM conversion.
Source preparation
Small input changes prevent avoidable edge problems
Use the highest-quality original available instead of a copy downloaded from a social platform. Keep the subject large enough to see, avoid aggressive compression, and prefer even lighting with visual separation between foreground and background.
Preview the beginning, middle, and end before upload. A clip that looks easy in its first frame may contain crossed hands, hair movement, camera cuts, fast rotation, or an object that briefly disappears behind another element.
- Start with alpha-capable media
- Choose an alpha-capable codec
- Enable RGB plus Alpha
- Test in a second application
Verified product limits
Inputs, outputs, credits, and plan limits
The live remover accepts MP4, MOV, and WebM. Transparent mode returns WebM; custom-background mode accepts one JPG, PNG, or WebP image up to 10 MB. A still image is composited behind the isolated foreground—the product does not currently accept a replacement video.
The free trial supports one verified clip up to 5 seconds and 50 MB. Paid plans raise the limit to 60, 180, or 300 seconds and 200 or 500 MB depending on tier. Processing credits are rounded up in five-second blocks, so a 6-second clip uses 10 credits.
- MP4, MOV, or WebM input
- Transparent WebM output
- JPG, PNG, or WebP background
- 5 credits per started 5-second block
Questions
Details worth checking before you export
Why is my After Effects export black instead of transparent?+
The output likely used RGB only or a codec without alpha. Choose RGB + Alpha and an alpha-capable codec.
Straight or premultiplied alpha?+
Straight (Unmatted) is generally the safer interchange choice because it avoids baking a matte color into edge pixels.
Can I export transparent MP4?+
Standard H.264 MP4 does not preserve alpha. Use ProRes 4444, another alpha-capable production codec, or WebM for compatible web workflows.
How are video background removal credits calculated?+
Credits follow processed duration and round up to the next five-second block. A clip from 1–5 seconds uses 5 credits, 6–10 seconds uses 10 credits, and the same rule continues for longer clips.
What are the current upload limits?+
The verified free trial allows one clip up to 5 seconds and 50 MB. Depending on the paid tier, limits increase to 60, 180, or 300 seconds and 200 or 500 MB. Background images are limited to 10 MB.