Exporting a single frame of a composition

You can save a single frame from a composition to any output format or as an Adobe Photoshop file with layers intact. One frame of the composition is rendered at the current time as set in the Composition window. This is useful for editing files in Adobe Photoshop or creating a proxy.

You can preserve the individual layers of a composition and save a frame of the composition as an Adobe Photoshop file. This makes it possible to use footage imported into After Effects as images in Adobe Photoshop. Preserving layers is also useful if you want to use a composition frame as a source for both print and dynamic media.

To export one frame of a composition:

1. In the Composition window, display the frame you want to export.
2. Choose Composition > Save Frame As > File.
3. Type a filename and click OK.
4. The Render Queue window is displayed. Adjust settings if necessary, and then click Render.

To export a single composition frame as an Adobe Photoshop file with layers:

1. In the Composition window, display the frame you want to export.
2. Choose Composition > Save Frame As > Photoshop Layers.
3. Type a filename and click OK.