Windows 11 · Windows
Fade Audio In or Out in Adobe After Effects With Keyframes
Source-checked About 10 minutes
Answer
Fade audio in After Effects by keyframing Audio Levels on the audio layer: use a lower dB value at silence and a higher value at the audible point, then preview the transition. This is a mix adjustment, not a way to recover missing or clipped audio.
Select the audio layer
Open the composition and select the layer that carries the sound. Press L twice to reveal Audio Levels, or open the layer’s Audio property in the Timeline.
Set the fade-in start
Move the playhead to where silence should begin, click the Audio Levels stopwatch if it is not already active, and set a low value such as -48 dB or another level that is effectively silent for the mix.
Set the audible point
Move the playhead to where the sound should reach its intended level and set Audio Levels to the desired dB value. Keep the existing level when you want a fade without changing the overall mix.
Create a fade-out
For a fade-out, reverse the order: set the audible level where the fade begins and a low level where it should end.
Preview the transition
Preview the composition through the fade and watch the audio meters. Adjust the distance between keyframes to make the change faster or slower, one timing change at a time.
Check the final mix
Listen at normal volume and verify the sound is not abruptly cut, clipped, or masked by another layer. Render a short test if the delivery codec is different from the preview.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If changing Audio Levels has no audible effect, make sure the selected layer actually contains the intended audio and that its audio switch is enabled.
- If the fade has clicks or the source is already distorted, adjust the edit and keyframe timing; a fade cannot restore audio that was not recorded cleanly.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Windows.
Follow the linked first-party guidance if labels differ after a platform or app update.