Root

An asset organizer for After Effects that turns messy, unorganized files across your system into clean, self-contained projects in seconds. It finds missing media, gathers what’s used, and packages everything into your project. It builds tidy, shareable asset folders and packages up multiple comps into individual project packages. Gather assets straight from your downloads, desktop or any external drive!

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  $39.99
  • Free Trial
Description

Collect and relink every asset
into your project root

Root is After Effects asset organizer that turns messy unorganized files across your system into clean, self contained projects in seconds. It finds missing media, gathers what’s used, and packages everything into your project. It builds tidy, shareable asset folders and packages up multiple comps into invidual project packages. Whether you’re delivering to a client or archiving a project, Root keeps your assets together and your handoff effortless. Gather assets straight from your downloads, desktop or any external drive!

Key Features:

main_ui_gather.png
Gather
Pull every linked file into one clean project root.
main_ui_collect.png
Collect
Export selected comps into structured project roots.
main_ui_search.png
Search
Find missing assets instantly with recursive scanning.
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Reduce
Batch reduce comps into focused collected projects.

Root gathers scattered media

Copies or moves it into a clean folder structure,
and automatically relinks in your project.

1
Detect every referenced file in the project.
2
Copy or move assets into a clean, predictable structure.
3
Update project paths automatically.

Live status updates as you work.

See exactly what's in your project root, out or missing in real time.

Find missing assets in a click!

Pick a starting folder and recursively search through your system.

Collect and share assets straight from the timeline

Select comps or layers and export a clean, shareable package fast. Auto-zip the collected package for easy sharing.

Batch collect and reduce to individual projects

Reduce full projects, specific folders, or selected comps into clean, lightweight packages.
Auto-zip packages and generate preview files for quick sharing.

Preview renders

Optionally include preview renders with your collected files for quick review and sharing.

Drag & Drop Integration

Drop files or full projects onto Root to automatically copy and relink.

Create, save and share fully custom folder structures for different clients

Build templates once, reuse them across projects, and keep every delivery consistent.

Root folder templates

Full Customisation and Control!

Create custom folders based on asset categories and extensions.
Switch between cards or tree view to build your structure.

Simple Panel UI
Built for speed and everyday use with fast access to core actions.
Root panel preview
Custom Dialog for Full Control
Advanced options, edge cases, and full control when you need it.
Root dialog preview

One structured workspace

Configure your project root, folder templates, preferences, and reduced exports in one structured workspace.

Asset Categories
• Footage, Audio, 3D, Images
• Image Sequences
• Design Files (PSD, AI)
• Custom sub-categories
• Category variants per client or task
• Organize by extension or duration rules
• Per-category folder paths
• Extension assignments
Folder Templates
• Save & reuse structures
• Map categories to folders
• Import / Export as JSON
• Per-client templates
• Category variants
Global Preferences
• Relinked project naming
• Version numbering (v001)
• Auto-refresh interval
• Local prefs search depth
• Debug mode
Per-Project Settings
• Project root path
• Local category config
• Active template selection
• Reduced exports folder
• Portable .root-local-prefs

Watch the tutorial!

See Root in action from start to finish.

FAQ

What does Root collect?
Root gathers the media linked to your project or selected comps and places it into a clean, organized project root.
Can it find missing files?
Yes. Root scans your project for missing assets and helps you relink them quickly.
How does the batch comp collector work?
Select multiple comps, then run Collect to build one clean package per comp or a single combined package. Choose to collect into individual or separate packages, pick your destination folder, and optionally render previews and zip the results for easy delivery.
What versions does Root support?
Root is supported on After Effects 2025-2026. It may work on earlier versions, but only AE2025-2026 are officially supported.
Why does it create an increment with design files?
Due to a limitation in After Effects, there is no direct way to relink layered design files via scripting. Root solves this by creating a new project, so your previous project remains safe and untouched.

Trial Limitations

The trial lets you explore Root's workflow with a limited number of assets per collect. Purchase unlocks full, unlimited collection.

Clean projects. Zero missing media.

Keep every asset collected, organized, and relinked without the manual cleanup.

Watch tutorial Read the guide

Discussions

Want to talk about it?

Head over to r/aescripts to chat with fellow users about this product.

Need Support?

Please open a support ticket to be connected directly with the author of this product

Version History

1.1.3 -

Jun 8, 2026

Fix Install bug.

1.1.2 -

Jun 8, 2026

Bug fix: drag-and-drop import could leave an undo group open

1.1.1 -

May 7, 2026

Fix forcing reload on design files when they don't update in Project panel.

1.1 -

Apr 14, 2026

Improved asset relinking with case-insensitive filename matching
Added validation preventing local root being placed outside the project folder hierarchy.
Enhanced external drive location tag badges in the asset list;
Improved error handling for ExtendScript execution failures and asset scan errors.

1.0.9 -

Apr 6, 2026

Fixed: Layered design files relinking on Windows.
Fixed: Drag-and-drop transfer placeholders not cleared after file processing.
Improved: Local prefs search depth auto-updates based on the depth of the project folder structure rather than requiring manual configuration.
Improved: Asset relinking path matching and scoring - better handling of partial/ambiguous matches.
Improved: Temp file handling for relinked projects.
Improved: Error handling and logging across gather, relink, and local prefs workflows.

1.0.7 -

Mar 27, 2026

Minor bug fixes.

1.0.6 -

Mar 27, 2026

QOL updates and bug fixes for trial users.

1.0.5 -

Mar 26, 2026

Small bug fixes and quality of life updates.

1.0.4 -

Mar 21, 2026

Minor bug fixes.

1.0.3 -

Mar 20, 2026

Licencing framework update and small quality of life updates.

1.0.2 -

Mar 19, 2026

Inital Release

Compatibility

After Effects

2026, 2025

EULA

END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

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Updated: Oct 21, 2025 1:35 AM

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