<p>With the new release, on Win10 anyway, sometimes the preview will not stop using any method other than this workaround. </p>

<p>Left click on the taskbar icon and select “Close window”. Then, select “Cancel” in the box that pops up. You'll return to AE with the preview paused.</p>

<p>Rusty</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-08T07:42:55.620Z
2020-01-08T16:00:07.407Z
2020-01-08T16:00:07.407Z
Ronald
<p>When you press <kbd>space bar</kbd>, After Effects <strong>tries to playback the composition out of the current playhead position instantly</strong>. Theoretically the playback depends on your machine, but an instant playback of a  composition (in real time) is a very computing-intensive process and with conventional computers not possible at the moment. This also is the simple reason why After Effects sometimes does not respond. Also see the official <a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/improve-performance.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Improve performance</a> manual.</p>

<hr>

<p>For correct playback (25fps) use the <strong>RAM-Preview</strong> instead of the <kbd>space bar</kbd>. Press <kbd>Numpad 0</kbd> or the associated <kbd>|||></kbd> in the <strong>Preview Panel</strong> to start the preview rendering process:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/USoqw.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<ul>
<li>Press <kbd>Numpad 0</kbd> <strong>again</strong> to stop it</li>
<li>Press <kbd>Numpad 0</kbd> <strong>twice</strong> to stop and playback the previously rendered (green) frames</li>
</ul>

<p>In order to facilitate the work:</p>

<ul>
<li>Set the <strong>rendering resolution</strong> of the view to a lower value for e.g. to <strong>half</strong> or <strong>quarter</strong></li>
<li>Limit the <strong>work area</strong> in your timeline, press <kbd>B</kbd> to set the start render point (Begin), press <kbd>N</kbd> to set the end point (End) </li>
<li>Enable <strong>loop</strong> preview (7th button) to repeat the preview of the current work area</li>
<li>Press <kbd>Numpad , </kbd> for <strong>audio preview</strong> only</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-26T08:56:01.600Z
2015-08-06T18:56:04.837Z
2015-08-06T18:56:04.837Z
p2or
<p>I'm teaching myself After Effects CC while trying to make a music video. I use the spacebar or the 0 on the numeric keypad to preview my work. When I press one of those keys a second time to stop the preview, After Effects often ignores me and continues playback. </p>

<p>It's very frustrating to carefully time a spacebar press to place the Current Time Indicator exactly where I want it and have my input be blithely ignored by the software. What can I do to ensure that After Effects CC will always respond to keyboard commands?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-20T03:55:52.673Z
im late to this post post but i found a simple fix. go to prefrences, press preivew, dont change anything and just press ok. for some reason this fixed it for me.
bri
<after-effects><performance>
After Effects won't consistently stop previewing video when I ask it to
DawnPaladin
# After Effects won't consistently stop previewing video when I ask it to

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-07-25)

I'm teaching myself After Effects CC while trying to make a music video. I use the spacebar or the 0 on the numeric keypad to preview my work. When I press one of those keys a second time to stop the preview, After Effects often ignores me and continues playback.

It's very frustrating to carefully time a spacebar press to place the Current Time Indicator exactly where I want it and have my input be blithely ignored by the software. What can I do to ensure that After Effects CC will always respond to keyboard commands?

**Tags:** after-effects, performance

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: im late to this post post but i found a simple fix. go to prefrences, press preivew, dont change anything and just press ok. for some reason this fixed it for me.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-07-26. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

When you press `space bar`, After Effects **tries to playback the composition out of the current playhead position instantly**. Theoretically the playback depends on your machine, but an instant playback of a composition (in real time) is a very computing-intensive process and with conventional computers not possible at the moment. This also is the simple reason why After Effects sometimes does not respond. Also see the official [Improve performance](https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/improve-performance.html) manual.

---

For correct playback (25fps) use the **RAM-Preview** instead of the `space bar`. Press `Numpad 0` or the associated `|||>` in the **Preview Panel** to start the preview rendering process:

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/USoqw.png)

* Press `Numpad 0` **again** to stop it
* Press `Numpad 0` **twice** to stop and playback the previously rendered (green) frames

In order to facilitate the work:

* Set the **rendering resolution** of the view to a lower value for e.g. to **half** or **quarter**
* Limit the **work area** in your timeline, press `B` to set the start render point (Begin), press `N` to set the end point (End)
* Enable **loop** preview (7th button) to repeat the preview of the current work area
* Press `Numpad ,`  for **audio preview** only


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-01-08. Score: 0

With the new release, on Win10 anyway, sometimes the preview will not stop using any method other than this workaround.

Left click on the taskbar icon and select “Close window”. Then, select “Cancel” in the box that pops up. You'll return to AE with the preview paused.

Rusty


---

