Reference
Checkpoints and undo
Operator can save project checkpoints before applying changes. They give you a way back when an experiment does not work out.
Save your project first
Save the project as an .aep in a writable folder before asking Operator to edit it. Checkpoints are project-file copies stored in an _operator_checkpoints folder beside that project.
A checkpoint is available only if it was successfully created and is still present. If Operator warns that a checkpoint could not be saved, do not assume the change has a restore point.
What Revert does
- Find the relevant completed action in the chat.
- Choose Revert, when available.
- Read the confirmation and decide whether that is the project state you want.
- Confirm the restore, then inspect the reopened project.
Restoring a checkpoint reopens the project and resets After Effects' undo history. It is not an extra step in the existing undo stack.
Revert or After Effects Undo?
Use After Effects Undo for recent operations that are still in its undo history. An Operator task may involve more than one operation, so one Undo is not guaranteed to reverse the whole task.
Use Revert when you want the project returned to a particular available checkpoint. If you only want to change a color back or remove one effect while preserving later work, a targeted edit may be more appropriate.
What checkpoints do not protect
Checkpoints save the After Effects project file. They are not a backup of your source footage, external files, installed fonts or plug-ins.
Operator retains a limited set of checkpoints and prunes older ones. Keep versioned project backups for work you need to preserve long-term. Saved chats are not a substitute for those backups.
Before a major change
Save a separate project version. For an experiment in one composition, consider duplicating that comp as well. Check any shared precompositions or source assets before changing them.
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