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AEAfter Effects

Retriever

by Simone Signorile·Workflow

Illustrative cover generated by AnyPlugins — no product screenshot available.

Why we like it

Retriever earns a place in the Adobe Exchange library as a cross-host relink tool covering After Effects, Illustrator, and InDesign from one workflow.

What is Retriever?

Retriever, developed by Simone Signorile, handles missing links inside After Effects. When footage or linked assets go missing, you click relink, choose the folder to search, and Retriever works through all subfolders to find and restore the files.

Beyond After Effects, Retriever also works with Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, applying the same folder-search approach to missing links across those applications. It covers missing files, missing footage, and linked asset recovery from a single tool. Retriever supports After Effects 18.0 and later, Illustrator 24.0 and later, and InDesign 18.0 and later.

The current release, version 1.26.4, fixed a startup alert shown by After Effects when the panel opens, improved missing-link name detection in Illustrator, refined multi-host packaging and signed Exchange bundle output, and updated documentation with version alignment across all supported hosts.

Who is Retriever best for?

Retriever is best for after Effects, Illustrator, and InDesign users needing to relink and recover missing assets.

How much does Retriever cost?

Retriever is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Relinks missing assets by searching through all subfolders of a chosen folder
  • Recovers missing files, missing links, and missing footage
  • Works across After Effects, Illustrator, and InDesign
  • Improved missing-link name detection in Illustrator
  • Signed Exchange bundle output with multi-host packaging
  • Fixed startup alert shown by After Effects on panel open

Tags

#relink#missing files#missing links#missing footage#asset recovery#After Effects#Illustrator#InDesign

Frequently asked questions

What After Effects versions does Retriever support?

Retriever is compatible with After Effects 18.0 and later. Alongside After Effects, it also supports Adobe Illustrator 24.0 and later and Adobe InDesign 18.0 and later, so the same relink workflow can be used across all three Adobe applications. If you work between these hosts, Retriever aims to keep asset recovery consistent, and version 1.26.4 refined packaging and documentation alignment across all supported hosts.

How does Retriever relink missing assets?

Retriever relinks assets by having you click relink and choose a folder. It then searches through all subfolders within that folder to find the missing assets and bring them back into your project. This applies to missing files, missing links, and missing footage. The same folder-search process is used in After Effects, Illustrator, and InDesign, so you point it at a location and let it locate the linked assets automatically.

Is Retriever free to use?

Retriever is listed as free in this catalog. For current licensing details and any terms that may apply, check the developer's page on Adobe Exchange. The plugin is available as a signed Exchange bundle, and version 1.26.4 refined that bundle output alongside multi-host packaging. Because licensing can change over time, the developer's page remains the authoritative source for what is included and how the tool may be used.

What changed in Retriever version 1.26.4?

Retriever version 1.26.4, released on 2026-04-16, fixed the startup alert shown by After Effects when the panel opens. It also improved missing-link name detection in Illustrator, refined multi-host packaging and signed Exchange bundle output, and updated the documentation with version alignment across all supported hosts. These changes focus on the panel behaviour, link detection, and how the tool is packaged and distributed.

Alternatives to Retriever

Also in Workflow for After Effects.

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