I see Tap first or No comp
Tap or type a tempo first means an even grid needs a tempo. Tap at least twice, type a value, or detect audio.
No active composition, shortened to No comp on the badge, means BPM needs an active composition. Open the comp in its viewer and retry.
I see No selection or locked layers
Select layers first applies to layer edits and On layer grids. Select an unlocked Timeline layer.
Select keyframes first means Keys needs actual selected keys, not just a selected layer or property. Marker keys do not count.
Selected layers are locked and Those keyframes are on locked layers mean the only usable targets are locked. Unlock them or select other targets. With a mixed selection, edits skip locked layers and report the count.
I see No grid
Lay a beat grid first means no recognized markers were found. Set a tempo and use Lay grid in this comp. Markers must have comments exactly matching bpm or bpm followed by a space and digits.
The grid needs at least two beats means Sequence cannot space several layers from a single marker. Widen the grid range or use a finer subdivision.
Changing the tempo does not change my edit
The editing buttons read existing markers. Lay the grid again after changing tempo, subdivision, or grid settings. Comp BPM markers take priority over every layer grid. Replace or clear old grids if the wrong rhythm is being used.
Detect says No audio
| Full message | Fix |
|---|---|
| Select a layer with audio | Select one audio-bearing layer in the active comp. |
| That layer’s audio is switched off | Turn on that layer’s audio switch. |
| Convert Audio to Keyframes is unavailable | Check that After Effects’ audio-to-keyframes command is available in the current host. Use tapping or typing if it is not. |
The waveform button dims without a detected audio selection. It remains clickable so it can explain the problem. Returning focus to the panel or moving into BPM refreshes the selection check.
Detect says No beat or cannot read the audio
| Full message | Cause and fix |
|---|---|
| Too little audio inside the comp | The layer has less than eight frames inside the composition. Extend the usable passage. |
| Couldn’t read that audio | After Effects’ Convert Audio to Keyframes didn’t produce a readable combined channel with enough keys. Try the command manually and inspect its result. |
| No clear beat in that audio | Too few useful attacks or no reliable tempo candidates. Try a longer rhythmic passage, or tap or type the tempo. |
For misleading results, select only the intended audio layer and turn off Solo on any other locked layer. Choose a candidate that matches the musical pulse, or enter the known tempo. Detection does not place the first beat automatically; set First Beat before laying the grid.
I see Detect first
Detect the audio first appears when Peaks or On the first detected onset has no onsets available. Run detection in the current panel session, then retry. Detect again after changing or moving the audio.
The grid is empty or too dense
No beats fall inside the range means the chosen range contains no generated beats or detected peaks. Expand the range, adjust the anchor, or choose a closer spacing.
That grid would need … markers; pick a wider subdivision means an even grid would exceed 5,000 markers. Use fewer divisions per beat, Bar, or a shorter range. For example, move from 1/8 to 1/1.
Detected onset lists are also limited to the first 5,000 valid times used for writing markers.
I see Already on the beat, but nothing moved
The badge reads On beat when the action reports no changes. The selection may already align, have no interior split markers, or have no valid trim destination. Keys may be avoiding occupied key times. Editing rules explain each case.
Clear says None here
No BPM markers to clear means there are no removable tagged markers in the active comp. Clear skips locked layers and reports their count. Unlock those layers if you want their BPM markers removed.
A beat is missing next to one of my markers
A time can hold only one marker, so when a beat lands exactly on one of your own markers, BPM keeps your marker and skips that beat. The toast says how many of your markers it kept. Move your marker off the beat and lay the grid again if you want the beat there.
BPM reports an unexpected error
BPM could not finish, a Not done badge, or another host error means the action did not complete normally. Inspect the comp before retrying. If it changed partially, use After Effects’ undo history to return to the previous state.