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Troubleshooting: preview and editing

Fix problems with previews, the preview card, imports, text, and edits that don't go as planned.

Find your problem below and follow the steps. When you ask the AI to investigate, include the animation name so it checks the right one.

  • I get a description instead of a picture

    Some AI apps don't show images from tools.

    • Ask clearly for a filmstrip.
    • Or ask the AI to make a PNG image and give you a download link.
    • To see the motion, ask for an MP4, or use the preview card in Claude or ChatGPT.

  • The preview card doesn't appear

    1. The preview card only works in apps that support MCP Apps, such as Claude and ChatGPT.
    2. Ask the AI: "Show me [animation name] playing."
    3. If nothing shows, ask the AI to check that creator_preview is in its tool list. Reconnect Creator MCP to refresh the list.
    4. The card shows the last saved animation, so make sure the AI has built the animation first.

    In other apps, ask for filmstrips, PNG images, or an MP4.

  • "Send is off", or my comments didn't reach the AI

    • "Send is off": Your app doesn't accept messages from the card. Copy your notes into the chat yourself.
    • Nothing sent: Some apps put the message in the message box instead of sending it. Check the box and press send.
    • "Couldn't send": Your comments are kept. Select Send to chat again.

    Remember, comments are notes for the AI. The animation only changes after the AI applies them.

  • The card has no Download or Edit in Lottie Creator button

    • No Download button: The server can't create videos right now. Ask the AI for the video in the chat, or try again later.
    • No Edit in Lottie Creator button: This button only shows when your connection can save to your workspace and your app can open links. You can still ask the AI: "Open this animation in Lottie Creator and give me the link."

  • The card says "This version is no longer available"

    The version the card was showing is no longer in the animation's history.

    1. Select Check again.
    2. If the message stays, ask the AI to show the animation again, and use the new card.

  • The preview is small or not the size I asked for

    • Without a set size, filmstrip frames and PNG images are at most 320 pixels on the longest side. Ask for a specific size if you need a bigger image.
    • Previews keep the animation's shape and may be made smaller to fit server limits.
    • To change from square to vertical, ask the AI to resize the canvas and rearrange the elements. Changing only the export size won't change the layout.

  • A follow-up request rebuilt the scene or changed the wrong animation

    1. Ask the AI to list your animations and pick the original one by name.
    2. Ask it to describe the current scene before making another change.
    3. Name the exact element to change, and say "keep everything else the same."

    To go back, ask the AI to list the history and restore the version before the change. See Undo changes and restore earlier versions.

  • An import is missing parts, or the AI can't read my file

    • AI can't read the file: Attaching a file doesn't always let the AI's tools read it. Ask the AI to confirm it received the file. If not, use an app with file access, or paste SVG or Lottie JSON as text.
    • Parts are missing: Ask the AI to check the import warnings. Expressions, repeaters, and other unsupported features may be left out. Ask the AI to recreate them.
    • SVG text became shapes: This is expected. SVG text is imported as outlined shapes. Lottie text layers are imported as editable text.

  • Text uses the wrong font, or characters are missing

    • If a font isn't loaded, text uses the built-in font. The built-in font only covers Latin characters, so other scripts and emoji don't show.
    • Provide your font as a TTF, OTF, or TTC file. WOFF isn't supported.
    • Font didn't load? The file may already be loaded, damaged, cut off, or missing its family or PostScript name.
    • Font too big? Fonts can be up to 8 MB (or about 3 MB if the AI can't upload files). Use a subset with only the characters you need, and keep the font names (for example, with pyftsubset --name-IDs='*').

  • Text runs off the canvas

    Ask the AI to make the text smaller, wrap it in a text box, or move it. Then ask for a filmstrip at the times the text was cut off. Text inside a nested composition isn't checked automatically, so ask the AI to check that composition directly.

  • Text that should be hidden shows too early

    1. Ask for a filmstrip that includes the first frame of each text entrance.
    2. Tell the AI which text shows too early.
    3. Ask the AI to check the text's opacity and reveal settings at the start of the scene.

  • The AI reports a timeout or an error

    • Ask the AI to read the error message and look up the method in the Creator MCP reference.
    • If the change failed, your animation stays as it was before. Ask the AI to check the current scene before trying again.
    • For timeouts, ask the AI to make the change in smaller steps or simplify the scene. Filmstrips are faster than creating videos repeatedly.

Still need help?

Contact LottieFiles support and include:

  • Your AI app name (for example, Claude or ChatGPT)
  • The error message
  • The animation name and file name
  • The server version and engine revision (ask the AI to list your animations to get these)

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