If you are a motion graphics artist working in Adobe After Effects, you know that Video Copilot’s Element 3D is a game-changer. But even the best tools hit snags. Perhaps the most frustrating roadblock is when you purchase the celebrated Pro Shaders pack—only to be met with a cryptic Windows installer error, a failed download, or a "Corrupted Archive" message from the Video Copilot servers.
Don't reformat your hard drive just yet. This guide walks you through every known issue with the Pro Shaders for Element 3D Windows Installer, including Video Copilot download fixes, installation paths, and permission tweaks.
Walk through this checklist before giving up:
| Step | Action | Status |
|------|--------|--------|
| 1 | Cleared %temp% and rebooted | ☐ |
| 2 | Redownloaded via Chrome (no download manager) | ☐ |
| 3 | Verified file size (4.12 GB) | ☐ |
| 4 | Temporarily disabled antivirus | ☐ |
| 5 | Ran installer as Administrator | ☐ |
| 6 | OR manually extracted with 7-Zip | ☐ |
| 7 | Confirmed Element 3D works alone | ☐ |
| 8 | Loaded a Pro Shader texture in Scene Setup | ☐ |
Microsoft SmartScreen often flags Video Copilot installers because they are not "signed" with an EV certificate.
Solution:
.exe → Properties.1️⃣ Re-download the official installer
2️⃣ Run installer as Administrator
Pro_Shaders_Setup.exe → Run as Administrator3️⃣ Point to correct Element 3D folder
If the installer doesn’t auto-detect:
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Common\Plug-ins\7.0\MediaCore\VideoCopilot\Element 3D4️⃣ Clear cache & re-sync
Documents\VideoCopilot\Pro Shaders5️⃣ Missing textures fix
Pro Shaders Materials folder manually if installer failsYou have the intact .exe. Now, let's beat the installer into submission.
Before running any "fix," perform these three steps or none of the solutions below will work.
A. Verify Element 3D is already installed.
Pro Shaders is only an add-on. You must have Element 3D v2.2 or higher installed and licensed. Go to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects [Version]\Support Files\Plug-ins\VideoCopilot\ – if you don't see Element.aex, stop here.
B. Run Windows Update. Sounds silly, but outdated C++ Redistributables cause the "1603" error. Install the latest Visual C++ Runtimes (All-in-one pack) from Microsoft.
C. Disable Real-Time Protection (Temporarily). Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage settings → Turn off "Real-time protection." Only do this for 10 minutes while you run the installer. The Ultimate Fix Guide: Pro Shaders for Element
If the installer crashes without any error, create a log file.
Method:
Pro_Shaders_Setup.exe.Pro_Shaders_Setup.exe /LOG="C:\shaders_install_log.txt"Common log errors:
Error 0x80070005 → Access denied. Run as Admin and disable UAC temporarily.Error 0x800703E6 → Corrupt installer. Redownload using the Chrome browser only.If all fixes above fail:
Pro Shaders is a material pack designed by Video Copilot to supplement the default library in Element 3D. It bridges the gap between basic shading and physically based rendering (PBR), offering artists a library of pre-made textures that respond realistically to lighting. Fix #4: Windows Security & Defender Blocking Microsoft
Key Features: