What is wrong with Adobe? Are we sure there isn't a gasleak at their offices?

Sadly, I don’t think you’ve actually fully read the new masking process. As for those that have, yes, parts have an extra click and that can be annoying. BUT ... if you use the options available, for most, it doesn’t take any more time setting up than before. Not for all uses, but for most.

And the capabiilities for sussing out an object to track and tracking it are vastly improved over what we had before. So even for some who’ve had to do an extra click ... (after they found out how not to need to do 10 clicks) ... the capability and speed of the new system is a huge boost.

When designers can do major improvements on something, most users will want the improvement. And for some, it is not an improvement. But I wouldn’t want any app to stay as it is now forever. That’s sure to lead to death of the app. dBase, anyone?

I use Resolve on a daily basis, have for years, and participate on the Resolve forums. R21 has some major changes, and of course, you see exactly the same posts “over there”. 

FWIW, you can easily maintain multiple installs of Premiere on one system, and I do just that for various clients. 

Hi ​@GloriousGe0rge:
 

For while you finish your current projects:

Effects and transitions removed from Adobe Premiere

Last updated on Mar 5, 2026

https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere/desktop/add-video-effects/commonly-used-effects/effects-and-transitions-removed-from-adobe-premiere.html

Modern effects in Premiere

Last updated on Apr. 15, 2026

https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/premiere/desktop/add-video-effects/types-of-effects/effects.html

- Warren

If you can tell us what specific filters are missing we may be able to help. Most times things are eliminated because there is a more efficient option in the app.

Threre are major upgrades in the 26 version, especially masking. I don't know what AI filters you’re talking about, as I don’t know of any. Some of the older effects were removed, mostly replaced, and yea, that’s really annoying with ongoing projects when it happens.

So the CC app added 26 to your system? Yea, it can at times decide to do stuff users may not want. I always go through and make sure the auto-upgrade option is turned off, and that in the prefs auto-remove prior apps is turned off. Still when  do tell it to install a new major version, I will have to set that dialog to not remove prior version. I complain about that every year at NAB, and get shrugs. Ah well.

Personally, I’ve just cleaned up my main working desktop ... I keep all versions for a while, and hadn’t removed any for some time ... so I just removed  2018, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 from that computer. My prior rig, now the ‘backup’ computer, still has back to the original CC on it ... including SpeedGrade.

And I’m always bemused by someone saying they’re going to decide to spend months getting up to speed on different app, rather than a couple days with Premiere ... seems wasted time to me.

Especially as the exact same thing will happen with new major versions of any other app. As I’m heavily into the colorist side of things, I’ve worked with both Premiere and Resolve on a Tangent Elemenst panel over a decade now. Every new version of Resolve gets the same comments on the Resolve forum.