Project won’t open – “The project appears to be damaged” error (Premiere Pro Beta)

[r2_7278]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working on a large video project (over 1 hour long) in Adobe Premiere Pro Beta for almost two weeks. Suddenly, when I try to open the project, I get this error message:

“The project appears to be damaged. It cannot be opened.”

Here’s what I’ve already tried:

• Opening multiple auto-saved versions → same error appears.

• Copying the project and opening it on a different computer → same error.

• Trying to open the project in the main (stable) version of Premiere Pro → it says

  “This project was saved in a newer version of Adobe Premiere Pro and cannot be opened in this version.”

So at this point, I can’t open the project in Beta or the main version.

Has anyone encountered this before, or is there any possible way to recover or repair a damaged project file from the Premiere Pro Beta?

Any help would mean a lot — this is a big project and I’d really like to avoid starting over. 

Thanks in advance!

[Thomas_Oil7508]

THIS WORKS! 

Can I suggest adding something to step 3 for people that aren't familiar with XML Editor. You want to "Check if XML well-formed (F7)" to get the errors to show up. 

[alston_6625]

Exact same issue, a project I've been working on for days now is just gone and refuses to open with the same “This project was saved in a newer version of Adobe Premiere Pro and cannot be opened in this version.” error. Any help would be appreciated.

[MyerPj]

Hey @alston_6625 , did you read this thread? Even the title, it's not about your 'issue'.

That message you are getting is what happens anytime you try to open a project that has been opened and saved in a more recent version of PP, than the one you are trying to open it in.

Likely in your case the 25.6 version was using the new version # for 2026, and that is being addressed. 

Did you install one version, then retracted it for a different one, like installed 25.6 then reinstalled 25.5 as Adobe suggested. We need some details of what you have done.

Also, it's been suggested you can install the beta software and use that to finish the project. Details man, we details. 🙂

[alston_6625]

Hello! Sorry, I started using Adobe like 4 days ago, and I'm still trying to figure all of this out. I started with the "This project was saved in a newer version of Adobe Premiere Pro and cannot be opened in this version."  error and I did try to install 25.6 and then re-install 25.6 to no avail unfortunately, the reason I got mixed up on the thread names is every video I have found talking about fixing the "Newer Version" error tells me to put the .prproj into a "Downgrader" or open it with 7zip and change the "Version = x " value inside the physical file itself. When attempting to do either of these things, I am then met with the  "The project appears to be damaged” error. As far as this error goes, I managed to get the Code for the .prproj into the "XML Validator Buddy" but when I do, it comes back with no errors and says everything is formatted correctly. So I have unfortunately hit a wall trying to solve either error with the best of my technical ability, lol

[mnzsaudiovisual]

Facing the same issue. Premiere requested to update last night, I didn't let it because I was in the middle of editing. Woke up to the message of "The project appears to be damaged.". Same goes to all my auto save files. Trying to do everything you guys said in here but I'm so nervous at the moment that I might be doing something wrong on the recovery process.

If anyone could help I'd be more than happy to be honest. Lost almost 2 weeks of work because of it.

[Brave_moments5386]

Same issue here! Seems like it's becoming a common problem for lots of people on the beta version during that update. I too was in the middle of working and not wanting to update to V26..., After I finally updated, that's when I started having issues of my project not opening appearing "damaged" along with all Autosaves from that day (this was a week ago BTW). I was hoping for it to be fixed after more updates but no luck.  If there's a solution, maybe an instructional video would help?  @Yori X 

Thank you, Community! 

[Stan Jones]

@Brave_moments5386,

Was this file ever worked on in the pulled update PR 25.6.0 or the new PR 25.6.1? Or just the Beta?

I do not have 25.6.0 or 25.6.1 yet. 

Your file, as expected, resulted in the damaged message when I tried to open it in the Beta (which is the PR 26 type project file - 44). In the project file, I found the @Yori X type errors, corrected them (maybe 5 or 6?), and created the .prproj type file. This opens in the Beta with 2 errors: "Video Filter missing: Color Balance" and "mask files missing." 

If I use the downgrading process to change it to project version 43 instead of 44, PR 25.5.0 crashes during opening and upon trying to import it to a new project.

You can try continuing to edit in the Beta after correcting the XML errors. Or roll back to the last known good copy/autosave.

I do not know what is really wrong and whether it can be fixed without losing work.

Stan

[Brave_moments5386]

Hey Stan, thanks for the help!

I started with Premiere proper first, and then converted to Beta a while back. Everything worked great until that update, which admittedly, I don't know which V26 that was. It also does not open when downgrading to V25. 

Stan, if you corrected the errors, I can give it a shot opening it in the current Beta version to see if it works.

Kind Ragards

[MyerPj]

@Brave_moments5386 

OK, I have good and OK news 🙂

The good news is I fixed your project, but I can't open it in 25.5 (like @Stan Jones , I don't have 25.6.1 yet). 

But I can get it open in PP Beta 26.0 build 31. And I can save it and open it again.

Give it a try and let me know. That is one large project file, but only 4 errors in XMLBuddy.

[Brave_moments5386]

@MyerPj Thank you for your help!! I'll check tonight and confirm. 

All the best! 

@Brave_moments5386 

OK, I have good and OK news 🙂

The good news is I fixed your project, but I can't open it in 25.5 (like @Stan Jones , I don't have 26.x.x yet). 

But I can get it open in PP Beta 26.0 build 31. And I can save it and open it again.

Give it a try and let me know. That is one large project file, but only 4 errors in XMLBuddy.

By @MyerPj

[Brave_moments5386]

@MyerPj It worked!! You're an award winner! Thank you so much! SAVED ME 

Best Regards

[MyerPj]

@mnzsaudiovisual 

Not to leave you out - OK, I have good and OK news 

The good news is I fixed your project, but I can't open it in 25.5 (like @Stan Jones , I don't have 25.6.1 yet). 

But I can get it open in PP Beta 26.0 build 31. And I can save it and open it again.

Give it a try and let me know. Yours is one large project file, but with 170 errors in XMLBuddy!!!

I almost gave up, but got in the end. Let me know.

[MyerPj]

@mnzsaudiovisual, it won't matter if you are doing 'something wrong' as long as you USE A COPY to try to restore!

So make a copy in the same folder as the original, and then use the copy to try the fixing things. Do not use the original for any fixing or testing. Simply make a copy.

[MyerPj]

@mnzsaudiovisual , @Brave_moments5386 

Don't forget, you can install the beta along side the shipping version.

Let me know if it works for you.

[gmc99]

I have managed to put it off a week before trying again.

I'm now running v26.0.0.031 (2025-11-14)

I loaded up the file I have from 10th November and I still get the same error.

I then loaded the previous version from 8th November which as before opened fine.  I then did a SAVE AS and reopened the file into Premiere and it opened without an issue.  That is definitely progress.

I have still lost a whole day's work as none of the files from 10th November will work.

Following the suggestions; I got hold of 7Zip and XML Validator Buddy.

Opening the 10th November project file I ran the F7 check and it highlighted four errors:

All related to <Properties Version="1"> and the roperties Version="1" was highlighted and it said "element name expected".

I then ran the F8 Validate check which failed with "An unexpected error occurred" and "The validation didn't start".

I don't know what to do now. 

I guess I will need to redo everything I lost which is irritating to say the least.

I would be grateful if anyone was able to have a look at my project file.  I can't upload it here because it is too big 5,755 KB.   

Thanks

Glenn

[gmc99]

Here's the whole XML command:

</AudioClip>

                        <AudioClip ObjectID="75398" ClassID="b8830d03-de02-41ee-84ec-fe566dc70cd9" Version="8">

                                                <Clip Version="18">

                                                                        <Node Version="1">

                                                                                                <Properties Version="1">

                                                                                                                        <>-37.3029289246</>

                                                                                                                        <asl.clip.label.color>10016297</asl.clip.label.color>

                                                                                                                        <asl.clip.label.name>BE.Prefs.LabelColors.12</asl.clip.label.name>

                                                                                                </Properties>

                                                                        </Node>

                                                                        <MarkerOwner Version="1">

                                                                                                <Markers ObjectRef="5418"/>

                                                                        </MarkerOwner>

                                                                        <Source ObjectRef="5419"/>

                                                                        <OutPoint>6838110720000</OutPoint>

                                                                        <InPoint>294658560000</InPoint>

                                                                        <ClipID>2bd967e9-f46d-4d5e-8dda-7aed0d0d1d25</ClipID>

                                                </Clip>

                                                <SecondaryContents Version="1">

                                                                        <SecondaryContentItem Index="0" ObjectRef="235182"/>

                                                                        <SecondaryContentItem Index="1" ObjectRef="235183"/>

                                                </SecondaryContents>

                                                <AudioChannelLayout>[{"channellabel":100},{"channellabel":101}]</AudioChannelLayout>

                                                <Gain>2.31817626953125</Gain>

</AudioClip>

[Stan Jones]

@gmc99,

This is the problem line:

<>-37.3029289246</>

In a text editor or xml, just search for <> and delete each such line.

When I look at a "correct" version of the <AudioClip ObjectID... sections, there doesn't appear to be anything where this error line occurs.

Stan

[gmc99]

Wow I can't thank you enough for that.

I managed to edit the XML and change it back as an Project file.

I then opened it PP and did a SAVE AS.

I opened the save as version and it worked.

Thank you so much for this.

[MyerPj]

Indeed the problems look like this: <>-37.3029289246</>

The number may vary, but that's causing the problem.

I finally got 25.6.1 today, and the two fixed projects I did for others both will not open in that version, but I also got Beta build 26.0 build 36 and that continues to work, as did the previous beta.

[shady.shotz]

This is now happening to me, too. I cannot believe Adobe hasn't fixed this, and it's been almost 2 weeks since this post.

I can't open any of my projects that I've been working on, and when I try to open them, I get the “This project was saved in a newer version of Adobe Premiere Pro and cannot be opened in this version.” error.

I only have a Mac, and the 7zip is confusing the crap out of me, and I can't figure out how to use it. Now I'm at a crossroads where I don't know what to do and cannot work. Adobe, where is the fix?!

[Volodymyr Kuropiatnyk]

Fix Script PowerShell for you project

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.IO.Compression.FileSystem

Get-ChildItem -Filter *.prproj | ForEach-Object {
$in=$_.FullName
$out=Join-Path $_.DirectoryName ($_.BaseName + "_downgrage.prproj")

$fs=[IO.File]::OpenRead($in)
$gz=New-Object IO.Compression.GZipStream($fs,[IO.Compression.CompressionMode]::Decompress)
$r =New-Object IO.StreamReader($gz,[Text.Encoding]::UTF8)
$xml=$r.ReadToEnd()
$r.Close();$gz.Close();$fs.Close()

# БЕЗ третього аргумента – замінює всі входження
$xml = $xml.Replace('Version="44"','Version="43"')

$ofs=[IO.File]::Create($out)
$ogz=New-Object IO.Compression.GZipStream($ofs,[IO.Compression.CompressionMode]::Compress)
$w =New-Object IO.StreamWriter($ogz,[Text.Encoding]::UTF8)
$w.Write($xml)
$w.Close();$ogz.Close();$ofs.Close()

Write-Host "Done $out"
}