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Inspiring
December 20, 2024
Answered

What is a .prin file?

  • December 20, 2024
  • 6 replies
  • 47081 views

With build 58, I notice a .prin file is created with the project. Windows says it's an "Adobe Media Intellegence Project Index File."

 

What's that supposed to do???

Correct answer mattchristensen

I did this and it it didn't work.  It's still creating .prin files when I save.  At least on a Mac (2022 Mac Studio Sequoia 15.3.2 and 2023 Mac Mini aslo 15.3.2). 

If it creates a .prin file and I delete it, it won't create another one on that computer.  But if I open a project and save on a different machine, the .prin comes back.


In addition to turning off the visual analysis setting, you should also clear out your media cache. If your media cache has previously-created analysis in it, that will cause the .prin file to re-appear. Once you clear your media cache and turn off this preference, you won't see .prin files being created.

 

To fully clear the cache:

  1. Close all projects
  2. Preferences > Media Cache > click "Delete..." next to "Remove Media Cache Files"
  3. Choose the second option, Delete all, click OK
  4. Premiere Pro will restart

6 replies

Participating Frequently
July 17, 2025

Just wanted to say, after a couple of months of allowing .prin files etc, I found that yes, it does slow PPro down when it's analyzing etc, but once it's done, it's back to normal. After you allow yourself some time to let the application do this, you're GTG. 

It makes only one .prin file per the most active project file. So, IMO, not as messy as I thought it would be at first. And I've been using the AI search feature, and in projects with large amounts of source files, it has become handy at times. It's not perfect of course, and definitely leaves much to be desired, but it works enough that I've found it to be helpful. 
So, for the time being, I've come to terms with these additional processes and resulting file. Just give it a try and you might come to the same conclusion. 

Participant
June 30, 2025

This is mad annoying

KG500
Known Participant
July 6, 2025

In case anyone is still folllowing, I spoke with Adobe support and their "fix" is to go back to version 25.0.0. 

Alexander_DVA
Adobe Employee
Adobe Employee
July 7, 2025

See the answer that was marked as correct - there is no need to downgrade if you dont want to use that feature. If can just be disabled in the preferences and will no longer be used after clearing your media cache.

Path 88 Productions
Known Participant
June 22, 2025

Don't worry y'all.  They're gonna get it fixed at the same time the tackle the "Adobe Premiere Pro Audio Previews" folder issue.

josha36694150
Participating Frequently
April 15, 2025

I also vote for these files to go into their own folder, just like auto-save or cache files. Please and thank you.

kleniobraz
Participant
April 7, 2025

I have the same question... 

Participating Frequently
April 12, 2025

There is definitely a slow down in performance when the system is processing data for the .prin file. I find the following behaviours as PPro is "Auto-tagging Audio", "Transcriptions", and "AI Image Search":

- In the timeline, when I press play, playback is delayed on average 3-5 seconds. 

- sluggish response to various commands such as scrubbing the playhead, opening a clip or sequence, navigating the project panel. 

Granted, I'm working with various formats from MP4 to 4K MXF from a Canon C500. However, when I turn off some of these tasks, such as Auto-Tagging Audio and Transcription, performance improves dramatically. I'm on a pretty fast machine, specs below. 

Mac Pro M2 ULTRA 24C CPU, 76C GPU

128GB Memory

2TB SSD

32TB 8-Bay Promise Pegasus via Thunderbolt

Media Cache is going to a 1TB Samsung SSD Pro, internally mounted

Hope this helps.

Joseph

Alexander_DVA
Adobe Employee
Adobe Employee
December 20, 2024

Thank you for your feedback.

This is used by the new Media Intelligence feature (https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/media-intelligence-and-search-panel.html) for searching your project based on visual information. You can find the new search icon in the top right of the header bar. The index file stores all the processed information about the clips in your project so it is immediately available when you reopen it.

 

Best regards,
 Alexander

Participating Frequently
April 3, 2025

How can I switch it off, when activated by accident? It slows down my computer extremly.

Participant
May 12, 2025

You can switch off media intelligence indexing by e.g. going to the export screen and pushing the toggle on the right menu, or in the preferences under media intelligence.
Could you help us with the specs of your system? Our aim is to not impact the editing experience in Premiere Pro even when indexing - is that the case for you? or are only applications outside of Premiere Pro slowed down?

Best regards,
 Alexander


no one cares about this feature, it's annoying and creates way too much clutter in a folder. either have it disabled by default, or just remove it from premiere altogether