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Francis-Crossman17221443
Community Manager
Community Manager
September 5, 2023

Premiere projects saved in v25.6.0 cannot be opened in other v25.x versions

  • September 5, 2023
  • 168 replies
  • 12054 views

We are aware that customers who saved projects in Premiere v25.6.0 may find that those files now open only in v26 (beta) and cannot be opened in v25 versions. We know this is disruptive, and we’re working on a fix. 

 

What you need to know: 

  • Projects saved in v25.6.0 save in the v26 version format. 
  • Because of this, they can’t be opened in earlier versions, including v25.6.1 (even though it is the current generally available release) 
  • We’re developing a tool that will let you convert affected projects back to a v25-compatible file.  

 

Our Solution 

We’re building a small app that will convert a v25.6.0-saved project back to the v25 format. We’ll share more information, including availability and instructions, as soon as the tool is ready in the coming days.  

 

We know that there is nothing more important than the reliability of a project file, so we’re working with urgency to get this downgrade tool in your hands as quickly as possible. 

 

We know there are a number of downgrading apps available online, but we strongly recommend utilizing our tool when it becomes available. Non-Adobe apps and scripts are often outdated and may cause crashes and data loss.  

 

Further Details 

A bug caused Premiere v25.6.0 to prompt customers to enable Object Masking even though it is not yet in full release. Object Masking (and our yearly major version update) changes the Premiere project file structure such that it can only be opened in v26, which is only available in public beta. Turning this on caused projects to save in the newer v26 project format, even though users were still technically on the v25 release line. 

 

Opening an older project in v25.6.0 triggered a prompt to save a copy of the project with “_1” appended. We know that many customers upgraded the project and continued working in the new copy, potentially also deleting the original. This means the only active version became the file saved in v26 format. 

 

Premiere 25.6.0 was only available briefly before being replaced by 25.6.1 and is no longer available to reinstall. This means impacted users who auto updated to 25.6.1 cannot open v26 formatted projects. 

168 replies

Ann Bens
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 13, 2025
Participant
November 13, 2025

@Stan Jones 
I can not open the project at all. The beta version opens it as empty project. Tried @Tarveil's recommendation, but it didn't work out. 

Participant
November 13, 2025

Now what do i do. i worked on the 25.6 version from the last 2 days and now i cannot revisit the older project files because i reverted back from 25.6 to 25.5
After Effects still shows that there is a 25.6 version ready to install. i do not know if i should install it or no.

i got to know about this issue when i was trying to import clips in after effects with dynamic link.
now i have 3 hours of progress lost.
helpe me find a solution for reverting the version of the project file

 

Stan Jones
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 13, 2025

@Anatoliy5E1B,

 

Beyond.

 

This is what I find as the official recommendation from Adobe on downgrading a project:

https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/video/backward-compatibility-video.html

 

It would only be helpful if you can work in the current version to export EDL.

 

Be sure to keep backups of every project step until you get this sorted.

 

See @Tarveil's response with a link to a video describing a was to downgrade a project file.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/issue-with-25-6-update/idc-p/15589859#M57813

 

And see @Ann Bens' comment on masking:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/issue-with-25-6-update/idc-p/15590060#M57851

 

You can also install the Beta separately from the Release version, to try to continue editing your project there, or export EDL/XML etc. You can install the newest version Beta 26.0.0 (which is the new project file version 44), or the previous Beta 25.6.0 which saved projects in the newer version when the new masking was enabled.

 

I generally do not recommend the Beta for production work, but you face poor alternatives. See my post here regarding some issues in using the Beta:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-beta-discussions/new-beta-uninstall-reset-or-just-update/m-p/15577497#M12541

 

@jamieclarke Is there a better staff recommendation for someone who did significant work in the new version?

 

Stan

 

Participant
November 13, 2025

my project was wiped out because of this. Since I was working on it in version 25.6 I have saved it in that version. Tried the dynamic link with After effects and didn't work, thats why I decided to downgrade both programs. Now when I try to open the project it says that it has been saved in newer version. Tried with changing the version to 1, but nothing works, it opens empty project file. 

Participating Frequently
November 13, 2025

Multiple issues with Premiere Pro 25.6 (Build 116) and Media Encoder 25.6 (Build 98) - Win11 Pro : drag & drop not working + masking prompt loop


Hi everyone,

I’m experiencing several issues since updating to the latest versions of Premiere Pro and Media Encoder.
My versions are:

Premiere Pro 25.6 (Build 116)

Media Encoder 25.6 (Build 98)

1. Drag & drop from Premiere to Media Encoder no longer works
If a project has been saved in Premiere 25.6, I can no longer drag & drop it into Media Encoder.
The only method that works is using “Send to Media Encoder” inside Premiere.
This is a real problem when exporting a large batch (e.g. 30+ video variations), since I have to send them one by one.

2. Media Encoder refuses to open the Premiere project
If I try to open the Premiere project directly from Media Encoder, I get the message:

“A newer version of Adobe Premiere Pro is required to open this project.”
Both apps are updated (25.6), but Media Encoder still refuses to open the project.

3. Endless loop with the “Enable new masking” prompt
Every time I launch Premiere, I get this dialog:

“Would you like to enable the new masking feature?”
If I click Enable, Premiere restarts… and shows the exact same prompt again.
This happens indefinitely.

I have to click Ignore to continue — but Premiere still saves projects in the latest format, which then causes incompatibility with Media Encoder (issue #1).

Is anyone else seeing this behavior?
Any workaround until Adobe addresses it?

Thanks,
— Sébastien

 

 

Ann Bens
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 13, 2025

25.6 Has been pulled, revert to 25.5.

Ann Bens
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 13, 2025

If you checked the new mask feature and made masks in 25.6 it might not be there in 25.5.

Participant
November 13, 2025

I made a post about this : https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/i-cannot-open-my-v25-6-project/idi-p/15589804#M57798

As I mentionned,v verything was fine but this morning, after an handling error or something, my Premiere Pro has reverted to an earlier version in v25.5.

But I worked on a project for multiple hours in v25.6 and now I cannot open it. How can I do ?

Participant
November 13, 2025

Earlier this week, I updated to v25.6 and I work multiples hours on a project.

Everything was fine but this morning, after an handling error or something, my Premiere Pro has reverted to an earlier version in v25.5.

 

After a few research I saw this post in Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/premiere/comments/1ovbctq/premiere_256_update_bug_and_status/

 

Now I cannot go back to v25.6 and I cannot open the project I worked multiples hours on.

Please, I need help quick because I have deadlines...

 

Thank you

Participant
November 13, 2025

Hi,

Yes, I followed all the instructions but my projet was made in v25.6 so I could not open it.

 

Somone send me this video to downgrade my project and open it in v25.5 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJO4PlHASIs

I give it a try, and it seems to work !

Ann Bens
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 13, 2025

Yeah that was me: deleted afterward as I thought the instructions in the Jamie post would do the trick .......

Francis-Crossman17221443
Community Manager
Community Manager
November 13, 2025

If you did not see the dialogue to enable masking and/or you did not accept it, it's safe to continue using 25.6 but it is recommended to update as soon as we have a new version out.