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

[Francis-Crossman]

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 have provided an app to fix the issue. 

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) 

Our Solution 

We have built an app that will convert a v25.6.0-saved project back to the v25 format. This app is now available:

• Windows
• Macintosh

The app is able to process one or more files simultaneously. If you have any questions or comments about the app, please let us know via a comment in this thread.

Note: We know there are a number of downgrading apps available online, but we strongly recommend not using these. Non-Adobe apps and scripts are often outdated and may cause crashes and data loss.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. 

[chuck_1325]

I did manage to find a workaround to the newer version error issue (it's not the best.. but it worked).

1.  Uninstall v. 25.6 and reinstall 25.5 via Creative Cloud.  Keep the preferences.

2.  Use an online converter to revert your project to a previous version.  There are a few online that can do this pretty quickly.

3.  Open the converted project in 25.5 and then save as a new file name.

4.  Don't allow any premiere updates until Adobe can fully address this issue and it's confirmed.

[Peru Bob]

@kisiditj89

Turn off auto updates in the CC app.

[gorans32670753]

I agree, Da Vinci is more closer then ever for me

[MikePeace]

This works! Adobe, stop releasing versions that do not work. Newst Illustraator version is out of its mind as well.

[mattlth]

No, 25.6.2 will not open files last saved in 25.6.0 or 25.6.1. I even tried the auto-save files that were saved in the .0 and .1 versions, and those won't open either. I'll have to finish this current project in the beta, then start new projects in 26.5.2.

[Kidd Carrillo]

And now the Clients videos are damaged and had to start over again with the deadline this weekend. thanks Adobe. 

[MikePeace]

downgrade to 25.5, use downgrader too https://downgrader.elements.tv/ to make a file, open that file in 25.5 it worked for me

[Kulin Co]

This is costing my team thousands of dollars a day.
Was already strongly considering switch to resolve and this might be the thing that pushes over the edge.

[cristian_adrian_7780]

First, I see people talk about working in Beta. Why? Why do you take the risk of working a real project using an unstable version? 

Second, the solution for those who worked in 25.6.0, the solution was given here multiple times, unoficially. Just modify the version as instructed. It is just as simple. 

Yes it is unfortunate that this happened but let's just focus on solutions, not on hype.

[martin_25061207]

They've released version 25.6.2, but it still has the same problem. I was having these issues when I was working on projects that I needed to make changes to. This bug is frustrating, and I can't understand how they couldn't fix it. If you're having this problem, I'll tell you the solution that solved me and that helped me out.

What I recommend is that you download 7-Zip, go to your Premiere project file, and with 7-Zip extract the file. This will show an XML archive. Open the archive with Notepad and change the version number. For some reason, files made with v.25.6.2 are being written with version 43, and files that were made with v.25.6.0 are being written with version 44. Once you change that, you compress the XML file with 7-Zip as a gzip, and once that's done, you change the extension of the gzip to .prproj. That trick can save you time and money.

[Fergus H]

Hi all, 

We have released a simple app that will convert a project saved in v25.6.0 back to the v25 project format. This should fix the problem that customers who used v25.6.0 have experienced. 

We have updated the first post in this thread with information and links to the Windows and Mac versions of the app. Please let us know if you have any questions or comments. 

Regards,

Fergus

[MyerPj]

Hey @Fergus H , I can download the Mac version, but the Windows version is only thinking about it.

[Fergus H]

@MyerPj sorry about that! I've updated the link. Please try again and let me know if it works ok for you. 

Regards,

Fergus

[MyerPj]

That one works @Fergus H , thanks very much. 🙂

[Miguel_Schneider6322]

thanks!! 

[Harunates]

thanks

[default8vqj5l7w2vxf]

Today I updated to the latest version of Adobe Premiere to 25.6.2, but unfortunately I cannot open any files because apparently all files were created in a newer version of Premiere Pro. How is this possible when I just updated to the latest version?

[Peru Bob]

@Francis-Crossman 

Will that app convert a v25.6.0 project that was opened and saved in the beta version to v25?

[Puffancs]

Sadly, no 😞

[Peru Bob]

Were they opened in the beta version?

[Fergus H]

@Peru Bob That’s a great question! The short answer is no — the tool only converts projects saved in v25.6.0 back to the v25 project format.

Since you’re a Community Expert, here’s the longer explanation:

As of today (November 22), the latest beta is v26.0.0.037. Projects created in this beta can be downgraded using the tool because both v25.6.0 and the current beta share the same internal project version.

However, in the next beta release, this will change. That update will introduce a new internal project version for v26, meaning projects created in that beta and future v26 releases will not be convertible. At that point, v25.x, v25.6.0, and v26 will each have unique version numbers, and the tool will only convert files from v25.6.0.

Finally, if you’ve used the new masking feature, any v26 beta project that includes masking cannot be converted—regardless of which v26 beta version you used. Those files contain data that v25.x can’t interpret, and the tool blocks the conversion.

Regards,
Fergus

[Stan Jones]

@Fergus H,

Thanks for the answer and for the longer explanation.

I had suspected that some users could not use the various conversion options since it only changes the project file version number (from 44 to 43) and they had one or more other issues. You appear to be saying that one of those issues was using masking in the Beta, true? If they used masking in 25.6.0 (was that possible? I have assumed yes), that would also prevent a successful conversion? 

The sample project file I was testing involved the XML issue of having an empty tag (<>), and resulted in a damaged project error when opened with any version. And when those XML lines were removed, it would open in the Beta, but not any regular versions.

Stan

[Ann Bens]

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/p-premiere-projects-saved-in-v25-6-0-cannot-be-open...

[Agrarvolution]

Hey Fergus, 

I used this tool to downgrade my projects. I can successfully downgrade it, but every time I open them up in Premiere 25.6.2, Premiere crashes midway through loading the project. 🫣

[Stan Jones]

@Agrarvolution,

In your earlier post, you describe working in 25.6.0 for some time and Beta.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/p-premiere-projects-saved-in-v25-6-0-cannot-be-open...

I suspect you have one of the situations I described in my post to Fergus.

Did you provide a link to one of your projects? I think it needs to be one that you edited in 25.6.0 only or both 25.6.0 and Beta.

Stan