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 Non-Adobe apps and scripts are often outdated and may cause crashes and data loss.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. 

[Agrarvolution]

Yes, I did both with this project.

[Stan Jones]

@Agrarvolution,

If you can provide a link to a copy of your project, I can take a look.  I'll say that I became convinced that some projects could not be salvaged. But maybe.

I'd prefer a copy of your project before you downgraded the project, but it may not matter. I do not need the media, just the project file.

Stan

[Fergus H]

@Stan Jones "You appear to be saying that one of those issues was using masking in the Beta, true?"

That's correct. A file that used the new Object Mask feature in the v26 beta cannot be opened in v25.x. 

"If they used masking in 25.6.0 (was that possible? I have assumed yes), that would also prevent a successful conversion?"

Using masking in v25.6.0 wouldn't affect the project's ability to be downloaded using the tool we released. That's because - despite the dialog customers saw at launch on v25.6.0 - that version did not include the new masking feature. Only the v26 beta has that. 

Regards,

Fergus

[Anas29985949gn1f]

Problem fixed thank you

[giorgio_Brazil]

I have same problem with last update 25.6.2 (build 1). I was working until yesterday evening with the file recently converted to _1.prproj with the previous recent update. I tried to download your app to fix the file, but I cannot do it probably because I have all the programs in Italian language. It says that is impossible to download this file.

I absolutely need the project save with _1.prproj becasue the previous saved version without _1 is old and it doesn't contain all the work I have done during these past weeks.

[giorgio_Brazil]

Following my previous message, I managed to download the APP to fix the file and it worked.

Thanks anyway.

[MyerPj]

It's so great to get clarifications like that, thanks @Fergus H 

[keikomak]

I've tried ALL reccomened fixes (on a Mac OS 14.7.4). Rollback to 25.5 doesnt work. Beta won't open. Usual "import" into new project an all of teh above versoins NOTHING!!! Get on it Adobe - what a DISASTER.

[JaimeGomez78]

Thank you for fixing a problem that you (Adobe) caused for everyone completely unnecessarily.

I wonder who the genius was who thought: "Let's ask users to activate a tool that isn't even available yet, but that makes their projects save to an unknown, unreleased future version, and the next time they try to open it, the software will tell them: 'Your project is saved in a newer version (that doesn't exist yet).'" A genius, indeed.

[k.magn]

how long will I have to wait for geeneral fix of this problem without installing any additional apps? I work in a company where our internal IT blocks this app and they expect that there will be software patch. 

Again, Adobe added so many "useful" features, which I propably won't use, but you totally missed the basics ... 

[danielchisholm]

Dear @Fergus H ,

Thank you for the downgrade tool link! I've tried sending a file through and am getting the error "This file contains mask data that cannot be safely processed." - however, I don't remember having done any masking in Premiere in the project.

Is there any way to get at the file now?

Also: Is there any way of telling which version the project file was last saved in without opening it?

Thank you!

Kindest,

Dan

[SIRO]

Thanks a lot guys ! solved my problem ... STABILITY!!

[josé_5163]

Hi, still can´t do this to my project, it says "This file contains mask data that cannot be safely processed." 

Why?

[Stan Jones]

@josé_5163 @danielchisholm,

> "This file contains mask data that cannot be safely processed." 

See Fergus' response above:

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

I finally tried the new tool, and got this message on the user's project I was troubleshooting. I believe the user had worked on this in the Beta version in addition to 25.6.0. Even if you downgrade such a file with one of the other methods described in this thread, you will be unable to open it in 25.6.2. You can open it in the Beta version, in which case, you do not need to downgrade it.

Stan

[josé_5163]

Thank you Stan,

So I will have to continue working on the beta in this project... I can’t understand how adobe does these things, I went to the beta because of them and I will have to continue here at least in this project until I finish it. correct?

[Stan Jones]

@josé_5163,

Pardon the long post, but your question is a good one; including the parts you may not be asking specifically!

I have no inside information, but I think that is a "yes." I was unsuccessful in getting the project I was testing to open in anything other than the Beta.

I have posted about how to minimize problems when updating the Beta:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-beta-discussions/new-beta-uninstall-reset-or-just-update...

That post assumed you were updating, but does not address whether and when to update. See my "Cautions" when using the Beta here:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-beta-bugs/cannot-install-premiere-pro-beta/idc-p/1484839...

You have no choice but to use the Beta currently, and many users do so regularly with deadline projects.

I would add the following to what I have posted:

• Be certain that you have auto-update turned OFF. In the Creative Cloud Desktop, click on your avatar/account -> Preferences -> Apps. You'll see Auto-update.
• When there is a new build of the Beta, an invitation to update appears. Do NOT click on it. As noted in my "Cautions," stop-your-work-dead-in-its-tracks bugs may occur in any build of the Beta. While they are often fixed before many users realize they are there, they may persist for multiple days. And once you update the Beta, you cannot go back.
• So stick with a known-good Beta build as much as you can. As I noted in the update practices post, I use a clone of my system drive as a backup to roll-back to a previous version. Currently, through the cloud desktop, you only have the choice of the final build of Beta 25.6 or the latest build of 26.x. So the only way to roll-back to your known-good build is a clone.

I'm just glad the Beta is a working option for the current issues. And it has been working well for me lately.

Stan

[frankie_3449]

This was the only solution that worked for me-- THANK YOU!

[MyerPj]

My guess is once the shipping version goes to 26.x and it included the new masking features. You can probably start using that shipping version. Like Stan and a few others I'm aware of, I just use the beta always. But I don't have deadlines, etc, and I can move around to different projects, etc.

[Hernan36393998z2zj]

GENIUSSSSSS!

[andrewb57]

Ive tried all the fixes youve suggested and nothing has worked. I believe this damaged my file and I lost an entire project. Is there a way to recover this? It has somehow corrupted all my auto save for the project as well.

[danielchisholm]

@Stan Jones Thank you very much, that makes sense. Seems like I'm stuck in the Beta on this project as well then. Oh well...

Thank you!

[Stan Jones]

@andrewb57,

> I believe this damaged my file

Are you getting a damaged file error when you try to open? Can you post a link to your project file - no media needed.

Stan

[Saioa36162521o0z9]

Hoy he actualizado premiere a la última versión, la 25.6.2 y de repente no podía abrir ningún proyecto. El mensaje que me salía era ""Este proyecto se ha guardado en una versión más reciente de Premiere y no se puede abrir en esta". He intentado volver a una versión anterior, pero me al intentar abrir el proyecto el mensaje era "El proyecto está dañado". He intentado buscar soluciones en tutoriales de Youtube pero no me funcionaba nada. Finalmente me he puesto en contacto con la asistencia técnica de Adobe y me han facilitado una solución temporal, un parche, que me ha salvado para este proyecto en concreto, pero tienen que solucionar urgentemente este problema con la actualización porque no es operativo tener que dar estos pasos con cada uno de nuestros proyectos.

Dejo por aquí el mensaje de la asistencia técnica con el enlace para convertir el proyecto a una versión anterior, por si alguien lo pudiera necesitar:

Por favor instale la aplicación desde el siguiente enlace, intente convertir el proyecto y verifique nuevamente: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/uwk5o2p5pzbvxbjnelkid/Premiere-25.6.0-Project-Downgrade-Tool_0.1.1_x6...

Por favor, convierta amablemente el proyecto en el que desea trabajar, ya que hay un problema de compatibilidad con los proyectos guardados en la última versión de la aplicación y versiones anteriores.
También puede revisar nuestra ayuda comunitaria sobre el problema en el siguiente enlace:
Además, puede descargar la aplicación para Mac desde la ayuda comunitaria si desea trabajar en un sistema Mac.
https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/p-premiere-projects-saved-in-v25-6-0-cannot-be-open...

Espero que Premiere esté trabajando para solucionar esto de manera urgente. 

[jeremy_5156]

Thank you so much Fergus! 

[Myra Ferguson]

Try the workaround from this thread:

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