Premire pro all version of 25 export SUPER slow

[pz26278765]

Premiere Pro version 25 has drastically slowed down export times. I've been producing the same type of footage for over three years, and what once took just 3 to 6 hours to render is now taking between 40 to 60 hours.

All exports are H.264. All footage is 4K, no effects, simple transition between clips, only 1 pic image at the start of each video.

PC specs.:

5950x

64GB ram

seperate NVME for OS, data files and cache

Nvidia 4090  GPU

GPU drivers versions tested 5.77 and 5.81.08

All other drivers are the lasted for the platform (x570)

OS = windows 10 (latest version)

In version 24, Premiere Pro made some use of the GPU but it would always max the CPU at 100% until the export was complete.

Starting with version 25, the behavior changed significantly. It initially engages the GPU, but drops it almost entirely after reaching just 1% progress. From there, CPU usage remains minimal—averaging around 50% in version 25.2, and closer to 20% average in other 25.x releases.

I've tried every optimization step—clearing the cache, enabling hardware acceleration, and more—but none of it has made a difference.

anyone have any ideas. Is this a known issue? I'm about to go back to ver 24 but figured I check to see if someone can help.. thanks 

[Rach McIntire]

Hi @pz26278765, 

Thanks for reaching out.  I'm sorry Premiere is running so slowly for you.  That's always frustrating, especially when the renders are that slow.  There were some changes in how Premiere handles GPU vs. CPU rendering, but a hit that big is definitely a big impact.  What type of footage are you working with?  Is it AVCHD?   I hope we can help you soon. Sorry for the frustration! 

[pz26278765]

HI Rach, Thank you for reaching out. The footage I'm working with comes from a GoPro Hero 13, and I've noticed a significant slowdown in export times since updating my software to version 25.

For about three years, my workflow has been very consistent: I capture 5.3K footage on a tripod and bring it into a 4K timeline. My edits are simple—just basic transitions between clips with no special effects. Exports of 1.5 to 2-hour videos consistently took around 2 to 4 hours.

However, since the v25 update, export times have slowed sigificatly. For example, a 1.5-hour clip that used to take about 2 hours to export instead took over 48 hours this past weekend. While I haven't done an export of that length since May, I've noticed a slowdown even on smaller projects (30 minutes or less) over the last four months, but ti wasnt; as much of an issue so I let it be

Previously, when I was exporting, Premiere Pro would consistently use my CPU at or near 100% capacity. Now, the CPU usage averages around 50%. The GPU is also being underutilized; it will work for a minute or so before stopping, leaving the rest of the work to the CPU.

I'm running Windows 10. I keep up with drivers and software updates.  

Export settings are as follows:

h.264

frame size 3840 x 2160

FPS 59.94

render max depth, and max render quality

hardware encoding

profile high

level 5.2

hdr 203

CBR AT 40MBPS

I've been using the same settings for almost three years. I'm thinking about reverting to version 24, but I'm concerned about potential problems. Would downgrading be performed as a fresh install? I use this PC exclusively for Premiere Pro and lightroom to keep the operating system and registry clean, and I rarely connect it to the internet

Hopefully some of this helps

Thanks again

[pz26278765]

After more testing, I've noticed the following:

- Exporting directly from Premiere Pro v25 is extremely slow. 

- Sending the project to Media Encoder with Premiere Pro still open, exports are extremely slow. 

- However, if I send it to Media Encoder and then fully close Premiere Pro, the export speed returns to normal. In this scenario, the GPU usage hovers around 97%, while CPU utilization averages about 50%. When the GPU isn’t being used, the CPU spikes to nearly 100%—which aligns with the behavior I observed prior to v25.

Once again, no other apps are running in the background, excluding normal OS processes.

Based on these patterns, it seems that the slowdown is tied to Premiere Pro v25. 

Hopefully this helps.