All Premiere Pro project files have disappeared from everywhere!

Report · Mar 14, 2017

Hello,

I have no idea what to think here. All of a sudden, all of my .pproj files (and auto saves) are missing off my computer. I was working in a project earlier today, even, and that file is gone, too. I thought I may have accidentally saved that file in a different location, and that's when I discovered that every single .pproj file I had saved was missing (dozens of them).

So, some background. I am using Adobe CC 2017. I had .pproj files saved both locally (on my D: drive--Windows) and in Dropbox (which is also synced to a separate folder on the D:drive of my PC). Both of these folders are also backed up by CrashPlan. All .pproj files have disappeared from the local folders, from Dropbox (local and web UI), and CrashPlan backup files. When I open PremierePro, it doesn't show anything under recent files. When I do a search of my computer, none of those missing files come up. They are not in the Recycle (Trash)--of course, as I did not delete them. Nothing else seems to be missing except for these .pproj files (and the associates auto save files). I still have all my After Effects project files (.aep). All the video and audio files that were in the same folders as the Premiere Pro project files are still there. So this definitely seems like the issue is with Premiere Pro.

How in the world did all these files disappear, and is there any way to get them back? I figured having the files backed up locally, through Dropbox, and through CrashPlan would be enough of a contingency plan to prevent the loss of data. However, I have never heard of (or experienced) anything like this before.

Report · Sep 19, 2017

I just downloaded the Premier Pro Trial on 9/17. I was working on a project, and suddenly, the entire folder where I stored my edited and exported files AND original .Mov files is gone. It is not even showing in the trash can! Two days work has completely vanished. The .prproj files are still there in the Premier folder. When I open a prproj file, I get the error message my media files are missing.

I have not moved any files and they were all on my hard drive. This happened after I exported a second file as an MP4. I then tried to open my original project, and started getting error messages.

Now I am concerned that a virus was downloaded with this trial and my computer has been compromised. This makes me extremely hesitant to purchase this product.

Report · Sep 19, 2017

What exact number version did you download?

Report · Sep 19, 2017

2017.1.2- I downloaded the trial version from the Adobe site.

Report · Sep 28, 2017

This happened AGAIN yesterday! Two project folder files have completely disappeared! This time it happened right after I purchased Premier Pro CC. This is infuriating!!

Report · Oct 02, 2017

Similar problem here - though with PP CS6. (Ver 6.0.0 - Win 7 Pro on a HP Z400 workstation)

Several recent projects, (and several day's work), have simply vanished.

Original media files are still there on a separate raid drive used exclusively for media.
Projects are saved to default location on my C drive.

This happened about a month ago with a less-important project. I realised I was in trouble again today when the opening window of Premiere did NOT include the recent projects in its list for quick loading. I've trawled the computer and these recent projects are not there, neither are there ANY auto-saves.

Deeply frustrating: this is part of my day-job at third level university.

Report · Oct 17, 2017

I hate to be part of the problem... Last night I saved a project on Premiere. This morning I opened the project and the project file wouldn't open. When I confirmed it wouldn't open, the project file was deleted (Automatically by the program) from my hard drive. I reloaded the newest auto save and the same happened. I finally got an auto save 2-3 hours older to load but it couldn't link media, after searching the the hard drive, several media files have been deleted from my hard drive. I'm a PC user using version 2017 11.1.2. Lets hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Report · Apr 18, 2020

Did you end up getting the files back? It's happened to me but with AE

Report · Nov 02, 2017

Frustrated.imac.user: Adobe you fix, please?

I'm a wedding videographer that has just updated to 12.0.0.........

After spending long-time on edit [apart from the program often crashing after 'saving-as'] frequently it's been the case that when I re-open the project, the timeline is empty, or, none of the work I did in the last session has saved...

I have audio files missing from two backups, as well, and no way would I have dumped them, so yeah, kinda scratching my head on that one and would love to blame this program for that too...

Obviously, I a was fool to update mid-project, but laugh at me now coz having opened project in new version, the old version won't recognise project either... so I start again, but yeah: the saving (/ potential deleting) issue has me thinking I'd best look at alternative editing software.

Report · Nov 06, 2017

I just started paying for CC 2018 and just lost everything after an export that I had saved and had been working on for days.

Report · Jan 30, 2020

Thanks for sharing your insight truthfully. It helped me quite a bit to get to know that other people are struggling with the same issue.

Report · Apr 26, 2020

In Premiere 2020 (13.1.2) I also have lost files accociated with my missing project. Some not all; only files that were on the same drive as my project. The crazy thing is, I have all my Auto-save files going to a seperate SSD and they are all missing too.

Report · Nov 10, 2017

I just encountered the same problem, both happy and sad to encountered this post ... I haven't used Premier CC 2017 for at least a month or two and had several projects that I still planned to do a little tweaking on. After coming back I found that all of my projects had been deleted. Unfortunately I have no way to recover these. In my case it is not a loss that I can't recover from but this still makes me really uneasy with the security of my projects.

Report · Dec 01, 2017

Same issue. I quit Premiere Pro, saved the file when prompted on quitting, then restarted the app. Now the recent projects list is empty, and the project files are missing, including previous versions (saved with Save as...) and auto-saves. To add insult to injury, all time machine backups are missing the Premiere project files as well! Support said they could not help and told me to contact a PC shop to recover the files.

Report · Dec 01, 2017

DLoewen,

Which version of Premiere Pro? Have you updated to the current version?

Thanks,
Kevin

Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community & Engagement Strategist – Pro Video and Audio

Report · Dec 01, 2017

Thanks for the reply, Kevin. Yes, I'm on the latest version 12.0.0 (build 224).

Report · Dec 01, 2017

Yeah I'm pretty educated on the topic of recovering files, still am unable to find any trace. I checked every possible solution. Any projects that had not already been exported at some point is gone.

Report · Dec 21, 2017

I can't believe Premiere Pro can have such a problem!!!

I also have it, running 12.0.0, Premiere Pro 2018, and can't see any of the files I have been working on!

Why would developers even consider the possibility to delete .prproj files? I find it astounding!

Also I am pretty sure there is NOTHING I can do to recover files because media encoder has been running a few hours writing on disk proxies that are now completely useless - they just have been overriding forever .prporj that I will never find again.

I lost so much work, I am really heartbroken.

Report · Dec 21, 2017

I just notice that this thread is open since March. March! I updated not so much time ago (I run the latest version)

You guys are industry leaders - this is a huge issue! It is not losing, I don't know, half an hour of work because of a crash - it is deleting content ON DISK - potentially weeks of work!

And I realize backing up is important, still dammit - you guys made me lose three nights of work (and sleep). I don't expect Premiere Pro to act like a damn virus.

I am really really disappointed. I like Premiere Pro, but it could be the best software in the world, if it randomly deletes stuff then I don't want to even have it installed on my PC.

Report · Dec 21, 2017

And you know what's worse? I chatted with some bozo in tech support at Adobe who told me i just have saved the work somewhere else because that WAS a known problem that they have since solved... I'm also running the latest version.

How could it be solved and we're still encountering the same issue

Report · Jan 29, 2018

I just lost my whole current project in Premiere pro. I updated to see if it would fix it but nope. Newest version of Premiere. 8:01pm on January 29th 2018. Crazy.

Report · Jan 31, 2018

Agreed! Open up to find a problem, updated and everything is gone!

Report · Feb 17, 2018

February 17, 2018 at 9:30 PM premiere Pro 2018 timeline disappeared after trying to export audio to mp3. Export engine hung up and did not open. Premiere pro updated this afternoon prior to this event. Did Save As just prior to attempted export. Fortunately was able to access previous timeline from 30 minutes prior. This has happened 3 times since Friday. Was able to import auto-saves so didn’t lose everything. .

Report · Feb 19, 2018

PC or Mac, and where specifically are you saving the Projects? When this issue first popped up months ago, it was something to do with users saving Projects in a Cache folder. If you create your own unique folders I don't see where Premiere - or ANY program - is going to scour your hard drive to find and delete all instances of your projects, almost has to be something to do with where they are located, using some sort of "common" Adobe-generated location.

Thanks

Jeff

Report · Feb 20, 2018

@Jeff This would make sense, however in my case the project was located in a folder on the Desktop (Mac).

Report · Feb 26, 2018

I teach a Digital Audio and Video course at a technical college. Students are using Premiere and almost in tears because this happened to THREE of them. All of their hard work GONE. They've got autosave on, but the folders are empty. I'm watching them work on their projects and save, but then they open it again and it's gone. I can't do my job with problems like this.