FAQ: Fixing stuttering, stuttery, choppy and overall slow playback in Adobe Premiere Pro

Beleive it or not there are many things that can effect playback when using Preiere Pro. Quick Sync, CUDA Open CL and ASIO etc. It takes a while to get Premiere Pro tweaked out 100% as seen in the video below.

Did this video help you solve any of your issues? Let us know!

If you are still having performance issues, your media is probably too heavy for your computer. It's a common problem as footage these days is so highly compressed. Even expensive computers can struggle with certain footage.

For example, 4K H.264 or HEVC media from your camera or mobile device needs additional handling in order to edit with it smoothly in most cases (especially 4:2:2 10-bit video). In that case you'll need to do one of the following:

• Reboot the computer.
• Check Audio Hardware Preferences. Choose Edit > Preferences > Audio Hardware > Default Input.
• Lower the playback resolution to 1/2 or less.
• Disable "High Quality Playback" in the Wrench (Settings) menu in the Program Monitor.
• Choose Preferences > Memory and allocate more RAM to Premiere Pro, but not so much as to starve the OS.
• Choose Project Settings > General and ensure Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration is enabled.
• Make sure you are working with your media on high speed hard drives connected via your motherboard or a high speed port.
• Render the area that is lagging. Set In and Out around the area and choose Sequence > Render In to Out. Use also the Render and Replace function for sections of video that have heavy effects.
• Close unnecessary panels if you are not working with them, like Lumetri Scopes.
• Use the proxy workflow
  1. What you'd like about this workflow:
     • Much easier to playback than Long GOP media (and even easier than 4K ProRes at 1/2 res or the like)
     • Ideal for laptops and lower powered computers
       • Exception:
         • H.264 presets
         • They are of a small file size, but are not as performant

1. Things to keep in mind:
   • You need to manage and keep track of at least 2 sets of media: masters and proxies
   • Sometimes it's difficult to know whether you are editing with proxies or not (using watermarks​ can help).
   • You need to add the "Toggle Proxies" button to your Program Monitor (or memorize a shortcut that you need to set)
   • A custom ingest preset for your proxies can be created for certain types of media, such as those that require HDR/HLG color management.
• Copy (or transcode) the footage to a "clean" .mp4 or to an editing codec like ProRes, GoPro Cineform, DNxHD/HR
  1. What's good about transcoding?:
     • ProRes or DNxHD/HR: Easier to playback than .mp4 wrapped media (but not as easy as lighter weight proxies).
       • Allows implementation of the "smart rendering" workflow—allows for lightning fast renders.
     • Transcoding back to .mp4, which can also work to change variable frame rate problems. 
       • Try Handbrake or Shutter Encoder  for this.
       • Performance isn't as good as ProRes, however, may be OK for a shorter or smaller editing sessions. File sizes are much smaller, as well.
  2. Things to keep in mind:
     • ProRes, etc. temporarily takes up a great deal of storage.
       • These intermediate files can be deleted after the project is complete.
     • Media Encoder might not be able to import the files. In that case, use the freeware, like, Shutter Encoder, which transcodes all files to either ProRes or back to a playable version of your .mp4.
• Delete the Media Cache and Media Cache files.
• Resetting the preferences can fix unexplained performance issues. To do so, after synching your settings, do the following steps.
• Upgrade RAM by adding more RAM. Try 32 GB for editing with 4K footage.
• Upgrade GPU: A GPU with 4 to 8 GB VRAM is what to look for at a minimum.
• Upgrade hard drive: Solid state drives are very fast and work well.
• Upgrade CPU. Only the most modern ones can playback 4K at 4:2:2 10-bit.
• Adequate cooling: make sure that your computer is not becoming overheated by not staying cool enough. Install monitoring software to make sure that you are in the right zone for cooling. Upgrade fans or another system if you need to.
• Click the "Global FX Mute" button. This temporarily disables all effects. This allows for smoother playback.

Thanks,
Kevin