FAQ: Prior major releases of Premiere, Audition, Prelude and AME have been removed

[ProDesignTools]

It looks like Adobe has just pulled many of the primary installers that were available for previous major versions of Premiere Pro, Audition, Prelude, and Adobe Media Encoder (AME).

Notably the following base releases are now gone, and not currently available to customers via any means (whether using the Creative Cloud Desktop app or through direct download links😞

— Premiere Pro CC 2015.3 (versions 10.3 & 10.4 – June 2016)

— Premiere Pro CC 2015 (version 9.0 – June 2015)

— Premiere Pro CC 2014 (version 8.0 – June 2014)

— Audition CC 2015.2 (versions 9.2 & 9.2.1 – June 2016)

— Audition CC 2015 (version 8.0 – June 2015)

— Audition CC 2014 (version 7.0 – June 2014)

— Prelude CC 2015.4 (versions 5.0 & 5.0.1 – June 2016)

— Prelude CC 2015 (version 4.0 – June 2015)

— Prelude CC 2014 (version 3.0 – June 2014)

— Media Encoder CC 2015.3 (versions 10.3 & 10.4 – June 2016)

— Media Encoder CC 2015 (version 9.0 – June 2015)

— Media Encoder CC 2014 (version 8.0 – June 2014)

Note that this loss affects all revisions from these three years (2014, 2015, and 2016), because without the base installers available, none of the minor version updates can be installed either.

Can't say for sure why this happened, but it could possibly be related to the recent change in CC application support for the Dolby codec.

One of the great promises of Creative Cloud is the ability to use any version of the CC apps that you desire or require. This is especially important for video customers, who are urged by Adobe experts to install and maintain multiple CC versions and to always re-open their .prproj files with the exact same versions of Premiere with which they were created, no matter how new or old. This is for compatibility reasons.

Updating and Backing Up Premiere Pro Project Files: Best Practices

The loss of these major releases could also be a big issue for customers who cannot upgrade, for example, due to changed system requirements or newer versions that their current hardware cannot support. They will not be able to access or reinstall older versions of their software.

Adobe also sometimes drops features or functionality between releases, and says that if you want to use the discontinued feature, then you need to go back and install/use the previous version.

If you would like to have these three years of CC releases restored, then the most likely path to having that happen is to let Adobe know how important these are to you (their customers) – so please share why you want or need them...

Please add your feedback below, and/or click "I have the same question" underneath this text.

[unku]

Yeah we had some old packages from the CC Packager that we were able to use to install the old versions still. To add to what Tom mentioned above, we found that if we still have the old versions installed and we needed to install a new package, we were able to just manually uninstall all other apps but the discontinued ones, manually remove the Creative Cloud directory (not uninstall), and just install a new package over top of that. This allowed us to keep Premiere and AME 2015.3 installed while still moving forward with the new versions of Premiere and everything.

This workflow doesn't work for those upgrading with the CC app directly from the web. For those, you'll need to make sure that you don't remove the old versions when updating. I understand that that is the issue though, folks have removed the old version and now can't find it to reinstall. We couldn't either, without the old packages.

This has been a big lesson learned for us in keeping older installers around and not trusting the CC. We typically do this in package form but haven't in a while in individual app/installer form. Now we're going to copy and keep everything.

[R Neil Haugen]

It's been reported here & elsewhere that if you can get the complete folder file from the Program folder for a version (Windows) or I guess the "package" area in Mac, plus the user folder from the spot on the computer where Adobe parks the user data per version, and put those on a different computer with the same OS in the same locations, that it might actually work to use that prior version.

Neil

[Stan Jones]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/R+Neil+Haugen  wrote

...complete folder file ...

I did not see that and don't believe that is correct. There is lots in the registry that is required for the program to function. Having the previous files helped in replacing the missing Dolby file if you installed 2017.1.4, the new installer with the file removed.

The best method was restoring from a computer backup so that the original 2017 (or other) version was intact, then doing any updates without removing older versions.

[ProDesignTools]

I agree with Stan. Copying folders from machine to machine has never been seen as a good way to move an installation, as it ignores everything a program keeps and maintains in the Windows Registry... Full uninstalls and reinstalls are usually seen as the main viable method. There are also some third-party utilities out there that claim to move software between computers without needing to uninstall/reinstall, but not sure how well they work with these applications.

That said, one of these suggestions may be helpful if you've lost the Dolby functionality you had with CC 2017:

1. Your simplest and best bet is to recover your older CC apps as they were before you installed CC 2018. See if you can use Windows Restore to roll back the state of applications on your computer to before that time. On a Mac, you'd use Apple's Time Machine.

2. If you can't do that, then do you have a system backup or image from when you had the previous CC installed, or perhaps it's installed on another machine? You could possibly use that backup together with the CC 2017 direct download links to get back to where you were before. At a minimum, you'll need both the Premiere Pro and Adobe Media Encoder apps.

3. If neither of those strategies recover a working CC 2017 for you, then you could try moving forward with CC 2018. You could use a third-party utility like Handbrake (a free open-source video transcoder) to convert your MTS/ACS files. Rename the files and reimport them into Premiere Pro. Then clear your media cache.

4. If none of the above work, then maybe consider upgrading to Windows 10 while it's still free, and press ahead with CC 2018 (if you're concerned about Windows telemetry, that's easily handled). Meanwhile, for Mac users, macOS upgrades are always free... Windows 8.1 or above and macOS 10.11 or above contain native support for Dolby decoding functions. Again, rename the applicable files and reimport them on your new setup. Then clear your media cache.

5. If you can't upgrade your operating system, can't move forward with CC 2018, can't go back to an older release, and are genuinely stuck with a project caught in the middle – and none of the above solutions work for you – then you could try contacting Adobe Customer Care to let them know and see if they can help.

6. Moving forward, when upgrading Creative Cloud apps, use 'Advanced Options' in the Desktop app to retain older CC versions rather than the default behavior, which is to remove them.

[ProDesignTools]

As a status update, none of these CC 2015 or CC 2014 installers have yet been restored... They continue to be unavailable for all customers by any means, except for folks who previously may have saved a copy of their own somehow.

Legally and technically, there is nothing preventing Adobe from bringing back these CC 2015 and CC 2014 versions without the Dolby codecs included – exactly as they did for CC 2017.

It would be a modest chunk of work for the engineers to do this of course, including QA'ing the revised installers, but it's certainly within the realm of possibility and is not dependent on Dolby in any way.

The only factors hindering such an internal effort would be potential bureaucracy and securing the engineering time. The only factors driving such an effort externally would be user demand and customer outcry.

You can express your feedback by sending a Bug Report here:

Adobe Feature Request/Bug Report Form 

We'll see which outcome prevails in the end. But after talking recently with upper management about this issue, please be assured that it is not a hopeless effort.

[AuroraTVPro]

Just wanted to say that I tried Tom's suggestion in post #57 and it worked perfectly!  Not everyone has this option I know, but having another system that was running Premiere CC 2015.4 and copying the files over really saved me!  Thanks Tom!

[footm85573587]

Not acceptable

[AuroraTVPro]

And as a long-term loyal Adobe user and CC user, I would have to say that it is completely unacceptable that with the much advertised "power of the cloud" we has paying customers should be able to go back to any version of apps and restore our systems in case of catastrophic failure or whatever. We're paying a pretty healthy fee for these CC apps, and for the very minimal hassle or cost to Adobe, you should take care of your loyal customers with little niceties like this.  Just the grousing alone on this thread should tell Adobe that someone made a bone-headed decision.

[R Neil Haugen]

Neither Stan, ProDesignTools nor myself are Adobe employees, we're users like yourself.

Having said that, as Adobe doesn't own the rights to the ac3 audio codec, and the company that does has become legally belligerent over the use of those files, are you suggesting that Adobe should violate US and international law? Because that is really what you are saying.

It's been clear from the beginning of this mess, from the absolute silence on the part of both Adobe  & Dolby, that guys in gray suits with red power ties and no sense of humor whatever were deeply involved. Until recently, there's not been one single scrap to figure out what the issue was. Now, there is an article out there about a legal filing in this issue.

I've looked through that one article on the legal issue that I've found ... there's a dispute over how Adobe & Dolby are to adjudge how many licenses Adobe should be paying for. Given what Dolby seems to be pushing for as far as access to internal Adobe financial operational data, and how closely Dolby works with competitive companies, if I were Adobe, I'd not be interested in giving that depth of access if any other way of establishing the number of licensees was available.

And apparently, that's the dispute. Up until a few months back, there was a process in place. Apparently Dolby decided that wasn't adequate and demanded to inspect the far more internal, daily operational financial data, and in great detail. From what's transpired, Adobe must have declined, so Dolby pulled the plug.

And from the paperwork filed, it isn't about the cost or even really the number of licenses Adobe should be paying for. The legal paperwork is about how far into Adobe's operations Dolby can poke their financial auditors. And Dolby feels they should be able to look at about anything of Adobe's operational data they want to. Way past the public filings that Adobe has to comply with for all legal requirements as a publicly incorporated business.

Adobe was forced to pull all apps with any internal reference to or sections of code that had anything to do with Dolby Laboratories processes. And so to make previous versions available, those versions have to be re-written with all Dolby code and references removed, yet fully functional otherwise. That requires in some cases a fair amount of re-writing, and testing, and ... still would not result in any Dolby ac3 functionality available.

It would mean we'd be able to work our older projects in their original version of PrPro.

It would not mean that any ac3 functionality would still be there. It wouldn't.

I wish it were otherwise, because this has been a rotten pile of smelly brown stuff at best. And brutal for many of the PrPro users out there. But just blasting Adobe isn't doing anything to change anything. The company that did change how they wanted things to operate is Dolby anyway. I'm not saying, note, that Dolby is 'wrong' in any way shape or form. They can make what decisions they choose with their property. And Adobe ... can choose how deeply they want or trust another company to have deep access to their daily operating financial data.

Neil

[Dr.Rek]

This was touted as a feature when I joined creative cloud in 2013, what does that mean now?

Edited for content: Please do not discuss legal issues on these forums. It is against our community guidelines.

[R Neil Haugen]

So ... a few years back, it was assumed (why wouldn't one?) that The Deals in effect would continue.

One of the parties involved in those Deals has bugged out.

It's very easy to see the pain of many users ... it's vastly more difficult to see the point or use ... of such a lawsuit.

Neil

Edited for content: Please do not discuss legal issues on these forums. It is against our community guidelines.

[EmalieH]

I have been using Adobe Premiere CC 2015 (8.0) for all my video editing needs, and after an update it completely removed the Titles tab, now i know I can go into the graphics and add text, but that takes too long and constantly keeps crashing Premiere and sometimes even my whole computer. I NEED version 8.0 to be available, otherwise it takes hours to do what I could've done in literally 2 minutes.

[Peru Bob]

Can you use System Restore or do you have a disk image to restore to?

[EmalieH]

I have 8.0 on one of my Macs still, but I know that from resetting my other Mac to Factory Defaults that re-installing CC sticks me with any version but 8.0, and i would prefer to move it entirely over to my Windows computer because adobe takes up too much space on Macs.

[ProDesignTools]

Bob's not talking about resetting to factory defaults – he's asking about using Apple Time Machine, if possible.

See the first suggestion given in reply #67 above.

[Roei Tzoref]

this is very disturbing. also Ae CC2017 (14.x) is missing. I am concerned that there are so many nice badges in this thread and none from Adobe. I opened this thread a short while ago: other versions in the CC App is missing versions

previous versions are crucial because:

1. compatibility for clients. some use all sorts of versions.

2. bugs, bugs, bugs (some can't use the most updated version because some bugs are damaging their workflow)

3. for testing scripts/plugins or reporting bugs ("before it worked fine, now it doesn't" etc.)

4. for those who teach: students compatibility

there is a longer list I am sure...

[ProDesignTools]

Hi Roei,

Not sure why After Effects 14 and Premiere Pro 11 are no longer showing on your list – they should be... Regardless, you can still download them by using the CC 2017 direct links instead, where Pr and Ae are still available and displayed.

Regarding all the missing Premiere Pro releases (versions 8.x, 9.x, and 10.x), unfortunately it's true – and all your points are absolutely correct! It's a significant issue for many customers, which Adobe has still not addressed.

[Stan Jones]

I don't understand what versions are presented as available in the cloud desktop. FYI, I did a "check for updates" after I wrote this, and the results did not change.

I don't have AE installed on my laptop. And what I see for "other versions" under the AE cloud desktop option (with "install" representing the newest 15.1.1) are CS6 (v11), CC 12, CC13, CC 13.5, CC 14.2.2., and the 3 earlier versions of 15.

On the laptop for PR, I have installed PR 2018 (the 12.1.0 version, so it shows "update"), PR 2017 (11.1.4 from a reinstall), and from earlier installs PR 2015 and CS6. The "other versions" in the cloud desktop show the 2 earlier 12 versions, CC2015 (v9) and CC v7.

These are the same for AE on my PC where I have AE 15.1.0 installed (with "update" for the 15.1.1).

But for PR on the PC, I have installed PR CS5, CS5.5, CS6, CC 2017, and CC 2018.1.1, and the previous versions show the 3 earlier 2018's, CC v7, and CS6.

FYI, I did not have PR 2018 installed until recently. When I clicked install/update, it gave me no advanced option, did not uninstall 2017 or 2015, but UNINSTALLED AME 2015 and 2017. Bizarre.

[ProDesignTools]

On my Windows 10 laptop, the CC Desktop app continues to show Premiere Pro CC 2015 as an option to install via the "Other Versions" menu – however, whenever I try it, it immediately terminates with an "Installation Failed" error within the Desktop app.

I believe that's because the underlying installer was removed by Adobe, even if the menu item wasn't.

To my knowledge, there is still no way to access the installers for Premiere Pro CC 2015.x or 2014.x, as well as the related tools (AME, Audition, Prelude) mentioned in the very first post in this thread, either via the Desktop app or direct download links. They're just gone.

The After Effects CC 2015.3 installer (AE version 13.8 from June 2016) was also lost at the same time. But all other major releases of AE can still be found, either via the Desktop app or through the direct links.

[Roei Tzoref]

Not sure why After Effects 14 and Premiere Pro 11 are no longer showing on your list – they should be...

I need to update my post, it seems if I remove my current Ae 14.2.2 (CC2017) then I can see it in the installs. so I am relieved that I can install CC2017 if I want. same for premiere. this is a huge load off. it's unfortunate for 8.x-10.x, also Ae 13.8 is missing (CC 2015.3)... I hope this situation will resolve eventually.

.

[milesg86107772]

Adobe!!!!! What the heck are you doing?! I'm especially frustrated because I had Adobe Premiere CC 2015 working just fine on this machine and then to make a bit of temporary space took it off using CC manager. Now it only says Adobe Premiere CC *not compatible*. I mean what in the name of what? I paid for the tool and now I can't use it? What the heck? I mean.. What?!?? It was working just fine and you deliberately made it impossible for me to run the software you make. That is true insanity and makes me really grumpy. Grumpy enough to immediately (well I have to) look for  alternatives. Why not just make the work you have *already done* available for use??!??!

[RjL190365]

Actually, it's EVERYBODY, not just Adobe, that must comply with the changes in the Dolby licensing agreement. Apparently, Dolby now wants only super-expensive dedicated hardware encoding that can only be found on equipment that costs tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars just to purchase.

[johnt53984649]

Would you please provide some more detail?  I don't quite understand.

[R Neil Haugen]

Dolby Laboratories has been rather aggressive about Their Property. The Dolby audio codecs used by some cameras & devices is a property of their 'brand', and they have had relationship issues (being polite) with several of the companies that had been licensing that ... according to a public suit (from looking at sections of it as it seems to me), they are demanding permanent off-site (internet) access to Adobe's income data for audio/video programs to monitor and check for accuracy of the number of licenses in use at any one time. In other words, they want free & full access to Adobe's full financial information, permanently, and via remote access.

No matter how they got into that situation, if someone asked me for that from my company, they'd get a short and not very polite response from me. At any rate, neither Adobe nor Dolby have made any public comments over the situation. Several other companies have dropped the Dolby support, as you can get that through the OS on Win10 and the recent Mac OS's. Without the companies having to work with Dolby.

That Dolby has very close business partnerships with an Adobe competitor or two may also be factoring into this, but basically, other than that 1) ain't no more Dolby audio via programs in all but a couple apps and 2) the details of the public suit, anything is speculation.

So, Adobe pulled all apps from availability that had any Dolby licensed information, property, data, or code in them. If you can find that version you removed in the 'recycle bin' or via reverting to a prior state of the computer, you may be able to still use it.

Neil

[stellas44109406]

so sad   I also have the same problem