Open Premiere Project in Older Version - Downgrade Project Version

[MyerPj]

Premiere Pro users sometimes want to open their project in an earlier version.

Here’s the quickest way to open your projects in an earlier version. Only 4 steps to revert the PP version.

This assumes you have 7-Zip installed. It’s free and awesome and why would anyone not have it! 🙂

Also, that you have a COPY of your project that you will be converting.

++++ Make a Copy of your project with a New Name in the same folder as the original ++++

     1) Right-Click the COPY of the project and from the 7-Zip menu select “Open Archive”

     2) In 7-Zip there is one file same name as the project – Right-Click the file and select EDIT*

     3) On the fourth line change the Version = “??” Change the number portion to “1” Save and Close

     4) 7-Zip will ask you if you want to update that file in the archive, Select <OK>

That’s it! When you open the project Premiere Pro will say it is from a Previous Version, and will give it a new name as usual.

*Of note, on step 2, the bigger your project the longer it takes to open.

Here’s a link to an online program which requires you to upload the file but will do the above for you.

joshcluderay.com/downgrade-premiere-project-converter

Of course you loose any new features of the later version you edited with.

[anyeyin]

Just worked it out!

The "DeNoiser (Obsolete)" audio effect might not be applicable to PR 2020. When I removed this effect and then downgraded the project, it worked! 

[eugene_alas]

my Premiere Pro 2020 is not working

[youngl89604130]

Thank you so much. You saved me from all the stressful work. 🙂 I succeded to open 2020 project file on 2019 after deleting the denoise audio effects. So the denoise effect is not applicable to PR 2019, I guess.   

[Samantha1961]

Hi, how did you delete the "DeNoiser" audio effect? Thanks!

[Tips 2 Fix]

Hello for this case i did an video tutorial and i posted in YouTube with this link : https://youtu.be/H-pyi6i7gjU

Let me know if you found this video helpful on this topic.

[DanielAllard8675307]

THANK YOU!!!

[Nusobee Kashyap]

but when I can't open the file how would I remove the audio effect ??

[default2bitbh9ctgcd]

I keep getting 'this project could not be loaded, it may be damagedd or contain outdated elements' - I can't find a fix or workaround for this. I jsut need to access the project and not edit anything. 

[Michael Grenadier]

I suggest you start a new thread.  What you're describing does not match the subject of this thread.  

[Professor Fust]

For some reason this process isn't working for me because when I get to the step about opening the project file with Textedit, I don't see lines of code that are discernible. I just see a bunch of random characters as if the project file has been encrypted.

[Ann Bens]

If you are seeing garbled text you did not follow the procedure to the lettre.

[MyerPj]

I just tried it and it's still working well. I have Notepad++ in TOOLS\Options\Editor in 7-zip and it opens up in a few seconds when you select F4 or Edit from the context menu in step 2 above. I don't know how TextEdit works, and I'm on Windows.

[Professor Fust]

Aha, got it, thank you! I was opening the zip file with text edit- I needed to double-click it first and then open it with text edit.

[Professor Fust]

Unfortunately, it still did not work. I'm getting this error message.

[Stan Jones]

Professor,

Here's my guess: you're trying to open a text file that has not been zipped.

In the original instructions, it is editing from within 7-zip. If you edit with something else, then you will not be prompted to re-zip the file.

Rename your unzipped (text) version of the file you edited. Right click, pick 7zip and "Add to Archive." I "think" the right setting is gzip format. Save and then rename so the extension is .prproj.

Does that work?

Stan

Stan

[MyerPj]

If the method outlined here doesn't work for you, or Josh's (50mb limit). Try the XML export I outline below.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/open-premiere-project-in-older-version-downg...

Otherwise, you can try the online version I link to above. I don't know Josh, but I uploaded a proj some time ago and it worked just fine.

joshcluderay.com/downgrade-premiere-project-converter

[Professor Fust]

Yes, that would be great. I also tried Josh's converter and it didn't work- same error message. Can you message me your email or how should I send it?

[Professor Fust]

Yeah I already tried that, but it didn't work. The text file was made into a gz format using Keka, and then renamed .prproj.

[MyerPj]

Do you have google drive or such...

[Professor Fust]

Yes I have google drive.

[Riveraktre]

I tired this but no luck, I am using Premiere Pro 2021 downgrading to 2020?

I tried it several times and even tried the website link. 

http://joshcluderay.com/downgrade-premiere-project-converter/

I am guessing maybe this doesn't work when downgrade from the new PP 2021 to PP 2020?

[MyerPj]

I think still works. Got any details beyond 'it doesn't work'? Win/Mac, where does it 'fail', any messages, etc....

[Riveraktre]

'this project could not be loaded, it may be damagedd or contain outdated elements'

That's the message I get

I use a Mac Platform.

[Riveraktre]

Perhaps I could email you the project file and see if that maybe helps? Or maybe attached here? 

[MyerPj]

It seems to work, let me know.

I'm on Win10 21H1, PP 15.4.1