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.

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

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

[Professor Fust]

Yes, I was never able to get it to work with my project. It said the same thing for me.

[Stan Jones]

Riveraktre,

Same as MeyerPj, opens fine in PR2020. I did the manual conversion and also used the web link. 

If the one MeyerPj did for you does not work, can you upload one of the versions that is not working for you?

Stan

[Riveraktre]

Oh so strange still no go, same message, maybe I need to update my premiere and maybe the versions I'm running maybe a bit buggy for this to work...

I attached the screenshots again of my version I'm using plus the error message.

I directly downloaded yours tried opening it on my Mac. 

[Riveraktre]

Stan,

Here is the version, strange as you're running PP2020 as well.

Wait you said PR2020 are you using Premiere RUSH? or Premiere pro.

And if PP what version of 2020 PP are you running?

I am trying to opene it on 14.0.1 PP 2020

[Riveraktre]

Stan,

Here is the project file thats not working

Both the version provided by the author and the orignal one as well that is giving me the same error message.

[Riveraktre]

So I just tried upgrading again to version 14.0.3 from 14.0.1 and still get same error message...strange I'm curious what version of 2020 Stan is running.

'this project could not be loaded, it may be damaged or contain outdated elements'

Sounds like it forsure works for Version 15.4.1 for you, I may have to try that seems like the two versions up above don't play nice with this for some reason.

[Ann Bens]

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

By @Riveraktre

Works fine in 2021.

Lose the '&' character in the project name.

[Stan Jones]

I tested on Premiere Pro 2020 (version 14.9.1 which was the final 2020 update). You should have an update available for 14.9.1. But a project reverted to version "1" (or "0") should open in any version.

I also tested on PR 2021 (15.4.1).

Stan

[Riveraktre]

Stan,

Thanks for the share I'll try testing it out in the versions you mentioned. 

Sounds like Versions older than 14.9.1 (14.0.1 & 14.0.3) don't work for me for some reason I'll try it on 14.9.1 and see what happens, thanks! 

[Riveraktre]

Thanks

I tried loosing the charactera and no luck, Stan proposed I try version 14.9.1 maybe that'll solve this mystery for me.

Long story short the new version 15.4.1 and other variants crashes on my computer unfornately so hence why I haven't upgraded onto these newer versions. 

[Augurk]

Help. Just installed PP 2022 (and forgot to uncheck remove older version. Colors are way off in PP 2022!!

Now I want to go back to PP 2021 but I cannot find it. I can only go back to 15.4.1 (see picture). Can anyone help pleaee. Thanks

[Augurk]

Solved! Thanks to Baffy19 

By color, the developers have implemented a new function for interpreting the footage into the desired color space. Try this:

 

[Baffy19]

This is a great feature that should have appeared since the launch of Premier Pro. Thank you for implementing it.

[Stan Jones]

Augurk, I know you got your issue solved. But just FYI, version 15.4.1 was the final version of PR 2021.

Stan

[Augurk]

Thanks Stan. Good to know for next time that the previous version is available.

[Stan Jones]

Keep in mind that only the most recent 2 versions are available. When PR 2021 was the most recent version, you could install it and PR 2020. As soon as 2022 appeared in the Cloud desktop, only PR 2022 and PR 2021 were available. If  you had PR 2020 installed and forgot to uncheck "uninstall previoius versions," you could NOT reinstall PR 2020.

I would reinstall PR 2021 now just to have it....

Stan

[Baffy19]

Excuse me, was this explained to users earlier? I personally didn't know until this moment how to roll back to the previous version.

[Stan Jones]

> ...was this explained to users earlier?

A source of angst for many users. Over several years, the Adobe policy allowing installation of many earlier versions became more and more restricted. And yes, this information has been available and often discussed in the forums since. But many of us don't realize its effect until we run up against a problem.

This is the current page:

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/using/install-previous-version.html

and:

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/downloaded-older-app.html

Stan

[MyerPj]

If using the rollback technique outlined here (or with Josh's downgrade converter) there is another way. Save your sequence as an XML file. With the sequence selected (as you would for Exporting), click FILE/Export and then 'Final Cut Pro XML' and Save.

Then open a NEW project in PP, keep it in the same folder as the current one, and File/Import and select the file you just saved. It should import fine. You may need to reattach some files, but maybe not also. Check it carefully just as you would using the original way above.

[Ann Bens]

Josh Downgrade converter is limited to 50 mb.

[Jonas21923953yuf1]

hello, thanks for all the input. but i got actually the same problem as Riveraktre, i used to to the gzip way always. but now it stoped working

is there any other way solving it?

[Stan Jones]

Jonas,

I was never clear exactly what was happening. What problem are you getting? The converted project doesn't open, or...?

Stan

[Ann Bens]

You have to be very meticulous when using the zip method.

[Jonas21923953yuf1]

thanks for the reply. 

i am doing it exactly like said in all the tutorials. it also works with other .pr.proj files. but on file doesnt get downgraded.

it shows the same error like: Riveraktre

really have no more clue

[Stan Jones]

Please post a screenshot of the settings where you are re-gzipping the file.

Stan