Premiere timeline skips backwards a few frames during playback

[benjaminb96221025]

Example:

https://imgur.com/a/iqnEXzm

I haven't opened this project in 5 months or so (when it was working fine). When I opened it today, in Premiere 12.1.2 (Build 69), it upgraded the project, and seemed fine, except playback skips back. For example, after 10 frames of playback, it skips backwards 5 frames, etc etc, giving the video playback a stutter. You can see the skip back not only in the video, but hear it in the audio, and see the play head skip backwards.

This also occurs when previewing a clip not on the timeline.

[benjaminb96221025 · Accepted solution]

Fixed it by following this breadcrumb and disabling my audio input device.

Since the last this worked, I obtained a Sound Blaster Z PCIe Gaming Sound Card that when set as the default input audio device, causes this behavior, and at least once caused the video to skip forward instead of backwards.

This seems like a bug you (Adobe) have had since 2016 at least. I can repro this 100%, and fix it with this change. What logs can I give you so we can fix this old bug in your extremely expensive software?

[Ann Bens]

Premiere Pro: Hot (1864 ideas) – Adobe video & audio apps

[davids28978112]

I seemingly fixed this by disabling the audio input in premiere preferences.

If this is a bug, Adobe you gotta fix this asap. I turned down a client meeting yesterday because I didn't want to show them my work skipping all the time. It's not a good look!

[BHattingh]

Holy balls, it is 2021 and you Benjamin, from the past, just came to save me. Thanks a mill. 

[patrickhoelscher]

Just to say I thought I had the same problem, which was similar, but turns out mine was affected by subtitle/text tool that is relatively new, make sure to deselect any text / delete any text in search function and leave the text window/tab , that stops jumping back to that place on timeline...... 

[Darojoh]

This is still an issue in 2021. This post just saved me after trying proxies and every other preview performance increase known to the internet.

[Mr Tech]

Here from November 2022. I just had this issue occur when using a Meta Quest Pro to work in a VR environment. For some reason, either the Immersed VR app or Virtual Desktop caused the audio input to switch to my Black Magic Quad HDMI capture card. Yeah, no idea why that's the device that was chosen, but disabling the audio input fixed this issue for me, more than four years later.

Big thanks to the OP for figuring this out. I spent about 3 hours trying different things before I found this fix. I was minutes away from wasting hours on a full factory reset.

[69 Calibre]

STILL an issue in 2024, cheers Adobe. This solution saved clumps of my hair being torn out though.

[theautomaker]

This happened on my killer new editing machine build. First time I opened Pr. I put a 5 second white color matte and it started to jump. Thought I was going to have to return all of the build components.

Thanks for finding the issue.

Hard to believe it's still an issue 4+ years later.

[tomm84190920]

Was having this issue and stumbled upon this thread.  This fix worked for me as well.  So stupid,  I am not even using audio in on my project. 

[alexm74836906]

I was having the same issue and I resolved it by just disabling my Audio input, that way I was still able to hear my audio through my speakers. 

I agree, this should definitely not be an issue with this expensive software 5+ years later. 

[ryanp79995470]

Bless you with this post. saved my ass

[Breeze5E82]

Same issue and same fix! Thank you so much! Even Adobe tech support couldn't figure this out after 2 hours of phone support!

[Jeff Bellune]

If anyone comes across this thread, I'd just like to point out that to hear audio in your project, and export audio in your project, the important setting is default audio output.

Audio input is for microphones and other hardware/software that can record/send audio to your system to be recorded. If you're not recording, you don't need to set this.

I know it's obvious, but it's worth a reminder. Setting the default audio input in Pr to No Input fixes a lot of playback issues and doesn't adversely affect most projects at all.

[Ajed]

Thank you for helping to solve another ancient bug Adobe can't be bothered to fix.  It's almost 2023 and still this is a bug, unreal.  

[PPT Marketing]

Happy 2023 everyone, this issue is still occuring in Premiere Pro 2023, and still can be fixed by disabling audio input in audio hardware preferences. 

[chrissav13026363]

its 2023 and the bug still exists. found out an audio app (voicemeter banana) caused adobe to lose its sh*t. this is so stupid

[JY55]

Just commenting to note I reproduced and resolved this issue by disabling audio input in settings as well as of May 5, 2023.

My environment is:

• Windows 11 Pro Version 10.0.22621 Build 22621
• Adobe Premier Pro 2023 23.3.0 Build 61