Create proxies

Last updated on Jun 23, 2025

Proxies are low-resolution copies of your high-resolution video files. These proxy files are used for editing purposes to improve performance and efficiency, especially when working with large or resource-intensive media files. 

Before you begin

Import your high-resolution files into Premiere Pro.

You can create proxies only for video clips without captions. Proxies are not supported for any other types of files or growing files. The media must also be online. 

Enable low-resolution copies of your media to save time and processing power.

  1. Right-click a media file in the Project panel. From the context menu, select Proxy > Create Proxies.

    Note:

    This option is enabled when one or more items in the panel are selected that can be proxied. Premiere Pro can create proxies for master clip project items if they have video, have no captions, and are not growing files. The media must also be online.

  2. In the Create Proxies dialog, use the default frame size of Half and set the preset to the default ProRes QuickTime Proxy, or choose any other frame size and preset.

  3. (Optional) You can also add presets created in Adobe Media Encoder by selecting Add Ingest Preset. You can also create proxies in a Proxies directory next to the original media or a custom location.

  4. To easily identify proxy files in the Program Monitor, select a watermark. Select None if you don’t want a watermark, select an icon that indicates the file is a proxy, or opt to upload your own custom watermark. 

  5. In the Destination section, select one of these options:

    • Next to Original Media, in Proxy Folder: If you choose this option, Premiere will create a new folder for each proxy clip, in the same directory as the original high res media. Because most high end cameras have a complicated file structure where each clip is isolated in its own folder, this option generally isn’t ideal. You’ll have a hard time grouping the proxies to move them to another drive, or deleting them when you’re done with the project.
    • Choose Location : Browse and select your own destination to ensure that all of the proxies are in the same folder.
    Note:

    By default, Premiere Pro appends "_Proxy" to the name of your Proxy clips (for example, scene01_Proxy.mxf) and places Proxy clips (on disk) in a folder named Proxies that is placed right next to the full resolution clips. This helps with reattachment of clips. If you set a custom destination, then you should add the Proxies folder to the destination.

  6. Select OK

    Premiere Pro presents a progress dialog box while it prepares proxy creation jobs to send to Adobe Media Encoder. 

    A proxy job is then created in Adobe Media Encoder for each of the project items chosen that can be proxied, and an offline proxy is attached to each project item. You can monitor the progress of these jobs in the Premiere Pro Progress panel or in Adobe Media Encoder. 

  7. While the jobs are processed, continue to work with the corresponding high-resolution project items in Premiere Pro.