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Update now if
- You add captions to your videos. Captions get their own track, and Speech to Text (15.4) writes them for you.
- You edit on an Apple M1 Mac. From 15.4, Premiere runs natively on M1 instead of through Rosetta 2.
- You use Motion Graphics templates. Media Replacement lets you drop your own logos and videos into them.
- You deliver to a loudness spec. The Loudness Meter (15.2) shows integrated loudness and true peak inside Premiere.
Wait if
- You're in the middle of a big project. Finish it in the version you started in. Once a project is saved in Premiere Pro 2021, older versions can't open it.
- You share projects with others. Update together, or everyone on an older version gets locked out of your project files.
- Your computer is below the requirements. Premiere Pro 15.4 needs Windows 10 version 1903 or later, or macOS 10.14 or later. Check the table below.
- Your Mac setup relies on CUDA or OpenCL. Version 15.4 dropped CUDA and OpenCL support on macOS, so check your graphics setup first.
Premiere Pro 2021 system requirements
| Computer | Premiere Pro 2021 |
|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 10 (64-bit) version 1903 or later |
| Windows processor | Intel 6th Gen or newer, or AMD Ryzen 1000 Series or newer |
| Mac | macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later, macOS 10.15 (Catalina) recommended |
| Mac processor | Intel 6th Gen or newer, or Apple M1 (native from 15.4) |
| Memory | 8 GB minimum, 16 GB for HD, 32 GB for 4K or higher |
| Graphics | 2 GB of GPU memory minimum, 4 GB recommended |
These are Adobe's requirements for Premiere Pro 15.4. Check your graphics card and operating system before you update.
What changes when you update
- A new project format. The new captions need it, and projects saved in Premiere Pro 2021 don't open in Premiere Pro 2020 or older.
- Old audio effects are gone. Version 15.0 removed obsolete audio effects that newer effects had already replaced.
- Some names changed. Adobe renamed some terms in the app to more inclusive language.
- Windows uses DirectX. From 15.2, DirectX replaces OpenGL for the display, with native HDR playback on HDR10 monitors.
- No CUDA or OpenCL on Mac. From 15.4, Premiere on macOS no longer supports CUDA and OpenCL.
- Speech to Text needs the internet. Transcription happens in Adobe's cloud.
How to update safely
Step 1: Finish or save your projects
Save every open project in your current version, and keep a copy of any project you're still working on.
Step 2: Keep your current version installed
In the Creative Cloud app, open Advanced options when you install, and turn off Remove old versions. Both versions then sit side by side, so you can still open older projects in the version that made them.
Step 3: Pick Premiere Pro 2021
Next to Premiere Pro in the Creative Cloud app, open the menu and choose Other versions. Pick the newest 15.x version in the list, so you get Speech to Text and native M1 support. Check that your plugins and templates support it too. All of ours do (see below).
Step 4: Start with a copy
Open a copy of a project, or start a new one, and try the new captions and Speech to Text there. When everything works the way you like, move your next big project over.
Do our plugins, templates and presets work in Premiere Pro 2021?
Yes. EaseFlow, BetterFX, QuickPaste and Mako all work in Premiere Pro 2021, on Windows and Mac.
- Plugins. Premiere Pro 2021 to 2027.
- Motion Graphics templates. Premiere Pro 2021 to 2027.
- Presets. Premiere Pro 2019 to 2027.
So you can move up from 2021 later without losing your tools. See everything new in Premiere Pro 2021, or what came next in Premiere Pro 2022.
FAQ
Is Premiere Pro 2021 worth updating to?
If you're on 2020 or older, yes, mainly for the new captions, Speech to Text and native M1 support. Wait only if you're mid-project, share projects with people on older versions, or your computer is below the requirements.
Can I go back to Premiere Pro 2020?
Yes. Install it again from Other versions in the Creative Cloud app. Projects you saved in 2021 won't open there, so keep copies.
Does Premiere Pro 2021 work on an Apple M1 Mac?
Yes. Version 15.4 and later run natively on M1. Earlier 15.x versions run through Rosetta 2.
Do I need to reinstall my plugins after updating?
Not ours. EaseFlow, BetterFX, QuickPaste and Mako show up in Premiere Pro 2021 under Window > Extensions, just like before.
Updating to Premiere Pro 2021? See the plugins that work in it.
