Everything You Need to Know About the Latest Premiere Pro Public Beta

Premiere Pro Public Beta

Highlights

Adobe is looking for real-world feedback on this Public Beta from you, the filmmaker. So don’t hesitate to put the new features to use and tell Adobe what you think!
Highlights include key changes to import and export workflows
The redesigns are based on the idea of streamlining and simplifying the editing process
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As you may have noted in our recent article covering how to import footage into Premiere Pro, Adobe recently launched a new Public Beta version of their flagship editing application. This Beta arrives as Adobe celebrates 30 years of Premiere Pro (we shudder, thinking back to all those export failures of years gone by) and looks ahead to the future. In their own words:

“We want Premiere Pro to become a more intuitive, yet powerful editing tool that is ready to meet the demands of tomorrow while also helping creators meet the demands of today of delivering high-quality content at quick turnarounds and optimizing content for multiple social platforms.” 

In short, they’re aware that the world of video editing looks a lot different from the one into which they launched Premiere all those years ago, in 1991. The landscape is changing more quickly than ever. With this Beta, Adobe is looking to keep up with the pace of change and implement some major redesigns that better reflect what filmmakers need from their editing software in 2021 and beyond.

So, what are the significant changes we’re looking at here? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the latest Premiere Pro Public Beta.

Import workflow

Of course, just as we were showing you how to import your footage into Premiere Pro in the latest update, they went ahead and made some drastic changes in this Public Beta! While the release’s Beta status means that this is still a work in progress and subject to changes pending your feedback after testing it out, we have to say that we really like what we see.

The whole idea here is that the process of creating a new project and bringing in your media is quicker and easier than ever. The workflow is much more visual and centered around the media. In their words, they wanted ‘to make it easier to find your assets and get onto the timeline faster.’ So, how does that translate in real life? Here are the steps Adobe has given us to make it work:

1. In the left-hand column, navigate to your media storage location.

2. Select the storage location. Your media is presented on the Import desktop. The file path for the current storage location is displayed at the top of the window.

Premiere Pro Public beta update import

3. Select video clips and other media assets to add to your project.

4. As you choose your media, thumbnails of each asset are collected in the ‘Selection Tray’ at the bottom of the Import window. If needed, select other storage locations to add more assets to your project.

5. For locations you use frequently, click on the star next to a storage location to add it as a ‘Favourite’.

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6. At the bottom of the window, give your project a name and select a location for your project file.

7. Click ‘Create’ to create the new project.

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Immediately, the project opens with your selected footage already on the timeline—no messing about here.

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What do we think? Straight away, as soon as you click ‘New Project’, it’s striking how much more visual this new import process is. It’s nice to see all of your footage with the thumbnails filling up the screen. We like the organization of it all and the little features such as picking a file location you use frequently. In terms of making things more streamlined and easier, consider the box ticked. They’ve done a great job here.

Export workflow

Of course, it only seems right that Adobe would go ahead and revamp how we export, too. Again, this redesign is all about simplifying and streamlining. Adobe has recognized a very diverse array of creators using Premiere Pro nowadays, and all of them have different exporting needs. Alongside the ‘classic’ and somewhat old-fashioned video production professional looking to cut a feature-length documentary, there are now also plenty of YouTubers and other content creators looking to pump out a slew of new videos across different platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and plenty more.

Adobe made a nice, quick-and-easy YouTube video for this one too. Thanks, Adobe.

So, what does the new process look like? Adobe says:

1. Select the sequence you would like to export.

2. Choose ‘Export’ from the new header bar at the top of the Premiere Pro. This opens the new Export workspace.

premiere pro beta update export

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3. The export workflow moves left to right. Start by selecting a destination for your video from the choices in the left-hand column, such as YouTube, Vimeo or your local drive (Media File). Premiere Pro (Public Beta) presents optimized export settings based on your destination.

4. Accept the defaults or open dropdowns to access options to customize your output.

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5. Click Export.

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To our minds, there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking about this redesign of the export process. Yet, it is undoubtedly a little quicker, and it’s definitely more streamlined, which is always welcomed. However, everything you see in this Public Beta version could be achieved in the ‘old’ version of Premiere Pro that we’re all still currently using. You may have just needed to dig a little deeper to find what you needed to, adding time to the editing process. Streamlining export is a smart move and one that caters to the new generation of creators who just need to get a quick edit for TikTok chopped and baked inside half an hour.

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Other changes

Alongside the changes to imports and exports, the Premiere Pro Public Beta features a few other minor adjustments. These include little things such as automatically updating audio devices when changes are detected, caption segmentation and other miscellaneous items that could all easily be packaged as a standard Premiere Pro update if Adobe so wished.

One thing you may have noticed in the export workflow video is the mention of the new header bar. This is designed as ‘high-level navigation within Premiere Pro, connecting the core phases in the editing process: Import, Edit and Export.’ With features like this, using this Beta feels a little bit like you’ve downloaded a slightly diluted version of the software–as if you’re using the mobile app rather than the desktop version. All the features are, of course, still here. This idea of simplicity and streamlining is evident everywhere you look, and apparently, Adobe will be carrying these types of tweaks out across all of its Creative Cloud apps.

How to install the Premiere Pro Beta

Fancy having a play around yourself? The Premiere Pro Beta has been available to download from the Adobe Creative Cloud since June 22nd. All you need to do is the following:

  • Open the Creative Cloud app.
  • Navigate to ‘Beta apps’ on the left-side drop-down menu.

how to download premiere pro beta update

  • In this ‘Beta apps’ section, you’ll find the Premiere Pro Beta. Select it, and click the Install button. Easy!

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Wrapping up

So, that’s everything you need to know about the Premiere Pro Beta. We’re not sold on the idea that this completely changes everything. These are refinements and tweaks designed to simplify processes that, to be honest, weren’t too difficult in the first place. If you know how to use Premiere Pro already, you’ll find nothing too groundbreaking about this Public Beta. But, as Adobe happily says themselves, ‘The new designs are all about clearing the pathways for creative tasks’

Ultimately, we’re happy that Adobe is shaving seconds off the import and export processes and making it easier for newcomers and beginners to get in and out without too much mishap. It’s exciting to see such an iconic piece of editing software making big moves and changes in order to adapt and stay relevant.

Let us know your thoughts on the updates. Do you like what they’ve done? Or not so much? Better still, let Adobe know, so they can make the relevant and necessary changes we want to see as filmmakers!

Meanwhile, you can read more about the latest 2024 Premiere Pro update.

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Josh Edwards is an accomplished filmmaker, industry writing veteran, storyteller based in Indonesia (by way of the UK), and industry writer in the Blade Ronner Media Writing Collective. He's passionate about travel and documents adventures and stories through his films.

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