How to Make Proxies in Premiere Pro (5 Easy Steps)

Working with high-resolution footage can slow things down fast. If your timeline feels choppy or your computer's fan sounds like it's about to take off, proxies might be your new best friend.

Proxies are lower-resolution versions of your clips that Premiere uses while editing. They look the same while you work, but they’re much easier on your system. When it’s time to export, Premiere switches back to the full-quality files automatically.

Here’s how to set them up.

1. Set up a proxy preset

Before importing anything, it helps to have a proxy preset ready. Premiere comes with a few built-in options, but you can also create your own if you want more control.

To use the built-in ones:

1. Go to File > Project Settings > Ingest Settings
2. Choose Create Proxies from the Action dropdown
3. Choose Frame size
4. Under Preset, choose one like ProRes Quicktime Proxy

That’s it for now. You’ll use this setting when importing clips or creating proxies later.

2. Import your footage with proxies

If you're starting fresh and want proxies created as you import:

1. Go to Import tab
2. Select your clips
3. Hit Import

Premiere will automatically create proxies using the preset you picked earlier. Actually, it’ll send the job over to Adobe Media Encoder, which handles all the rendering in the background.

3. Attach proxies manually (if clips are already imported)

Already imported everything and forgot about proxies? No problem.

Here’s how to attach them:

1. Select your clips in the Project panel
2. Right-click and choose Proxy > Create Proxies
3. Pick a preset or browse for a custom one
4. Choose where you want the proxy files saved
5. Click OK

Again, Media Encoder will take care of rendering them out and linking them back into Premiere.

4. Toggle between proxy and full-res playback

Once your proxies are attached, you can switch between them easily while editing.

Just click the Toggle Proxies button in your Program Monitor toolbar. If you don’t see it:

1. Click the plus (+) icon on the toolbar
2. Drag Toggle Proxies into place
3. Click OK

Now when that button is blue, you're viewing proxies. When it's gray, you're seeing full-res footage.

5. Export with full-quality media

One of the best parts? You don’t have to do anything special when exporting.

Premiere automatically uses your original high-resolution files for export, even if you've been editing with proxies turned on. So you get all the speed during editing without sacrificing quality at render time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create a proxy in Premiere Pro?

1. Select clips in Project panel
2. Right-click > Proxy > Create Proxies
3. Choose a preset or custom setting
4. Set destination folder
5. Click OK and let Media Encoder handle it

How do I create a proxy?

A proxy is just a lower-resolution version of your video file used for editing speed. You can create one by using Adobe Media Encoder or directly inside Premiere Pro through its Proxy menu under clip settings.

How do I turn clips into proxies?

Select any clip(s) in your Project panel, right-click, go to Proxy > Create Proxies, pick a preset, set where they should be saved, then hit OK. Media Encoder will generate and attach them automatically.

Can I create proxies after editing?

Yes, absolutely. Just select your existing clips in the Project panel, right-click, choose Proxy > Create Proxies, and follow the steps from there. It works even if you've already started cutting or adding effects.