Recording · Practical guide

Premiere proxies: link originals, check audio, and hand off to an editor

An editor can receive a drive of proxies and continue cutting, but the originals will be needed for finishing. Keep that relationship clear from the start: identify the source file, its editing copy, and the location of each. This guide covers checks for exchanging recordings from conferences and other events.

Agree on what the editor needs and what remains for finishing

A folder of proxies makes for a smaller handoff, but the agreement also needs to identify who keeps the originals and when they will be available. Record the application, version, and build at both ends. The cited Adobe web guides have update dates, but do not specify a build for every procedure.

For the overall file inventory, use the delivery guide. If playback stutters, compare the same passage using the recording skips guide. Smooth playback of a copy does not establish which source will be used for export.

Agree on what the editor needs and what remains for finishing
File or relationship	What to identify	Suggested check
Original	Card, path, format, audio, and version	Open the file intended for finishing
Proxy	Path and corresponding original	Compare duration and picture/audio references
Project	Build, sequences, and links	Reopen from the delivered folder
Export	Available source and options used	Watch/listen to a sample and record the scope

FX6: Premiere rejects a proxy because its audio channels differ

The Sony FX6 manual for software 6.0, pp. 60 and 99 describes Proxy Rec > Audio Channel with CH1/CH2 or CH3/CH4. Check the selection, actual files, and firmware before choosing a proxy preset.

The official Premiere PDF, printed April 11, 2019, Compatibility p. 46 documents rejection for mismatched audio channels and matching duration, frame rate, and fielding. It is a historical product reference, not a guarantee of behavior in every version. Use it to guide the comparison and test the pair in the destination version.

Record the number and layout of channels in the original and proxy, and listen to an identifiable source in each. If they do not match, generate a new pair from the original without overwriting the earlier files. Keep the error message and the preset you tested.

Create a compatible sample or attach existing proxies

For an available original, Create proxies directs you to right-click the clip in the Project panel and choose Proxy > Create Proxies. Select Frame Size, Preset, and a new destination with Choose Location; a dedicated Proxies folder makes the handoff easier. A visual watermark can help identify the test sample. Clicking OK sends the jobs to Adobe Media Encoder; check that they finish before delivery.

For proxies created in another application or camera, Attach proxies directs you to select the corresponding clips in Project and use Proxy > Attach Proxies. Choose the matching properties, click Attach, select the correct copy, and click OK. If filenames repeat, start with one clip and disable Relink others automatically. Check the pair before automating the rest.

The current ingest/proxy guide states that modifying audio channels and Interpret Footage are unsupported in this workflow. Do not use them as a fix for a rejected proxy. This creation and attachment procedure is limited to available, compatible video clips; it is not a procedure for audio-only files.

Review a short take: the beginning, a recognizable gesture or timing reference, the end, and the audio. Keep the original, proxy, and preset clearly named so you can repeat the test. If that pair fails, investigate the message before queuing the entire recording.

Only proxies are available at the editing workstation: plan the return to originals

If a missing-media warning appears, identify whether it refers to the original or the proxy. Being able to edit a smaller copy does not confirm that the originals are available for finishing. Check the project paths and list the missing files before changing links.

Before finishing, Reconnect full-resolution media directs you to select the corresponding clips in Project and choose Proxy > Reconnect Full Resolution Media. Choose matching properties, click Attach, select the correct original in Media Browser, and click OK. Start with one pair in a project copy and check that the link points to the intended location.

Keep an inventory identifying the card or session, original, and proxy. Close the application before disconnecting drives and leave files unrenamed for this test. When the originals arrive, check several pairs, including duplicate filenames across cards and a take with separate audio. Record what the editor could open and what remained offline.

Check sources and output options before exporting

Export proxies, updated January 7, 2026, distinguishes proxy use while editing from export: full-resolution media is used by default. To export from proxies, choose Export > Media File > General > Use Proxies. If Use Previews is also enabled, rendered previews may be used.

To test the final delivery, keep the originals online and disable Use Proxies and Use Previews unless a different output has been agreed and tested. Export a new passage under its own filename and review picture, channels, and voices. A high output resolution does not prove that every frame came from an original.

The 2019 PDF describes a different export policy and does not include the current Use Proxies control. Its export instructions do not apply to this procedure. Record the options available in the actual build, and do not describe a proxy-only export as verification of the original media.

Document the test and review from the destination

Complete the blank originals and proxies worksheet. Include paths, versions, preset, any error message, and passages monitored. Ask the recipient to open the delivered project and compare the agreed pairs; state whether they checked samples or all the material.

The worksheet supports the session recording plan and cameras and streaming. Allow time in the delivery schedule for copying, completing queues, and reviewing files.

Document the test and review from the destination
Suggested test	What to observe	What to record
Attach one pair	Correct file and no audio-channel error	Build, original/proxy, audio layout, and message
Reopen at destination	Media available for the agreed task	Paths, available drives, and offline items
Reconnect the original	Reference and content match the correct take	Pairs checked and passages reviewed
Export a sample	Picture and voices for the agreed delivery	Use Proxies/Use Previews, file, and review scope

Frequently asked questions

Can a camera-generated proxy always be attached in Premiere?

Test the specific pair. Compare audio, duration, and references between the original and proxy before attaching the entire recording.

Should I change the clip’s audio channels to fix Attach Failure?

Adobe’s current guide states that modifying channels is unsupported in the proxy workflow. Compare the files and test a new copy generated from the original, preserving the previous state.

How do I attach proxies created outside Premiere?

Select the corresponding clips in Project and choose Proxy > Attach Proxies. Check the selected copy; when filenames repeat, start with one pair and inspect its content.

Can I hand off a project with proxies and keep the originals elsewhere?

Agree on that handoff for editing and identify where the originals will be kept. Test opening from the destination and reconnecting the finishing media before signing off on the handoff.

How do I reconnect originals before finishing?

For the corresponding clips, use Proxy > Reconnect Full Resolution Media and select the correct originals. Test one pair first and record its path, timing reference, and sound.

Does editing with proxies mean I must export from proxies?

The current export guide uses full-resolution media by default. Use Proxies is a separate output option. Check that originals are available and inspect the build’s options before producing the final file.

Does a 4K export prove that I used 4K originals?

Output resolution does not identify the source of every frame. Record original-media availability, export options, and the sample reviewed.

What should I send the editor along with the proxies?

Include the project and build, an inventory of pairs and paths, original-media availability, expected audio, and outstanding items. Add the worksheet with the tests actually performed and when the finishing media will be available.