How to Fix A Low Level Exception Occurred Error in Premiere Pro?

The "A low-level exception occurred" error in Premiere Pro is a general error that indicates something went wrong at a fundamental level, often related to the software's interaction with hardware components or specific media files.

This error can show up with various variations like the "ImporterMPEG", "DeviceController", "Adobe Player", "AEVideoFilter", and more, pointing towards the specific issue causing the crash.

No matter how it's phrased, the core issue is the same: Premiere Pro has encountered a problem it can't resolve on its own, and it needs your help to get things back on track.

Understanding what might be causing the error is the first step in fixing it. Typically, this problem can result from the following culprits:

• Corrupted or unsupported media files
• Outdated or faulty graphics card drivers
• Insufficient system resources (RAM, CPU, or disk space)
• Incompatible third-party plugins or effects
• Corrupted project files
• Conflicts with other software running on your system
• Incomplete or corrupted Premiere Pro installation
• Outdated version of Premiere Pro
• Hardware acceleration issues

Now that you understand some of the causes, let's look at how to fix this error with detailed, step-by-step solutions.

One of the simplest and most effective solutions is to make sure you're running the latest version of Premiere Pro. Adobe regularly releases updates that fix bugs and improve compatibility. Here's how to update it:

• Open the Creative Cloud desktop app.
• Go to the "Apps" tab.
• Find Adobe Premiere Pro in the list.
• If an update is available, click the "Update" button next to it.
• Wait for the update to download and install.
• Restart your computer to ensure all changes take effect.

After updating, try opening your project again and see if the error persists. On the contrary, if the error occurs in the latest version, try to download the previous version of Premiere Pro and wait for the new updates.

Premiere Pro creates cache files to improve performance, but sometimes these files can become corrupted and cause errors. Many users have reported that this simple step resolved their low-level exception issues.

• Go to Edit > Preferences > Media Cache.
• Click on "Delete Unused Media Cache Files" and "Delete All Media Cache Files".
• Restart Premiere Pro and check if the error persists.

Keeping your drivers up-to-date is crucial for smooth operation of resource-intensive software like Premiere Pro, especially when working with newer media formats or large camera footage.

For Windows:

• Right-click on the "Start" menu and open "Device Manager".
• Navigate to "Display adapters", then right-click on your graphics card.
• Choose "Update driver".

For Mac:

• Go to Apple menu > About This Mac, and identify your Graphics model.
• Visit the manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD)
• Download and install the latest drivers for your specific model.
• Restart your computer and project, then check if the error is resolved.

Sometimes, the "A low-level exception occurred" error can be triggered by hardware acceleration. While this feature is designed to improve performance, it can occasionally cause conflicts. Disabling it might solve your problem.

• Open Premiere Pro, go to File > Project Settings > General.
• Navigate to "Video Rendering and Playback" section.
• Switch to "Mercury Playback Engine Software Only" in the Renderer drop-down.
• Click "OK".

• Then go to Edit > Preferences > Media
• Uncheck the boxes next to "H.264/HEVC hardware accelerated encoding and decoding"
• Click "OK" and restart Premiere Pro.

Resetting Premiere Pro preferences can fix many unexplained errors, including low-level exceptions. This will reset all settings to their default state.

• Close and quit your Premiere Pro.
• Hold "Alt (Windows)" or "Option (Mac)" while launching Premiere Pro.
• A dialog box will appear asking if you want to reset preferences.
• Click "Continue".

If the low-level exception is occurring when you're trying to import or work with specific media files, those files might be corrupted or unsupported. Here's how you can check and potentially fix them:

• Identify the problematic files (usually the ones you were working with when the error occurred).
• Try opening these files in a different media player (like VLC) to see if they play correctly.
• If they don't play, or if you see artifacts or glitches, the files might be corrupted.
• Use a video repair tool like Wondershare Repairit or Stellar Repair for Video to attempt to fix the corrupted files.
• For unsupported videos, try using a tool like WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro to adjust the parameters or re-encode the videos to be fully-compatible with the Premiere Pro.
• Re-import the repaired or re-encoded files into your Premiere Pro project.

Sometimes, the project file itself might be the source of the "A low-level exception occurred" error. In this case, creating a new project and importing your old project again does somehow help:

• Create a brand-new project in Premiere Pro.
• Go to File > Import.
• Navigate to your old project file and select it.
• In the Import Project dialog, select "Import entire project".
• You can also choose which sequences and other assets you want to import.
• Click "OK" to import.

This method creates a fresh project structure while keeping your edit intact. It can often resolve issues caused by corrupted project files.

Third-party plugins like effect presets can be the source of many errors in Premiere Pro. Disabling or removing these plugins temporarily can help pinpoint the issue.

• Go to your Presets folder of Premiere Pro.
• Move all third-party plugins to another folder temporarily.
• Restart Premiere Pro and check if the error persists.
• If the problem is solved, reintroduce the plugins one by one to identify the problematic one.
• Then check if there's an update available for that plugin or contact the developer for support.

Heavy projects can overwhelm your system, especially if you're running other programs simultaneously. Closing unnecessary applications and increasing available memory can help.

• Monitor CPU usage: If it's consistently near 100%, consider upgrading or closing other resource-intensive applications, web browsers, and background processes.
• Check available disk space: Ensure you have at least 20GB free on your system drive.
• Increase the RAM allocated to Premiere Pro: Go to Edit > Preferences > Memory. Ensure more RAM is available to Premiere Pro than other applications.

A clean reinstall of Premiere Pro can often resolve issues caused by corrupted installation files or conflicting settings. It might be helpful to solve the low-level exception error as well. Here's how to do it:

• Back up your current projects and export any custom settings or preferences you may want to reuse later.
• Uninstall Premiere Pro using the Creative Cloud desktop app.
• Use a cleanup tool like CCleaner to remove any leftover files and registry entries.
• Restart your computer.
• Open the Creative Cloud desktop app.
• Find Premiere Pro and click "Install".
• Once installation is complete, restart your computer again.
• Open Premiere Pro and test if the error persists.

If all else fails, reaching out to Adobe Support should be your last resort. Adobe offers various support channels: Live Chat, Phone support, and an active community.

Be prepared to share detailed information about the error, including screenshots, error logs, and steps you've already tried. This will help Adobe diagnose the issue more effectively. Sometimes complex issues require multiple interactions to resolve. Be patient and follow the instructions provided by the support team.

By reaching out to Adobe Support, you're not just solving your current problem – you're also helping Adobe improve Premiere Pro for all users. They use the information from support cases to identify and fix bugs in future updates.

A: In most cases, Premiere Pro will attempt to auto-save your project before crashing. However, it's always a good practice to save your work frequently and create backup copies of important projects to prevent data loss.

A: While this error can occur in various versions of Premiere Pro, it's often more common in older versions or when there's a mismatch between your Premiere Pro version and your system's capabilities. Keeping your software up-to-date can help mitigate this issue.

A: Yes, using proxies can help, especially if the error is related to working with high-resolution or resource-intensive media files. Proxies are lower-resolution versions of your footage that put less strain on your system during editing.

A: Sure. Sometimes, the latest isn't always the greatest. Reverting to an older version of Premiere Pro is a practical workaround when newer updates introduce problems. While it may not be a permanent solution, it allows you to continue working without interruptions while waiting for Adobe to release a more stable update.

A: Here are some tips to minimize the risk of encountering this error:

• Keep Premiere Pro and your graphics drivers up-to-date.
• Regularly clear your media cache.
• Ensure your system meets or exceeds the recommended specifications for Premiere Pro.
• Use reliable and high-speed storage devices for your media files.
• Avoid working with potentially corrupted or incompatible media files.

That's all about how to solve "A low-level exception occurred" issue in Adobe Premiere Pro. Armed with the knowledge and solutions provided in this guide, you're well-equipped to tackle it head-on.

Remember, every editor faces technical hiccups from time to time. What matters is how we learn from these experiences and use them to become more knowledgeable and resilient professionals. Cheers!