How to export your data from Adobe Premiere Pro

Premiere Pro doesn't have an 'account data' export — what teams actually need when leaving is their project/timeline data, which Premiere Pro can export as a Final Cut Pro XML file, an EDL (CMX 3600), or an AAF for use in other editing systems; final renders are exported separately as video/audio media files.

Formats: Final Cut Pro XML (.xml), EDL / CMX 3600 (.edl), AAFPlan: Any Premiere Pro plan (Creative Cloud single app or All Apps) — export is a desktop app feature, not plan-gatedRole: N/A — desktop application, no account roles; whoever has the project file open can export it

✓ Verified against Adobe Premiere Pro's official documentation, October 2026

Step by step

1Open the project in Premiere Pro and make sure it's saved and all media is linked before exporting.
2To export a Final Cut Pro–compatible XML: select File > Export > Final Cut Pro XML, choose a location/filename in the Save dialog, and select Save.
3Check the FCP Translation Results log file saved in the same folder for any conversion warnings.
4To export a cut list instead: click inside the Timelines panel to activate it, then go to File > Export > EDL.
5In the EDL Export Settings (CMX 3600) dialog, select which video and audio tracks to include.
6If any clip or tape names are longer than eight characters, enable the '32-character names' option so they aren't truncated.
7For Avid-style interchange, use the AAF export workflow (File > Export > AAF) to carry the sequence into Avid Media Composer or compatible tools.
8Separately, use File > Export > Media (or Adobe Media Encoder) to render the actual finished video/audio files you'll need regardless of which editor you move to.

What the export includes

✓Sequence/timeline structure: clip order, in/out points, track layout
✓For XML: sequence markers, locked tracks, sequence timecode start points, basic titles/text generators
✓For EDL: a CMX 3600 cut list with selected video/audio tracks, reel/tape names, timecodes
✓Merged clips (converted to nested sequences when exported to Final Cut Pro XML)

What it doesn't include

✗The actual media files — XML/EDL/AAF exports only reference/relink source media, they don't bundle it
✗Most Premiere Pro–specific effects and transitions; the official docs note only a few effects transfer to Final Cut Pro and complex effects/transitions may not translate exactly
✗Audio pan, gain, and level automation — these may not transfer accurately via XML export
✗Color grading (Lumetri) and plugin-based effects generally don't carry over to other NLEs

Before you start

⚠Project must be saved and all media linked before export, or the interchange file will be incomplete.
⚠Merged clips turn into nested sequences when exported as Final Cut Pro XML — this can complicate re-editing elsewhere.
⚠EDL export requires the Timelines panel to be active first, and you must manually pick which video/audio tracks to include per export.
⚠Clip/tape names over 8 characters get truncated in EDL unless you enable the 32-character names option.
⚠Always review the FCP Translation Results log file after an XML export — it lists any conversion issues per sequence.

Where to take your data

Free and cheaper tools that can take a Adobe Premiere Pro export. See all Adobe Premiere Pro alternatives →

DaVinci Resolve

Alternatives Adobe Premiere Pro vs DaVinci Resolve

Use File > Import Timeline > AAF, XML or EDL to bring in the Premiere Pro sequence, then relink the original media since the interchange file only carries pointers, not the footage itself.

Kdenlive

Interchange support is more limited than Resolve's — expect to use the EDL/XML mainly as a cut-reference and manually rebuild effects, titles, and audio levels rather than a full 1:1 project migration.

Exporting from Adobe Premiere Pro: common questions

Can I move my Premiere Pro project to DaVinci Resolve for free?+

Yes — export your sequence as a Final Cut Pro XML, EDL, or AAF from Premiere Pro, then import it into DaVinci Resolve (including the free version) and relink your media.

Does the XML/EDL/AAF export include my footage?+

No. These formats only describe the edit (clip order, trims, timecodes) and reference your source media by filename/reel — you still need the original media files in the new app.

Will my effects, transitions, and color grading transfer?+

Mostly no. Per Adobe's own docs, only a few effects transfer to Final Cut Pro via XML, and some complex effects and transitions might not translate exactly; EDL carries even less creative data (just a cut list).

Which export format should I use — XML, EDL, or AAF?+

XML is best for Final Cut Pro–style interchange and preserves the most structure (markers, track layout, text). EDL is the simplest/most universal but only carries a basic cut list. AAF is aimed at Avid Media Composer and similar professional tools.

Do I need a paid Premiere Pro plan to export these files?+

No — export is a core desktop app feature available on any Premiere Pro subscription tier; there's no separate paywall for XML/EDL/AAF export.

What about exporting my finished video instead of the project?+

That's a separate workflow — use File > Export > Media (or send to Adobe Media Encoder) to render a standard video/audio file, which works as a deliverable regardless of which editor you switch to.

Sources

This guide was written from Adobe Premiere Pro's own documentation and checked against it in October 2026. If a step has changed, the official page wins.