If you’ve been eyeing those sleek Qualcomm-powered Copilot Plus laptops or tablets, here’s some news you’ve been waiting for: Adobe has finally rolled out native ARM64 public betas of Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Media Encoder for Windows on Arm this week. Until now, video editors on Arm devices were stuck running Premiere Pro under emulation, which could feel sluggish on demanding projects. This shift to native code promises better battery life, smoother playback, and snappier exports—at least once the kinks are ironed out.
Adobe first dipped its toes into Arm waters in late 2020 with a beta of Photoshop for Windows on Arm. That move signaled intent, but it also underscored the complexity of re-compiling years-old, performance-hungry code for a new architecture. Fast-forward nearly five years, and the company is now opening the doors to its video and audio suite—albeit one feature at a time.
Public betas are, by nature, works in progress. Here’s a snapshot of the biggest omissions—and which ones Adobe says will or won’t make it into future releases:
| App | Planned Additions | Won’t Return (beta or final) |
|---|---|---|
| Premiere Pro | • 3rd-party extensions • ProRes import/export • H.264 / HEVC hardware-accel. (MP4) • JPEG2000 in MXF • MotionJPEG/MKV support | • Loudness Radar effect • Wraptor DCP export • GoPro CineForm codec • P2 Movie export |
| After Effects | • ProRes support • ARRIRAW, SWF, CineForm, JPEG2000 (MXF), WMV import/export • MotionJPEG/MKV support • H.264 / HEVC hardware-accel. (MP4) | • Keylight & Mocha integrations (warning at launch) • Third-party plug-ins until they’re recompiled |
| Audition | • Core audio editing features | • Some audio plug-ins still pending |
| Media Encoder | • Encoding presets parity | • Same codec gaps as Premiere Pro (e.g., ProRes) |
Adobe’s own beta-release notes warn that you’ll need the latest Qualcomm Adreno GPU drivers for the best experience, especially in After Effects.
Users running Premiere Pro in emulation on Copilot Plus devices have reported frame drops, laggy scrubbing, and longer render times for 4K timelines. Native ARM64 builds can tap into hardware-specific optimizations, reducing CPU overhead and heat output. Early benchmarks show:
- 30% faster timeline scrubbing
- 20% shorter H.264 exports (where hardware accel. is available)
- 10–15% overall lower power draw under moderate editing loads
Of course, until ProRes and HEVC hardware-acceleration roll out fully, heavy-hitters in post-production will still see some bottlenecks on Arm machines.
Adobe’s move is more than just a technical milestone—it’s a vote of confidence in the Arm ecosystem on Windows. Arm (the CPU designer) recently shared that over 90% of active time on Arm-based Windows devices is spent in native apps. Yet creative professionals often hold off on buying Arm PCs because key tools weren’t available natively.
Microsoft’s Prism emulation layer has been a stop-gap, but native support is the real prize. As device makers like Qualcomm push new chips (Snapdragon X Elite, Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, etc.), software support will be the differentiator. If Adobe’s next beta drops ProRes and full HEVC support, Arm laptops could finally challenge Intel and AMD rigs in studios and on-location shoots.
Adobe has committed to filling feature gaps in upcoming beta builds and the final release. They’re targeting:
- Q4 2025: ProRes raw handling, full third-party extension compatibility, and wrap-up of major codec support
- H1 2026: Performance-tuning updates, UI refinements, and expanded plugin ecosystem readiness
If you’re eager to try the beta, you won’t find standalone installers—these builds are rolling out through the Creative Cloud Desktop app under the beta section.
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