Adobe Premiere Pro and Creative Apps Go Native on Windows 11 Arm: Milestone for Creatives

Adobe’s recent public beta release of Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Media Encoder as native applications for Windows 11 on Arm marks a major milestone for both creative professionals and Microsoft’s evolving Arm ecosystem. This transition carries significant implications for content creators, device manufacturers, and, perhaps most importantly, the long-term viability of Arm-based Windows PCs in a market historically dominated by x86 architecture. As Windows PCs running Qualcomm Snapdragon X and similar Arm processors continue their ambitious ascent, Adobe’s latest move offers a fascinating vantage point to explore not just technical achievements—but also the inherent challenges and unresolved issues that come with new computing paradigms.

The Context: Adobe Embraces Windows on Arm​

Adobe’s announcement is not just a technical footnote but a notable leap for the platform. Historically, performance and feature parity have held back adoption of creative software on Arm-based Windows devices, particularly when compared with established Intel and AMD alternatives. Now, with native beta versions of industry staples like Premiere Pro and After Effects becoming available, Adobe—long seen as a bellwether for professional software support—signals genuine momentum for Windows 11 on Arm.
Both applications are joined by beta releases of Audition, Adobe’s professional audio editing suite, and Media Encoder, a crucial tool for asset conversion and batch processing. All four are available through the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app.

What ‘Native’ Means for Performance and Workflow​

Running natively means these applications are compiled and optimized directly for Arm’s instruction set, rather than running through a translation/emulation layer like Microsoft’s Windows x64 emulation for Arm. In theory, this delivers lower latency, greater efficiency, and better overall performance—especially on new Snapdragon X-based laptops and tablets, which will be the primary beneficiaries.
Adobe, in its announcement, underscores expected performance and stability improvements: “We expect After Effects and Premiere Pro to run on all Qualcomm Snapdragon X-based laptops and tablets.” This is a cautious but meaningful endorsement of the hardware’s capabilities—especially as these devices compete with Apple’s M-Series Macs, which established the gold standard for Arm-powered creative workstations.

Beta Status: Strengths and Sacrifices​

However, the road to feature parity is paved with caveats. Both Adobe and early testers are clear: these are beta releases, and as such, a number of headline features and workflows are missing or only partially implemented. Let’s break down what’s here—and what’s not.

Premiere Pro on Windows 11 on Arm: What’s Missing?​

For editors considering a leap, missing features in Premiere Pro’s Windows 11 on Arm beta include:

• No support for 3rd party extensions (including both video and audio plugins): Users relying on specialized workflows or add-ons will need to wait for plugin developers to port their code and for Adobe to release the updated SDK for WinARM.
• No support for Apple ProRes (import, export, proxies, and as a sequence preview): This is a significant omission for any editor working in cross-platform or film environments, where ProRes is a de facto standard.
• No import/export of JPEG2000 in MXF, MotionJPEG, or MKV: These are less common in mainstream workflows but can be critical for certain broadcast and archival uses.
• No hardware-accelerated playback/export for H.264 and HEVC in MP4: Hardware acceleration is vital for fast, efficient rendering and smooth playback—key for high-resolution projects.
• No support for raw video formats: Missing support for Apple ProRes RAW, ARRI ARRIRAW, Canon Cinema RAW Light, Sony X-OCN, and Sony RAW further limits the appeal for high-end and cinema workflows.

Notably, some features are not expected to arrive even in the final release, including:

• The Loudness Radar effect (superseded by the Loudness Meter)
• Export to Wraptor DCP (used for digital cinema package creation)
• Import/export for the GoPro CineForm codec
• Export to the P2 Movie format

After Effects Beta on Windows 11 on Arm: Notable Issues​

Motion graphics professionals considering After Effects for Windows 11 on Arm should temper expectations:

• Limited format support: Like Premiere Pro, After Effects currently lacks support for ProRes, ARRIRAW, SWF, GoPro CinePro, JPEG20000 in MXF, and WMV. These formats simply cannot be imported or exported. When the usual “High Quality” settings are selected, the beta defaults (with a warning) to uncompressed QuickTime codec, which creates workflow friction and ballooned file sizes.
• No MotionJPEG or MKV import
• No hardware-accelerated H.264/HEVC playback/export
• Key plug-ins like Keylight and Mocha are not yet available—these are foundational effects for chroma keying and planar tracking, respectively. Users are alerted to their absence at launch.
• Cinema 4D renderer and related features (e.g., Cineware integration) are off the table for now, reducing ability to work with 3D elements.

Crucially, third-party plug-ins do not work with the native builds until the plugin developers specifically update them for the new architecture. Adobe is making the SDK available, but timeline for widespread support will depend on third parties’ priorities.
For those eager to maximize smoothness and minimize glitches, Adobe advises After Effects users to ensure they have the latest Qualcomm Adreno GPU driver. This specificity suggests a close relationship between driver maturity and application performance, particularly in graphics-heavy tasks.

Audition and Media Encoder: Early Access, Early Days​

Adobe Audition and Media Encoder are both natively available as beta versions, rounding out the essentials for a full post-production workflow on Windows 11 on Arm devices. As of this writing, specifics on feature limitations for these tools are less detailed than with Premiere Pro or After Effects, but users should reasonably expect similar caveats. Since many audio and encoding tasks are tightly coupled to codec availability and third-party extension compatibility, cautious assessment of whether Adobe’s first iterations support your use-cases is wise.

The Broader Trend: Arm’s Push Into Windows Professionalism​

This isn’t Adobe’s first foray into native Arm support. The company’s aggressive early adoption for Apple Silicon on macOS M1/M2 won nearly universal praise, in large part because launch-day feature parity and rapid performance improvements set a high bar. Adobe’s support played a crucial role in legitimizing Apple’s architecture for production work.
On Windows, however, Arm’s journey has been far more incremental. The arrival, now, of native beta versions of these flagship Adobe applications marks a powerful statement: Arm-based Windows PCs are no longer peripheral experiments—they are seriously contending for creative professionals’ daily workflows.
New Qualcomm Snapdragon X-based laptops are at the center of this strategy, targeting battery life, thermals, and lightweight form factors, while touting competitive AI acceleration and graphics performance†. Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC branding, an umbrella for Snapdragon X and other “AI PC” initiatives, leans into this vision.
Comparisons to Apple’s ecosystem are inevitable but not always fair: Windows’ open hardware landscape brings diversity and flexibility, but also complexity and variable experiences, especially in the early years of large architectural transitions.

Real-World Implications: Should Creatives Switch Now?​

For Early Adopters​

For those who live at the bleeding edge, the appeal is real. Adobe’s betas give access to a new crop of ultralight, high-battery-life Windows laptops with strong security, always-on connectivity, and potential for rapid evolution—particularly as more software is optimized for Arm. If your workflow is self-contained, not dependent on missing codecs or plugins, and you can live with the known bugs, this new platform may already suit your productivity needs.

For Working Professionals​

The story is more nuanced. Editors and motion graphics pros who rely on cross-platform collaboration (especially with Apple-centric teams), who need broad codec compatibility (ProRes, RAW, specialty formats), or whose workflows run on a backbone of third-party extensions will likely find these betas limiting. Mission-critical productions, broadcast facilities, and agencies should approach with caution, closely monitoring the support timelines for missing features—and, crucially, waiting for plugin ecosystems to catch up.

For the Broader Ecosystem​

The most profound near-term impact may be felt by hardware vendors and software developers. Adobe’s public beta starts the clock for plugin authors and codec implementors to update their offerings—or risk being left behind. Meanwhile, every step Adobe takes towards feature parity smooths the path for other high-demand applications to follow, expanding Arm’s appeal beyond light productivity and into true workstation territory.

Adobe’s Communication: Transparency and Timelines​

To its credit, Adobe is forthright about what’s missing and what’s coming. While there are no direct download links, participation is mediated through the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app—likely a decision to keep the beta pool manageable and facilitate rapid feedback. Communication with third-party developers is ongoing, and Adobe stresses its intent to release an updated SDK to smooth the plugin transition.
Still, for end-users, there’s ambiguity on how quickly missing features will be filled in and whether certain high-demand capabilities (especially third-party plugin functionality and hardware-accelerated encoding/decoding) will land in parity with Intel/AMD versions. The beta process is iterative, and although Adobe’s track record on Apple Silicon is reassuring, timelines for full completion remain uncertain.

Risks, Roadblocks, and Unknowns​

Incomplete Feature Set​

Most obvious is the absence of critical codecs and workflow extensions. Editors who frequently receive ProRes or RAW footage will be locked out, as will agencies dependent on custom plugins for analytics, color, titling, or automation. Post houses with strict DCP output requirements will be forced to stay put on x86.

Performance Parity​

While native code eliminates the emulation overhead, real-world performance will depend heavily on Snapdragon X drivers, memory bandwidth, and GPU capabilities. Early reports suggest strong efficiency and battery life, but whether Arm-based PCs can truly rival Apple’s hardware for sustained heavy rendering and compositing loads is not yet clear. Users are also advised to keep their GPU drivers up to date, hinting at ongoing tuning and optimizations.

Ecosystem Transition​

Perhaps the biggest stumbling block is the inertia of existing workflows and dependencies. It took years for Apple-centric environments to become wholly comfortable with the transition to M1/M2. On Windows, where hardware is far more diverse and plugin reliance is high, the transition could be even more protracted.

Critical Analysis: Is This Enough to Change the Arm-Windows Story?​

Adobe’s announcement is both milestone and inflection point. Undeniably, it comes with trade-offs. But it also signals a software industry that no longer regards Windows on Arm as an afterthought.

Notable Strengths​

• Performance Uplift: Native code always runs faster and more efficiently than emulated software. For the long-lived pro tasks creative apps engender, every watt and millisecond matter.
• Battery Life and Portability: Many Snapdragon X-based laptops offer multi-day battery life and always-on connectivity, bringing real freedom for mobile video and audio work.
• Security Benefits: Arm architectures have inherent security advantages, boosted by Windows 11’s requirement for modern security hardware and firmware features.
• Momentum for the Platform: When industry giants like Adobe take the plunge, smaller players and plugin vendors are incentivized to follow suit, multiplying ecosystem benefits.

Potential Risks​

• Workflow Disruption: Lack of codec and plugin support can break established pipelines—sometimes in subtle, hard-to-detect ways.
• Compatibility Uncertainties: Emulation fills some gaps, but it’s neither perfect nor always performant, especially for GPU-intensive or I/O-heavy tasks.
• Lag in Third-Party Tools: Until the ecosystem of codecs and plugins catches up, users may find themselves in a hybrid workflow, bouncing between architectures and machines.

Strategic Implications​

If successful, Adobe’s native Arm strategy may not just help Snapdragon X laptops claw market share from Apple’s M-series Macs, but also reshape perceptions of what Windows hardware can achieve. This could, in turn, restart innovation in hardware design, drive prices down, and encourage broader adoption of Arm in Windows environments from schools and small businesses to creative studios and large enterprises.

What to Watch Going Forward​

Adobe’s beta releases are best viewed as a foundation rather than a finish line. In the coming months, several questions loom:

• How quickly will Adobe add back missing features, especially for ProRes and other industry standards?
• Will hardware drivers, especially GPU and AI acceleration, enable meaningful real-world performance gains?
• How rapidly can plugin developers and other ecosystem players catch up, and how fast will feature parity arrive?
• Will customer and community feedback drive further optimization and innovation specifically for Windows 11 on Arm?
• Can the Windows on Arm platform keep pace with—and possibly exceed—the power and flexibility of x86 now that pro creative applications are on board?

Conclusion: A Necessary, Not Sufficient, Landmark​

Adobe’s public betas for Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Media Encoder on Windows 11 on Arm are a necessary and highly symbolic landmark in the evolution of both software and hardware platforms. For professionals—especially those with straightforward, self-contained workflows—they already open the door to a new generation of leaner, longer-lasting, and potentially more secure creative PCs.
Yet for full-scale migration, the missing features, plugin gaps, and codec limitations remain formidable roadblocks. For teams and individuals whose practices extend into the still-unavailable, caution and patience are advised. The success—or struggle—of these betas will substantially shape the fate not just of Arm-powered Windows machines, but of the broader ecosystem of creative professionals who must decide when, how, and if to move beyond x86.
Those invested in the future of creative work on Windows should watch closely: Adobe’s continued progress, and the rumblings of third-party support behind it, could soon make the “Windows on Arm” experiment much more than a curiosity. It could become the new normal.

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Source: Thurrott.com Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Media Encoder are Now Native on Windows 11 on Arm