Premiere Pro MCP

MCP for Adobe Premiere Pro — local MCP server

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Adobe Premiere Pro MCP server for reviewable, local-first workflows with compatible AI assistants.

Premiere Pro automation for Claude, Cursor, Codex, and other MCP clients: AI-assisted editing, project organization, and export checks through Adobe's documented UXP and CEP/ExtendScript APIs.

Free, MIT licensed, local-first, and published to npm as premiere-pro-mcp — the only package name that installs this project.

Website · Recorded demo · Compare servers · Setup guides · Search tools · Troubleshooting · Release facts

Development source: 447 core tools across 68 modules, 4 resources, and 29 guided workflows. A connected UXP host adds 98 capability-gated tools.

The completed AE render handoff previews and confirms importing one finished render into an existing Premiere bin, with host and file rechecks and an import receipt.

What is this?

MCP for Adobe Premiere Pro is the independent, MIT-licensed local MCP server published as premiere-pro-mcp by leancoderkavy/premiere-pro-mcp. Install this package and its separate Premiere connector to connect a compatible AI assistant to supported project inspection, timeline editing, and export tools. Start with verify_premiere_connection and make no changes until the bridge works.

Find the right Adobe Premiere Pro MCP guide

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that lets AI assistants like Claude, Windsurf, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, or any MCP-compatible client directly control Adobe Premiere Pro — importing media, editing timelines, applying effects, managing keyframes, exporting, and more.

"Add the B-roll clips to V2, apply a cross dissolve between each, color correct them to match the A-roll, and export a 1080p ProRes."

At a glance

This project is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Adobe Inc. It is also separate from other MCP servers for Premiere Pro. The only npm package published from this repository is premiere-pro-mcp, and no other package name installs it.

Comparing similarly named packages? Both this package and adobe-premiere-pro-mcp declare a premiere-pro-mcp executable. Verify the package and repository before configuring a client. The new local configuration helper prints Claude, Cursor, VS Code, or Codex settings that point directly to this installation. It is a feature included in v1.15.1 and later.

The current source exposes 447 core tools for supported workflow steps spanning the supported ExtendScript, QE DOM, local media and interchange analysis, revisioned project-context retrieval, safe edit-planning, project-intake preview, review handoff, connection verification, and guarded After Effects MOGRT authoring, batch, library, render-queue, inspection, and Premiere-handoff workflows. A compatible, authenticated UXP panel adds 98 documented, capability-gated tools without replacing the production CEP bridge.

Latest release: 1.29.0

The published v1.29.0 npm artifact contains 447 core tools, 445 in its default profile, and 543 with a compatible UXP connection. The development catalog above can include unreleased work. See the versioned facts and package provenance.

GitHub releases use v<SemVer> for both title and tag, such as v1.29.0. See release naming and version conventions.

Try a bounded workflow

Choose a setup guide: Claude Desktop, Codex, other local MCP clients, or ChatGPT connection options.

Download the workflow starter kit for synthetic media and three evaluation recipes: a read-only sequence check, an explicitly confirmed review-frame export, and a product-spot preview. No email is required. The kit has no recorded Premiere demo or verified host result. Start with a disposable project and use setup and recovery if the connection is unavailable.

Release highlights

• 1.28.0 guarded workflows: preview and confirm an After Effects clip round trip, clone a range between sequences with capability-gated UXP actions, and optionally inspect a direct export's first decoded audio stream. Copying omits transitions and picture/sound links; audio signal does not establish audibility or synchronization.

• 1.28.0 safety and correctness: precise file/host authority, explicit overwrite consent, owned temporary-file cleanup, pre-write refusal recovery, subclip time-of-day metadata, caption mark preservation and audio parameter-scale annotations.

• 1.28.0 connection selection: automatic diagnostics prefer connected UXP; PREMIERE_BRIDGE_MODE=cep withholds UXP tools. CEP-only tools keep their CEP route. Failed UXP mutations are never retried through CEP. Exact-head live Undo, reopen/persistence and cross-host linked-audio validation remain unverified.

• 1.24.0 mark-write fixes: temporary overwrite marks and restored project-item marks are written a quarter media frame past the tick boundary, so Premiere 26.5.2 no longer floors them one frame early in unnest_sequence, replace_clip and duplicate_clip.

• 1.24.0 caption style guidance: get_caption_style_guidance accepts a bounded custom_style and returns Properties panel and Track Style steps; it is guidance only and applies nothing.

• 1.23.0 bounded workflows: 41 added core tools and five guided routes cover exact timeline planning, editorial review, interchange/turnover and guarded delivery. The 52-item implementation ledger records each supported subset and host limit.

• 1.23.0 execution and recovery: cooperating processes serialize protected edits, retain recovery for uncertain outcomes and report cancellation/partial work explicitly. UXP writes require the matching updated panel; older unversioned panels remain read-only.

• 1.23.0 artifact evidence: review and delivery checks pin source checksums, inspect actual decoded frames/audio and preserve unknown native-job completion. Local decoder checks do not establish Premiere playback or native round-trip compatibility.

• 1.23.0 import fixes: folder imports verify actual project-item readback; caption imports validate formats and counts and preserve mutation readback. Export preset discovery avoids proxy ingest presets, and unnesting refuses mixed-media overwrite hazards.

• 1.22.0 readback receipts: effect writes, stabilization, smart bins, proxies, folder imports, sequence creation, marker deletion and clip selection report what Premiere applied as verified, committed_unverified or failed; create_subclip, add_title and update_marker report the stored values; set_sequence_frame_rate lists clips Premiere re-snapped.

• 1.22.0 display codes and proxies: set_sequence_display_format writes Premiere's real display codes (video 100-113, audio 200-201) and maps the older 0-11 and 0-1 inputs onto them; manage_proxies toggle can set a known proxy display state; the Windows ACL check waits up to 30 seconds for PowerShell.

• 1.21.0 Claude Desktop startup fix: the extension starts when optional settings are blank, and Desktop's discover-only probe no longer holds the UXP port, so the real server keeps its UXP tools.

• 1.21.0 frame-grid verification: project-item marks, sequence In/Out, work area, link/unlink, zero point, transitions, replace_clip and duplicate_clip verify against Premiere's own frame and sample grids and fail closed; UXP tools snap times to the sequence frame grid.

• 1.20.0 verified range removal: ripple_remove_timeline_ranges previews, then applies a multi-range ripple removal with a single-use confirmation token and clip-level readback (QE razor; experimental).

• 1.20.0 effect safety: effect colours read and write losslessly, ambiguous property names (for example repeated Lumetri controls) are refused unless property_index is given, and duplicate_clip copies keep the original length.

• 1.20.0 import and metadata additions: import_fcp_xml can import into the open project, import_folder accepts target_bin, get_encoder_presets pages with limit/offset, set_footage_interpretation sets field_type, and XML/AAF/EDL imports through import_media no longer report a false error.

• 1.19.1 timeline fixes: bounded sequence pages with continuation, measured unlinked-clip compatibility, and faster ripple movement with a large-edit opt-in and scaled host waits.

• 1.19.1 safer handoffs: AME queue-wide start requires explicit opt-in, malformed MOGRT files refuse before host import, and uncertain committed edits retain inspection guidance.

• 1.19.1 transcript and capture fixes: empty host-attached transcripts can accept guarded imports; stored values and still files do not establish temporal animation. A short actual video export is needed to assess keyframe curves.

• Editorial planning: film evidence, transcript cleanup, caption authoring, shorts and chapter planning, rhythm and speaker layouts, timeline QA, and platform delivery plans.

• Cross-app handoff: capability-aware workflow routes and guarded After Effects render-to-Premiere handoff.

• Editing correctness: verified readback and explicit capability or committed-but-unverified failures across transition, import, effects, source identity, and track operations. Insert edits ripple QE sync-locked tracks instead of silently desyncing neighbours.

• MOGRT studio: an optional, separate After Effects CEP connector can author approval-gated title, callout, quote, and social recipes; constrain them with local brand kits; batch, publish, queue, inspect, and hand them to Premiere without claiming visual or completed-render proof.

• Global-update handoff: a global npm installation can show its server and connector update state in the Windows CEP panel and, after explicit confirmation, update only after Premiere has been quit; it never changes a project, client configuration, source checkout, or custom npm prefix.

• Local review planning: caption timing previews parse caller-supplied SRT/VTT without writing or importing it, while revision-bound editorial evidence stays in the opt-in local context index without provider calls.

• Repair preview: premiere-pro-mcp --doctor --plan-fixes produces a privacy-safe, no-write repair plan; the narrowly eligible connector repair still requires an explicit confirmation that Premiere is closed.

• Auditable guidance: the universal setup guide, generated public workflow manifest, and proof runbook make workflow and verification boundaries inspectable without claiming a licensed-host walkthrough occurred.

• Faster, clearer delivery: immutable MCP registration work is reused safely across stateless requests, and the website gained a lighter, mobile-first workflow view plus current machine-readable facts and crawl guidance for its public pages.

• Explicit boundary: the hosted endpoint remains an operator-managed MCP service; unauthenticated callers are rejected and it does not pair users to local Premiere processes. See the generated supported action catalog for individual capability and verification contracts.

See the v1.29.0 release notes for complete details. Live installation in Premiere Pro still requires host verification.

Current MCP protocol support

The server uses the stable TypeScript SDK v2 and serves the 2026-07-28 stateless protocol over HTTP and stdio, while retaining legacy MCP compatibility through 2025-11-25. Modern clients receive discovery, validated routing headers, cache hints, subscription-stream support, and the formal Premiere extension capability. See the complete MCP capability and boundary report.

If an MCP client cannot complete its server/discover probe, set PREMIERE_MCP_PROTOCOL_MODE=legacy in that client's server environment and restart the client. This uses the SDK's base stdio transport and the legacy initialization handshake only; leave it unset (or auto) for modern MCP capabilities.

Guarding multi-project CEP sessions

Every registered tool accepts optional expected_project_path, an absolute path to the intended saved Premiere project. Generated CEP scripts compare the active project's host-normalized file path before the tool body; a different, missing or unsaved project refuses without running that body. The guard is scoped to the request and checked for every generated command in a multi-command tool. Omitting it preserves existing behavior.

{"name":"get_project_info","arguments":{"expected_project_path":"/Projects/Film.prproj"}}

This protects against accidental active-project switches, not deliberate project switching inside unsafe scripts. It does not select a project or prove media identity. Paths remain in request context and are not telemetry. UXP and After Effects commands refuse this CEP-only guard; UXP workflows use their expected_snapshot identity contracts. Local-only tools do not inspect Premiere. Filesystem aliases are not resolved as a claim of project identity.

For editors evaluating an AI workflow

Before an assistant changes an active project, use the Premiere Pro AI workflow checklist to define the target and no-change boundaries, verify the local connection, request a bounded plan, and inspect the returned result. It is a practical starting point for assistant editors and post leads testing a repeatable workflow on a duplicate project or small test sequence.

For product context, see the Adobe Premiere AI Assistant and MCP comparison and the Claude Desktop setup guide.

If you are deciding between a single local project, an Adobe Production on shared storage, or a remote Team Project, use the Premiere Pro collaboration workflow guide before you evaluate an MCP path. It links the relevant Adobe guidance, makes no project inspection request, and ends with the same read-only connection check.

For a concrete first Project Intake preview, choose one of the three schema-checked, no-sensitive-data starter templates. They are evaluation samples only: a human policy owner must review and replace their bins, media rules, and organization rules before a facility uses one.

Quick Start

Install the published package (verify the name)

npm i -g premiere-pro-mcp@1.29.0

This repository publishes only premiere-pro-mcp. A differently named package (adobe-premiere-pro-mcp) may also declare a premiere-pro-mcp executable. Before configuring a client, confirm:

Check	Expected
Package name	premiere-pro-mcp (not adobe-premiere-pro-mcp)
Version	1.29.0
Homepage / repo	https://premiere-pro-mcp.com/ · https://github.com/leancoderkavy/premiere-pro-mcp

npm list -g premiere-pro-mcp
premiere-pro-mcp --version
npm view premiere-pro-mcp homepage repository.url

On Premiere 25.6+, install the UXP .ccx connector first, configure its token, then run the read-only verify_premiere_connection prompt. Keep --install-cep as the compatibility path for older hosts and operations not yet available through UXP.

Easiest supported path: Claude Desktop

1. Download the current Claude Desktop bundle (.mcpb).
2. In Claude Desktop, open Settings > Extensions > Advanced settings > Install Extension, select the downloaded bundle, and restart Claude Desktop.
3. On Premiere 25.6+, install the release's UXP .ccx connector and configure the same PREMIERE_UXP_TOKEN in the server and panel. See UXP installation. Install the signed CEP connector (.zxp) too when you need compatibility-only tools or an older Premiere host.
4. Restart Premiere, open a project, then open Window > UXP Plugins > MCP for Adobe Premiere Pro. For CEP compatibility, use Window > Extensions > MCP for Adobe Premiere Pro.
5. In Claude, enter: Safely check my Premiere connection with verify_premiere_connection. Make no changes.

The Claude bundle contains the local MCP server, so this route does not require Node.js. The Premiere connector is a separate required install. The first prompt is read-only and reports whether the server is installed, configured, connected, and live-verified.

First proof, before the first edit

This is an illustrated workflow, not a Premiere panel screenshot or licensed-host proof.

1. Open a copied test project and an active sequence in Premiere.
2. Open Window > Extensions > MCP for Adobe Premiere Pro. “Running” means the local panel bridge is available; it does not show that an edit completed.
3. Run premiere-pro-mcp --doctor to check only local package/configuration readiness.
4. Ask the AI client: Run verify_premiere_connection. Make no changes. The returned check is read-only and avoids project names, paths, and media details.

If a bridge, project, or active sequence is missing, fix that setup state before allowing a mutation. For a concise, translatable version of this path, see quick starts in English, Spanish, and Japanese. The translations are machine-assisted drafts and retain command names in English.

Other AI assistants

Cursor, VS Code/Copilot, Windsurf, and other MCP clients do not currently have a project-provided one-click installer. Use their MCP settings with the advanced npm route below. Keep the assistant, server, connector, and Premiere on the same computer.

For a portable reference users can download and attach to any AI assistant, see the MCP for Adobe Premiere Pro setup guide for AI assistants. Attaching the guide provides assistant context; the local server and Premiere connector still need to be installed separately.

npm install -g premiere-pro-mcp

git clone https://github.com/leancoderkavy/premiere-pro-mcp.git
cd premiere-pro-mcp
npm install
npm run build

premiere-pro-mcp --install-cep

npm run install-cep

premiere-pro-mcp --doctor

premiere-pro-mcp --check-update
premiere-pro-mcp --update

npm run check-update:source
npm run update:source

premiere-pro-mcp --uninstall-cep

Publishing to npm

The easiest repeatable path is the token-free GitHub Actions workflow:

1. In the npm package settings, configure GitHub Actions as the trusted publisher for leancoderkavy/premiere-pro-mcp and workflow file npm-publish.yml.
2. Allow the npm publish action.
3. Open Actions -> Publish npm -> Run workflow and keep the default latest tag.

The workflow installs dependencies, builds, runs tests, verifies the packed files, refuses to republish an existing version, then publishes through short-lived OIDC credentials with automatic provenance. No npm token or recurring OTP is required.

For local publishing, use the guided helper:

npm run publish:npm

Useful local variants:

npm run publish:npm:dry-run
NPM_OTP=123456 npm run publish:npm
NPM_TOKEN=npm_xxx npm run publish:npm

mkdir -p ~/Library/Application\ Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions
ln -s "$(pwd)/cep-plugin" ~/Library/Application\ Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions/MCPBridgeCEP

# Enable unsigned extensions (CSXS 9–14)
for v in 9 10 11 12 13 14; do
  defaults write com.adobe.CSXS.$v PlayerDebugMode 1
done

3. Configure your MCP client

If you installed from npm, configure the client to run the global command:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "premiere-pro": {
      "command": "premiere-pro-mcp"
    }
  }
}

If you cloned the repository instead, use the source-build configuration shown below for your client.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "premiere-pro": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/premiere-pro-mcp/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

{
  "premiere-pro": {
    "command": "node",
    "args": ["/absolute/path/to/premiere-pro-mcp/dist/index.js"]
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "premiere-pro": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/premiere-pro-mcp/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

…