Sample Rate
Last updated on
Apr 2, 2026
Learn technical specifications of audio conforming in Adobe Premiere projects.
Consult this reference when importing audio files to understand the conforming behavior, estimate processing time, or troubleshoot playback issues related to sample-rate mismatches.
Audio conforming overview
Premiere processes all audio channels as 32-bit floating-point data at the sequence sample rate. When imported audio doesn't match this format, Premiere automatically conforms it during the first import, creating CFA (Conformed Audio) preview files stored at the location specified for Audio Previews in Project Settings.
Conforming requires processing time and disk space proportional to file duration. A progress indicator appears in the lower-right corner of the application window during the conforming process. You can work with audio files before conforming completes, but only conformed portions play back during preview.
Natively supported sample rates
Premiere processes audio at these sample rates without upsampling or downsampling:
|
|
Common Usage |
|
8000 Hz |
Phone-quality audio |
|
11025 Hz |
Low-quality digital audio |
|
22050 Hz |
Web streaming audio |
|
32000 Hz |
Digital broadcast audio |
|
44100 Hz |
CD-quality audio |
|
48000 Hz |
Professional video standard |
|
96000 Hz |
High-resolution audio |
Conforming rules by audio type
Uncompressed audio
|
Scenario |
Conforming Behavior |
|
Native sample rate + matching sequence rate |
No conforming required |
|
Native sample rate + non-matching sequence rate |
Conforms during export or audio preview file creation only |
|
Non-native sample rate |
Conforms on import; upsamples to nearest supported rate or even multiple of source rate (example: 11024 Hz upsamples to 11025 Hz) |
Compressed audio
|
Format Examples |
Conforming Behavior |
|
MP3, WMA, MPEG audio, compressed MOV |
Always conforms on import at source file sample rate; plays back at sequence sample rate without further conforming if rates differ |
Note
Compressed audio formats remove some original audio quality. For best results, use uncompressed formats (WAV, AIFF) at natively supported sample rates.
Conformed file management
Premiere reuses conformed files across sequences with matching audio sample rates, provided source files haven't been moved or renamed. The Media Cache Database tracks the locations of conform files for all imported audio.
Storage locations:
- CFA files: Audio Previews scratch disk location (Project Settings > Scratch Disks)
- PEK waveform files: Media Cache Files location (Preferences > Media)
PEK files are created for all audio-containing files on import and are used to draw waveforms in Timeline panels.
Avoiding conforming
To bypass conforming processing:
- Use audio editing software to convert files to uncompressed formats (WAV, AIFF).
- Export at one of the natively supported sample rates.
- Match the target sequence sample rate when possible.
For compressed formats, decompress to uncompressed formats before import rather than relying on Premiere decompression.
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