Deleting a project in Premiere Pro removes it from your recent list, but the video files themselves stay on your computer
When you delete a project in Premiere Pro, you are removing the .prproj file — the document that holds your timeline, edits, and settings. The actual video, audio, and image files you imported remain untouched on your hard drive. This matters because many people think deleting a project means losing their footage, which is not true. You can always re-import those files into a new project later.
The process takes about 30 seconds and happens in one of two places: from the Home screen when you open Premiere Pro, or from your computer's file system directly. Which route you choose depends on whether you want to keep the project file itself or remove it completely.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting a project from Premiere Pro's Home screen removes it from your recent list but leaves the .prproj file on your computer.
- To permanently remove the project file, you must delete it from your file system using File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
- Your original video, audio, and image files are never deleted when you remove a project — only the Premiere Pro document itself is affected.
- If you delete a project by accident, you can recover the .prproj file from your Recycle Bin or Trash as long as you have not emptied it.
Delete a project from the Premiere Pro Home screen
Open Premiere Pro and stay on the Home tab. You will see a list of recent projects with thumbnails. Find the project you want to delete, then right-click on it (or Control-click on Mac). A menu will appear with the option to delete the project.
Click "Delete Project" from that menu. Premiere Pro will ask you to confirm. Click "Yes" or "Delete" depending on your version. The project will disappear from your recent list when ready. The .prproj file itself still exists on your hard drive in whatever folder you saved it to — this method only removes it from Premiere Pro's quick-access list.
Permanently remove the project file from your computer
If you want to delete the .prproj file itself and free up disk space, you need to go into your file system. Open File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac and navigate to the folder where you saved your Premiere Pro project. Look for a file with the .prproj extension — it will have the Premiere Pro icon next to it.
Right-click the .prproj file and select "Delete" (Windows) or drag it to Trash (Mac). On Windows, the file goes to your Recycle Bin. On Mac, it goes to Trash. If you want to remove it permanently and free up the space right away, empty your Recycle Bin or Trash. Until you do that, you can still recover the file if you change your mind.
What happens to your media files when you delete a project
Your video clips, audio files, photos, and graphics are stored separately from your Premiere Pro project. When you delete the .prproj file, none of those media files are touched. They stay exactly where they were — in your Videos folder, an external drive, a cloud service, or wherever you originally saved them.
This is why it is safe to delete old projects. If you ever need to work with those clips again, you can create a new project and import them. Premiere Pro will find them in their original location as long as you have not moved or deleted them separately.
Recover a deleted project if you change your mind
If you delete a project and realize you need it back, check your Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac) right away. As long as you have not emptied it, the .prproj file is still there. Right-click it and select "Restore" (Windows) or drag it back to your Projects folder (Mac).
Once you empty your Recycle Bin or Trash, recovery becomes much harder and may require data recovery software. If you deleted the project more than a few days ago and have already emptied your Recycle Bin, the file is likely gone for good. This is why it is worth keeping project files you might need again, even if you are not actively editing them.
Organize your projects to make deletion easier
Instead of deleting old projects, many editors keep them in a single folder organized by year or client. Create a folder called "Premiere Pro Projects" on your computer and save every new project there. Inside that folder, you can make subfolders like "2024 Client Work" or "Personal Videos" to keep things sorted.
When you want to clean up, you can see at a glance which projects are old and which ones you might still need. You can also back up an entire folder to an external drive or cloud storage before deleting anything, which gives you a safety net if you need to recover a project months later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting a project delete my video files?
No. Deleting a Premiere Pro project only removes the .prproj file, which is the document that holds your edits and timeline. Your original video, audio, and image files stay on your computer in their original location. You can always import them into a new project later.
Can I recover a project after I empty the Recycle Bin?
Once you empty the Recycle Bin or Trash, standard recovery is not possible. You would need data recovery software, which works sometimes but is not may provide. The best approach is to check your Recycle Bin or Trash when ready after deleting a project if you think you might need it back.
What is the difference between deleting from the Home screen and deleting from File Explorer?
Deleting from the Home screen removes the project from Premiere Pro's recent list but leaves the .prproj file on your hard drive. Deleting from File Explorer removes the actual file and sends it to your Recycle Bin or Trash. If you only want to clean up your recent projects list, use the Home screen method.
Should I delete old projects to save disk space?
Only if you are sure you will not need them again. Premiere Pro projects are usually small files (a few megabytes), so they do not take up much space. Your media files take up far more room. If you want to free up space, delete the media files you no longer need instead, or back up old projects to an external drive before removing them.