MCP Bridge for Adobe Premiere Pro

Operate local Adobe Premiere Pro projects through MCP.

283 tools, 13 context resources, and 10 guided prompts for Codex, Claude Code, Claude Desktop, and other MCP clients. CEP is the supported production bridge; UXP remains experimental.

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Start here: install the local bridge, open it in Premiere, then run verify_premiere_connection before editing.

Install | Codex plugin | Claude Code plugin | Verify | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Security

Install

The supported bridge is the included CEP panel. Install the npm package on the same computer as Premiere Pro and your MCP client:

npm install -g adobe-premiere-pro-mcp
premiere-pro-mcp --install-cep
premiere-pro-mcp --doctor

--install-cep installs the CEP bridge, enables the required Adobe CEP debug setting, prepares the bridge directory, and configures supported local MCP clients. --doctor verifies the server build, CEP installation, bridge directory, debug setting, and client configuration.

Then restart Premiere Pro, open Window > Extensions > MCP Bridge (CEP), set the bridge directory shown by the installer, and start the bridge.

Requirements:

• Node.js 20+
• Adobe Premiere Pro 2020+
• Premiere Pro, the MCP client, and this package on the same computer

The bundled uxp-plugin is an experimental preview. It is shipped for evaluation but is not a replacement for the validated CEP bridge and is not installed by the CLI.

Codex plugin

From a clone of this repository, install the Codex plugin that bundles the MCP configuration and Premiere editing skill:

codex plugin marketplace add .
codex plugin add premiere-pro-mcp@adobe-premiere-pro-mcp

The plugin still requires the local CEP bridge. Run premiere-pro-mcp --install-cep, restart Premiere, start Window > Extensions > MCP Bridge (CEP), then ask Codex to run get_capabilities followed by verify_premiere_connection.

Claude Code plugin

From a clone of this repository:

/plugin marketplace add .
/plugin install premiere-pro-mcp@adobe-premiere-pro-mcp

Install and start the CEP bridge with the same steps as above before using the plugin.

Claude Desktop one-click bundle

Each GitHub release includes an .mcpb bundle for Claude Desktop. Download the matching adobe-premiere-pro-mcp-<version>.mcpb asset and open it in Claude Desktop to install the local MCP server. Its first launch installs the bundled CEP bridge for the current user.

Restart Premiere Pro, open Window > Extensions > MCP Bridge (CEP), set the bridge directory, and start the bridge. Then ask Claude:

Run verify_premiere_connection. Make no changes.

The MCPB bundle is unsigned. Install it only from this repository's GitHub Releases. CEP release archives are labeled accurately as unsigned or self-signed; self-signed does not mean Adobe Marketplace trusted.

MCP client configuration

The installer configures Claude Desktop on macOS and Claude Desktop plus GitHub Copilot in VS Code on Windows. For another MCP client, configure it to run:

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

Install from source

Use source setup when developing the MCP, modifying the CEP panel, or troubleshooting a package install:

git clone https://github.com/hetpatel-11/Adobe_Premiere_Pro_MCP.git
cd Adobe_Premiere_Pro_MCP
npm install
npm run build
npm run setup:mac # macOS

On Windows, use npm run setup:win from PowerShell after npm install and npm run build.

---

Current CEP panel UI inside Premiere Pro, using the refreshed bridge controls and status layout.

Current Status

This repository is currently validated for:

• macOS
• Windows installer/config smoke checks through GitHub Actions
• Adobe Premiere Pro 2020+ (actively used and tested on Premiere Pro 26.0)
• Node.js 20+
• MCP v2 server transport with modern stateless protocol discovery
• the included macOS installer path for Claude Desktop
• the included Windows installer path for GitHub Copilot in VS Code and Claude Desktop config
• manual MCP registration for Codex, Claude Code, and similar MCP clients

Current catalog status as of August 5, 2026:

• 283 MCP tools are exposed for AI-driven video editing
• coverage spans project setup, media ingest, bins, sequences, timeline editing, transitions, effects, keyframes, captions, markers, metadata, proxies, multicam, color, audio, exports, and higher-level assembly workflows
• the catalog includes practical agent workflows such as product-spot assembly, motion-graphics demos, timeline razoring, caption reads, audio ducking, scene edit detection, EDL import, export readiness validation, and linked audio/video operations

Most recent completed local live validation:

• 283 active tools are exposed; get_capabilities reports local installation and optional live connection state, while verify_premiere_connection is the canonical read-only bridge and host readiness check
• 0 known parked or placeholder tools are advertised
• import_ae_comps is intentionally not advertised because Premiere returned false for real .aep fixtures in this environment and a generic .aep import can wedge the CEP bridge

The full live sweep output is written to /tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge/live-tool-sweep.json when you run the verifier.

What You Get

The server covers project operations, ingest, sequence creation, timeline editing, transitions, effects, keyframes, metadata, exports, and higher-level assembly workflows.

Example prompts:

• "List all sequences and show me which one is active."
• "Import these three shots and build a rough product spot."
• "Add cross dissolves to every cut on video track 1."
• "Apply Gaussian Blur to the middle clip."
• "Apply the Black & White effect to the active short-form clip."
• "Razor the interview sequence at 12.5 seconds across all audio and video tracks."
• "Export the active sequence as FCP XML."

For monochrome looks, prefer apply_effect with Black & White instead of trying to force black and white through generic saturation-only adjustments.

Before editing, you can also attach the premiere://config/get_instructions resource to give the model Premiere-specific operating guidance.

For a predictable start to every session, first run verify_premiere_connection. It confirms that the CEP bridge responded and returns the Premiere build, open project, and active sequence without modifying the project.

High-level workflow tools included:

• build_motion_graphics_demo
• assemble_product_spot
• build_brand_spot_from_mogrt_and_assets

assemble_product_spot and build_brand_spot_from_mogrt_and_assets now support an optional clipPlan argument so an LLM can direct per-clip timing, track placement, transitions, motion, trims, effects, and color adjustments instead of relying on fixed template defaults.

Agent Skill

If you want Codex, Claude Code, or another agent to handle installation, verification, and day-to-day usage correctly, install the included Agent Skill:

npx skills add hetpatel-11/Adobe_Premiere_Pro_MCP --skill premiere-pro-mcp

Or install directly from the skill path:

npx skills add https://github.com/hetpatel-11/Adobe_Premiere_Pro_MCP/tree/main/skills/premiere-pro-mcp

The skill teaches agents how to install the MCP, start and verify the CEP bridge, use the Premiere tools safely, import real media before editing, prefer sequence-aware operations, and run diagnostics when something fails.

Advanced Setup and Verification

For source installs, client-specific MCP configuration, Windows installer flags, diagnostics, and the live tool sweep, use QUICKSTART.md. It is the canonical setup guide and keeps this page focused on choosing and using the product.

The short version:

1. Install with npm install -g adobe-premiere-pro-mcp, then run premiere-pro-mcp --install-cep.
2. Restart Premiere Pro and your MCP client, then start Window > Extensions > MCP Bridge (CEP).
3. Run premiere-pro-mcp --doctor, then ask the client to call verify_premiere_connection without making changes.

For manual registration in any MCP client, use the global command after npm installation:

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

The supported UI bridge is CEP. If Premiere does not expose the extension, enable UXP Plugins > Enable developer mode in Premiere preferences, restart Premiere, and reopen the CEP panel. The bundled UXP panel remains experimental.

For a real-host sweep, use a disposable Premiere project and run node scripts/live-tool-sweep.mjs; it creates temporary Sweep ... sequences in the current project.

How the Bridge Works

+-----------+        +-----------+        +-----------+
|  Client   |  MCP   | Node.js   | Files  | CEP Panel |
| (Codex+)  |<------>| MCP Server|<------>| (Premiere)|
+-----------+        +-----------+        +-----------+
                                                 |
                                                 v
                                          +-----------+
                                          | Premiere  |
                                          | DOM / QE  |
                                          +-----------+

1. The client calls an MCP tool.
2. The Node server generates ExtendScript plus shared helpers.
3. The script is written into /tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge.
4. The CEP panel polls that directory and runs the script through CSInterface.evalScript().
5. The panel writes the result back to the response file.
6. The server returns structured JSON to the MCP client.

Tools

All 283 advertised tools have an implementation. Tool schemas are available through MCP discovery; this catalog explains the editing surface in human terms. Start with verify_premiere_connection, then inspect the project before asking an agent to mutate it.

Discovery and project inspection

Tools	What they do
verify_premiere_connection / get_capabilities	Read-only host readiness and local runtime capability checks.
get_project_info / list_project_items / list_sequences	Inspect the current project, media/bin inventory, and sequences.
get_active_sequence / list_sequence_tracks / get_sequence_settings	Read the current timeline, its clips/tracks, and sequence settings.
get_full_project_overview / get_full_sequence_info / get_full_clip_info	Return deeper project, sequence, or clip snapshots for planning.
search_project_items / find_project_item_by_name / find_items_by_media_path	Locate project items by name or media path.
get_timeline_summary / get_timeline_gaps / get_used_media_report	Summarize the edit, detect gaps, and report media in use.
get_offline_media / check_offline_media / get_unused_media / get_duplicate_media	Find missing, unused, or duplicated media before an edit or export.
get_clip_properties / get_clip_speed / get_clip_at_position / get_clip_at_playhead	Inspect clip framing, speed, and timeline position.
get_premiere_state / get_version_info / ping	Read a broad host state, Premiere version, or bridge health.

Projects, media, and bins

Tools	What they do
create_project / open_project / save_project / save_project_as / close_project	Project lifecycle and file operations.
import_media / import_folder / import_image_sequence	Bring video, audio, stills, or image sequences into the project.
import_fcp_xml / import_sequences_from_project / import_sequences	Import supported timeline interchange or sequences from another project.
create_bin / rename_bin / delete_bin / create_smart_bin	Create and organize project-panel bins.
move_item_to_bin / move_items_to_bin / rename_project_item / rename_clip	Organize and rename existing project items.
delete_project_item / delete_multiple_project_items	Remove project items explicitly. These are destructive operations.
create_subclip / refresh_media / relink_media / replace_clip_media	Create source ranges, refresh media, relink missing files, or replace clip media.
get_metadata / set_metadata / get_xmp_metadata / set_xmp_metadata	Read and write project metadata and XMP fields.
get_footage_interpretation / set_footage_interpretation	Inspect or change footage frame-rate and pixel-aspect interpretation.
set_color_label / get_color_label / set_project_panel_metadata	Label and annotate project-panel items.

Sequences and tracks

Tools	What they do
create_sequence / create_sequence_from_preset	Make an empty sequence from an installed .sqpreset without triggering Premiere's New Sequence dialog.
create_sequence_from_clips	Derive a sequence from pre-imported media when the clip settings should define the sequence.
duplicate_sequence	Copy a sequence; clearContents: true makes an empty reusable template with the source settings.
delete_sequence / close_sequence / set_active_sequence	Manage which sequence is open or active.
get_sequence_structure / get_sequence_count	Inspect a sequence layout or count project sequences.
set_sequence_settings / set_sequence_frame_rate / set_sequence_resolution	Change supported sequence settings. Verify results because Premiere can quantize or reject changes.
set_sequence_audio_settings / set_sequence_pixel_aspect_ratio / set_sequence_field_type	Adjust supported audio, pixel-aspect, and field settings.
add_track / add_tracks / delete_track / rename_track	Create, remove, and name audio/video tracks. Caption-track deletion returns an explicit unsupported result.
lock_track / toggle_track_visibility / set_target_track / set_all_tracks_targeted	Control edit protection, visibility, and track targeting.
get_track_info / get_target_tracks / get_sequence_in_out_points	Inspect tracks, targeting, and sequence in/out ranges.

Timeline editing and trim operations

Tools	What they do
add_to_timeline / add_to_timeline_batch	Place one or many project clips with per-clip source ranges and link-audio control. Batch placement returns per-clip results.
insert_from_source / overwrite_from_source / overwrite_clip	Perform three-point insert or overwrite editing from the Source monitor.
remove_from_timeline / remove_selected_clips / ripple_delete	Remove timeline clips. Ripple deletion closes the gap when the host supports it.
move_clip / move_clip_to_track / set_clip_start_time	Reposition a clip in time or on another track.
split_clip / razor_timeline_at_time / razor_all_tracks	Cut one clip or multiple tracks at a requested timeline point.
trim_clip / roll_edit / slide_edit / slip_edit	Adjust edit points and clip content timing. Structural QE edits are read back rather than trusted blindly.
lift_selection / extract_selection / nest_clips / unnest_sequence	Lift/extract a selected range or create/remove nests.
duplicate_clip / replace_clip / enable_disable_clip / freeze_frame	Duplicate, replace, enable, or freeze timeline material.
link_audio_video / link_selection / unlink_selection / get_linked_items	Manage audio/video link relationships.
undo / redo / multiple_undo	Revert or reapply recent Premiere operations.

Effects, color, motion, and keyframes

Tools	What they do
list_available_effects / list_clip_effects / get_effect_properties	Discover installed effects, applied effects, and their properties.
apply_effect / remove_effect / remove_effect_by_name / remove_all_effects	Add or remove visual/audio effect components. apply_effect identifies and reads back the new component.
batch_apply_effect / copy_effects_between_clips / copy_effect_values	Apply or copy effect treatments across clips.
set_effect_property / set_color_value / set_blend_mode	Change supported effect parameters, color values, and blend modes.
color_correct / apply_lut / stabilize_clip	Apply basic correction, LUTs, or Warp Stabilizer.
crop_clip / add_adjustment_layer / get_clip_adjustment_layer	Crop a clip or use an adjustment layer for shared treatment.
set_clip_properties / set_clip_properties_batch	Set opacity, scale, rotation, and position with verified per-property output.
set_clip_position / set_clip_scale / set_clip_rotation / set_clip_anchor_point	Address individual Motion transform values.
add_keyframe / get_keyframes / remove_keyframe / remove_keyframe_range	Create, inspect, and remove parameter keyframes.
set_keyframe_interpolation / get_value_at_time	Set interpolation or query a parameter value at a given time.

Audio, transitions, and captions

Tools	What they do
adjust_audio_levels / set_clip_volume / set_clip_pan	Set clip gain, volume, or pan.
add_audio_keyframes / setup_ducking	Build volume automation or a full ducking curve from supplied windows.
mute_track / apply_audio_effect / apply_audio_effect_to_all_clips	Mute a track or apply audio processing to one or many clips.
detect_silence	Analyze a local media file with ffmpeg and return silence ranges. It does not edit the timeline.
list_available_transitions / list_available_audio_transitions	Discover installed transition names.
add_transition / add_transition_to_clip / batch_add_transitions	Add one or many transitions. Results distinguish verified changes from accepted-but-unverified host responses.
create_caption_track	Create a caption track from an imported subtitle project item, such as an SRT.
read_sequence_captions	Reports scripting-visible caption data and explicitly flags that Premiere's DOM often cannot read existing caption text.

Markers, selection, navigation, and playback

Tools	What they do
add_marker / update_marker / delete_marker / list_markers	Create and manage timeline markers.
add_marker_to_project_item / get_clip_markers / get_sequence_markers_by_type	Work with markers on project items, clips, or sequences.
set_sequence_in_out_points / clear_sequence_in_out / set_work_area / get_work_area	Set or inspect sequence in/out points and work area.
get_playhead_position / set_playhead_position / get_next_edit_point / move_playhead_to_edit	Inspect and navigate the CTI/playhead.
get_selected_clips / select_clips_by_name / select_clips_in_range	Inspect or create targeted timeline selections.
select_all_clips / deselect_all_clips / select_disabled_clips / invert_selection	Broader selection controls.
open_in_source / close_source_monitor / set_source_in_out / clear_item_in_out	Control Source monitor media and source in/out points.
play_timeline / stop_playback / play_source_monitor	Start or stop timeline and source playback.

Delivery, interchange, and media management

Tools	What they do
validate_project_for_export / get_encoder_presets / get_export_file_extension	Validate a delivery, discover readable user .epr presets, and resolve output extensions.
export_sequence / add_to_render_queue	Queue a sequence through Adobe Media Encoder using a real preset path or exact preset name.
get_render_queue_status / start_batch_encode	Report queue-monitoring availability or start supported batch encoding.
export_frame / capture_frame	Write a still image from a sequence or capture a frame.
export_as_fcp_xml / export_aaf / export_omf	Export supported interchange formats.
encode_project_item / encode_file / export_as_project	Encode a source item/file or export a project representation.
manage_proxies / has_proxy / detach_proxy	Inspect, attach, or detach proxies.
set_offline / refresh_media / set_scale_to_frame_size	Change offline status, refresh media, or apply frame-size scaling.
consolidate_duplicates / consolidate_and_transfer	Consolidate duplicate items or prepare a transfer workflow.

Graphics, workflows, workspace, and advanced operations

Tools	What they do
add_text_overlay / import_mogrt / import_mogrt_from_library	Add a MOGRT and optionally populate supported text fields.
get_mogrt_component / get_graphics_white_luminance / set_graphics_white_luminance	Inspect Motion Graphics components and graphics white luminance.
build_motion_graphics_demo	Create a complete demo sequence with generated assets, dissolves, and subtle animation.
assemble_product_spot / build_brand_spot_from_mogrt_and_assets	Assemble real media into a directed product/brand edit with optional clip plans and MOGRT overlays.
auto_reframe_sequence / detect_scene_edits / scene_edit_detection	Use Premiere-assisted reframing or scene-change detection where the host supports it.
get_workspaces / set_workspace	Inspect and switch Premiere workspace layouts.
create_bars_and_tone / set_transcode_on_ingest / set_scratch_disk_path	Generate utility media or manage ingest and scratch-disk behavior.
execute_extendscript / evaluate_expression / inspect_dom_object	Advanced diagnostic and scripting operations. Use only with trusted inputs and explicit user intent.

Additional supported operations

The remaining catalog covers lower-level control of media properties, project settings, display formats, anti-aliasing, poster frames, color labels, selection, track targeting, project paths, and project counts. It includes set_override_frame_rate, set_override_pixel_aspect_ratio, set_frame_blend, set_time_interpolation, set_poster_frame, set_anti_alias_quality, set_uniform_scale, set_scale_width_height, set_sequence_display_format, set_project_scratch_disk, get_project_scratch_disks, get_all_project_paths, get_total_clip_count, get_insertion_bin, is_work_area_enabled, and match_frame.

Use MCP introspection in your client for each tool's exact input schema and return shape. An agent should inspect first, make a focused mutation, and read back the affected state before continuing a multi-step edit.

Real Limits

• A self-signed CEP .zxp confirms archive integrity but is not Adobe Marketplace approval or a public trust guarantee. The reproducible signing workflow requires private certificate secrets and target-platform Premiere validation.

This project is much more usable than the original prototype, but it is not magic.

• Premiere scripting still does not expose every UI operation cleanly.
• Professional title design still depends on real MOGRT assets or external graphics workflows.
• get_render_queue_status is only useful when Adobe Media Encoder integration is available.
• The best results come from real source footage, real audio, and real brand assets. The automation layer assembles and manipulates them; it does not replace editorial judgment.

Troubleshooting

If the tools are visible but calls fail:

1. Confirm Premiere Pro is open with a project loaded.
2. Open Window > Extensions > MCP Bridge (CEP).
3. Confirm the temp directory is exactly /tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge.
4. Click Start Bridge.
5. If you updated the bridge code, right-click the panel and choose Reload.
6. Retry the command.

If the MCP client cannot find the server:

1. Verify the absolute path to dist/index.js.
2. Verify PREMIERE_TEMP_DIR=/tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge.
3. Restart the MCP client after changing config.
4. Run npm run setup:doctor.

Developer Notes

Useful commands:

npm run build
npm test -- --runInBand
npm run setup:doctor
node scripts/live-tool-sweep.mjs

See:

• QUICKSTART.md for the shortest install path
• KNOWN_ISSUES.md for current limits
• CONTRIBUTING.md for development workflow