Adobe has confirmed that the next major update to its primary video and audio editing tools will not support Intel Macs. Version 27 of Premiere Pro, After Effects, Media Encoder, and Audition will be incompatible with machines running Intel processors, as stated in a recent community post by the company. This decision marks a significant shift in how professionals and studios use Adobe's Creative Cloud, especially for those still operating on older hardware.
Users currently working on Intel-based Macs and relying on Adobe's tools will face a clear limitation starting with the next version cycle, expected to launch this fall. While they can continue using version 26.x with basic security updates for about a year, they will no longer gain access to new features, enhanced performance, or AI-powered improvements. The decision effectively isolates Intel Mac users from future development, leaving them with a stable but outdated version of the software.
The technical reasons behind the Apple Silicon requirement
Adobe's transition to Apple Silicon is not just a strategic move to follow Apple's hardware roadmap. The core reason for the shift lies in the technical architecture of the chips themselves. Apple Silicon, such as the M1, M2, and newer models, use a unified memory architecture that allows the CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, and other components to access the same physical memory. This eliminates the need to copy video data between different memory spaces, which is a major bottleneck on Intel Macs.
In contrast, Intel Macs have separate memory spaces for the CPU and GPU, and any transfer between them must be done over the PCIe bus. This process adds latency and uses more power, making it less efficient for high-performance applications like video editing. Adobe’s new AI features and hardware acceleration for tasks like ProRes encoding rely heavily on the unified architecture and dedicated hardware found in Apple Silicon. These components cannot be replicated through software, making the transition irreversible for Intel Mac users.
The Neural Engine, a dedicated hardware unit in Apple Silicon for AI processing, is a key part of the new features in version 27. Starting with the M1 chip, these processors handle up to 11 trillion operations per second, and the latest M4 chips can perform 38 trillion operations. Intel-based Macs have no comparable component, which means these AI capabilities are simply not accessible on older hardware.
This is not Adobe's first hardware cutoff
Adobe has already taken steps toward this transition in the past. In March 2025, the company removed support for Intel Macs in Substance 3D Painter, version 11.0. Along with dropping Intel support, the update switched from OpenGL to Apple's Metal API, a change that improved performance on Apple Silicon devices. This left users with Intel-based workstations, such as the 2019 Mac Pro, unable to use the latest features.
The current decision to phase out Intel support for Adobe's core video and audio tools is much broader. The four applications affected—Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Media Encoder—are used by a far wider range of professionals in industries like film, broadcasting, and podcasting. Where the Substance 3D Painter transition affected a more niche user base, this move impacts mainstream workflows. For most professional editors and studios, the switch to Apple Silicon is no longer a choice, but a necessity for staying current with the latest tools and features.
Adobe's shift highlights a growing trend in software development. As hardware manufacturers like Apple continue to innovate with new chip designs, software companies must adapt to take full advantage of these advancements. For Adobe users, the transition to Apple Silicon means a fundamental change in how they work, with a clear line between those who can access the latest tools and those who cannot.