Premiere Pro Error — Accelerated Renderer Error

What Does This Error Mean?

This error means Premiere Pro's GPU (graphics card) renderer crashed or failed. Premiere uses your graphics card to speed up playback and effects. When the GPU renderer fails, Premiere cannot continue and stops playback or export. The fix is usually switching to software rendering or updating your graphics driver.

Affected Models

Adobe Premiere Pro CC
Adobe Premiere Pro 2022
Adobe Premiere Pro 2023
Adobe Premiere Pro 2024

Common Causes

Your graphics card driver is outdated or incompatible with your version of Premiere
The GPU does not support the level of acceleration Premiere is trying to use
The graphics card is overheating or has hardware issues
Multiple GPU-intensive applications are running at the same time
A recent Windows or macOS update changed the graphics driver configuration

How to Fix It

Switch to software rendering immediately. Go to File > Project Settings > General and change the Renderer to 'Software Only (CPU rendering)'. Click OK and try again.

This is slower but bypasses the GPU entirely. It lets you keep working while you fix the underlying issue.
Update your graphics card driver. For NVIDIA: go to nvidia.com and download the latest Game Ready or Studio driver. For AMD: go to amd.com. For Intel: go to intel.com.

Outdated drivers are the most common cause of GPU renderer errors in Premiere.
In Premiere, go to Edit > Preferences > Media and delete the media cache. Then restart Premiere and set the renderer back to GPU Acceleration.

Sometimes cached render files conflict with a GPU renderer change.
Make sure your GPU is on Adobe's supported hardware list. Go to helpx.adobe.com and search for 'Premiere Pro supported GPUs' for your version.

Older or low-end graphics cards may not support GPU acceleration in newer Premiere versions.
Close all other GPU-intensive programs — games, 3D apps, other video editors. Then restart Premiere and try again.

Multiple apps fighting over GPU resources can cause the renderer to fail.

When to Call a Professional

If you suspect your graphics card is overheating or failing, take your computer to a technician for diagnostics. A GPU that fails under load may need replacement, which should be handled by a professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will switching to software rendering make my exports much slower?

Yes, noticeably so. GPU acceleration can be 2–5 times faster than software rendering. For a long project, software rendering could mean hours of extra export time. It is fine as a temporary fix, but update your driver for the permanent solution.

Can an overheating GPU cause this error?

Yes. When a GPU overheats, the system automatically throttles or shuts it down to prevent damage. Premiere interprets this as a renderer failure. Check your GPU temperature using a free tool like GPU-Z or HWiNFO64.

I updated my driver and the error came back. What now?

Sometimes the newest driver has bugs. Try rolling back to an older, stable driver. For NVIDIA, the Studio Driver branch is generally more stable for creative apps than the Game Ready driver.