How to Import & Export OMF Files in Premiere Pro CC

Premiere Pro 10/12/2018 2 min read

Ever heard of an OMF file? If you think it stands for “Orange Milk Farmers” or “Only Male Friends,” this post is for you. We just wanted to shed a little light on a useful file format that you might find very handy when dealing with audio and video edits. So, let’s dive into how to use an OMF file in Premiere Pro! 

Part 1: What is an OMF Anyway? 

OMF stands for Open Media Framework. In a world where we deal with so many proprietary file formats and settings, it’s important to be aware of the things you can use across software packages and platforms.

OMF files can be imported and exported to and from a wide range of software video and audio editing packages. These include Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition, Final Cut Pro, Avid, Cubase, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and several other programs.

You’ll find this type of file is especially handy when you’re working with someone on a different system. Or, when you’re editing video and you need to send it to an audio engineer for sound mixing.

Part 2: How to Import an OMF File

How you use OMF files depends on what you’re working on. Each program has slightly different functions. Premiere Pro, for example, doesn’t even let you import OMF files. In Pro Tools, however, when working with music, it’s simple.

  1. Navigate to File > Open Session.
  2. Select the OMF file you want to work with.

That’s it. Then you can work on it to your heart’s content. Most other programs will be similar. But how do you create an OMF file in the first place?

Part 3: How to Export an OMF File

Once your edit in Adobe Premiere Pro has been completed, you may need to send the audio files to a sound designer to work on to finalize the audio mix. Creating an OMF file from Premiere Pro is easy.

  1. Navigate to File > Export > OMF.
  2. Type a title and choose a destination.
  3. Amend the Sample Rate and Bits per Sample. This will vary depending on what you’re using the file for, and your sound engineers can advise on the best output for your chosen platform.

When you export an OMF from your project, the files are exported at the highest quality you were working with, so you don’t have to worry about compression issues. Everything is timed exactly as it was in the original edit, and all of the tracks are separated as they were in your edit. 

In other words, if you had a video track, a music track, a voice-over track, and a sound effects track, they would all be imported back into the new program with each track independent. 

But it gets even better. Because OMF files also retain your cuts, handles, and some effects. So, an OMF is sort of like a generic project file that you can pass between programs and across platforms. While OMFs won’t necessarily be as complete as a project file, when you’re moving between software, an OMF just might be the best way to go.


And there you have it. OMF files are powerful project files that can really enhance your post-production workflow, making it easy to mix up platforms and work between Premiere Pro and Pro Tools. By learning how to export OMF files from Premiere Pro, you can speed up the post-production process and get into the final sound mix in no time.