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# Lightworks Proxy Workflow: Edit Faster Without Replacing the Master
- URL: https://lightworksguide.net/editing/proxies/
- Published: 2026-10-16T09:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-19T09:24:16.000Z
- Author: Lucas Bennett
- Tags: editing

For imported video with online media, select a few representative clips, right-click **Make Proxy**, then watch the [**Tasks** page of the project settings panel](https://lwks.com/lightworks-knowledge-base/batch-export-and-background-tasks?ref=lightworksguide.net). When generation finishes, use the viewer’s **Quality > Lowest available** to play an existing proxy. Keep the originals online for final export.

A proxy is an easier-to-decode copy linked to the original clip. It lets you edit demanding footage without replacing the source master. Start with the clips you are actively cutting, and expand generation only if that sample improves playback. If the originals already play smoothly, the [current proxy guidance](https://lwks.com/lightworks-knowledge-base/proxies-and-performance-media?ref=lightworksguide.net) says you do not need proxies.

## Set project proxy options before generating

Choose the proxy format and quality in project settings using options available in the active plan. Keep enough detail to judge the edit while reducing playback demands. Record the chosen settings and check free storage before processing more than the sample.

The [current pricing table’s Proxy Editing rows](https://lwks.com/pricing?ref=lightworksguide.net) list generation for Free, Create and Pro. Its proxy choices, checked on 13 October 2026, include:

| Plan   | Proxy quality choices | Maximum proxy size listed |
| ------ | --------------------- | ------------------------- |
| Free   | Low                   | Up to 720p                |
| Create | Low, Medium, High     | Up to 1080p               |
| Pro    | Up to Very High       | Up to 4K                  |

Free and Create list H.264 for proxy encoding; Pro adds further codec choices. These are proxy options, separate from the table’s Export Resolution row. A small editing proxy does not set the resolution of the final file. Use the options actually shown by your installed build and active licence.

The project-level playback selector is **Playback Media Quality** on the **Video** page of the project settings panel. The [proxy settings documentation](https://lwks.com/lightworks-knowledge-base/proxies-and-performance-media?ref=lightworksguide.net) also describes the viewer’s Quality menu for choosing the media you play.

## Generate and compare a proxy sample

1. **Review the original section.** Choose a difficult repeatable section and note its playback responsiveness before generating proxies. Keep the original media protected and back up the project data.
2. **Generate a small sample.** Select a few imported video clips, right-click, and choose [**Make Proxy**](https://lwks.com/lightworks-knowledge-base/proxies-and-performance-media?ref=lightworksguide.net). Watch progress in Tasks and check that generation has completed.
3. **Play the proxy.** Set the viewer’s **Quality** menu to **Lowest available**. That choice plays proxy media where it exists; changing the selector alone does not create a proxy.
4. **Compare the same section.** Replay it without changing effects, track count or viewer scale. Note whether the stutter or delayed response improves. Expand generation only if the sample helps the observed bottleneck.
5. **Check fine detail against the original.** With the original online, use **Highest available** when judging focus or grain. **Automatic** lets Lightworks choose when proxies are needed; it does not promise proxy playback at every moment.

Let heavy generation work finish before judging the comparison. The [performance guidance](https://lwks.com/lightworks-knowledge-base/performance-optimisation?ref=lightworksguide.net) notes that background tasks still consume disk and CPU. If playback remains slow with an existing proxy selected, check competing tasks and media-drive capacity or throughput. If it slows mainly in an effects-heavy section, investigate that load before regenerating every clip.

![Make Proxy creates a second video representation before Lowest available selects it for playback.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b6/14/b614b785-090f-41ec-b456-227b43270d07/content/images/2026/10/proxies-body1-redo-v2.webp)

Generate the proxy and wait for Tasks to finish before selecting Lowest available; the selector does not create media.

## If Make Proxy is unavailable or fails

A greyed-out command can mean that the selection already has proxies or that generation is pending. Proxies cannot be made for stills, audio-only recordings or clips whose media is offline. Very short clips may also be ineligible, depending on the project’s proxy type; the [documented generation limits](https://lwks.com/lightworks-knowledge-base/proxies-and-performance-media?ref=lightworksguide.net) do not give one universal minimum length.

A task that starts and then fails needs a different check. Retain the error text, installed build and active plan, together with the failing clip’s codec and frame rate. Check that the source is online and the destination has space before retrying that clip. This evidence is more useful for support than repeatedly changing the full project’s proxy settings.

This workflow creates internal Lightworks proxies. Camera-created low-resolution files are a separate matching and relinking task. The [external-proxy guidance](https://lwks.com/lightworks-knowledge-base/proxies-and-performance-media?ref=lightworksguide.net) describes bringing them in and relinking as needed; do not treat a camera sidecar as an automatically assigned internal proxy.

## Keep originals online for final export

Proxies are not backups and should not become the only surviving copy. Reconnect or relink missing originals before making the final output. The [export warning in the proxy guide](https://lwks.com/lightworks-knowledge-base/proxies-and-performance-media?ref=lightworksguide.net) says that, when originals are offline, export falls back to whatever media is available. Smooth proxy playback therefore does not prove that full-resolution sources are available for delivery.

![A full-detail original supplies delivery while a smaller linked proxy supplies the editing representation.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b6/14/b614b785-090f-41ec-b456-227b43270d07/content/images/2026/10/proxies-body2-redo-v2.webp)

Confirm the originals are online before delivery. If they are offline, export can fall back to available media.

Export the intended sequence with those originals online, then inspect the actual file outside Lightworks. Confirm its resolution and check picture and sound before delivery. The [local export workflow](https://lightworksguide.net/export/settings/) covers the source, range and output-setting checks.

## Locate and clean up proxies safely

Right-click a clip and choose **Reveal proxies** to open its proxy files in the operating system’s file browser. The command is greyed out when the clip has no proxy media on disk. Use it to inspect location and storage use; the [proxy-file warning](https://lwks.com/lightworks-knowledge-base/proxies-and-performance-media?ref=lightworksguide.net) says manual deletion or renaming leaves Lightworks expecting files that are no longer there.

For cleanup, select the clips, right-click, and choose **Delete Proxy**. This removes generated proxy copies while leaving the originals and edit untouched. You can regenerate them with **Make Proxy** later, provided the original media is available. Keep original-media backups separately; [linked and copied import media](https://lightworksguide.net/editing/import-media/) need their own storage decisions.

![Only the generated proxy copy is the target of Delete Proxy; the original and edit remain separate.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b6/14/b614b785-090f-41ec-b456-227b43270d07/content/images/2026/10/proxies-body3-redo-v2.webp)

Use Reveal proxies to inspect and Delete Proxy to clean up. Keep originals and backups; avoid manual renaming or deletion.