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Applying transitions to clips

Last updated on Oct 1, 2024

Previewing available transitions

You can access available transitions in the Transitions panel (click Transitions on the Action bar).

The transitions are organized into categories in the Quick View and the Advanced View. You can narrow a search for transitions by choosing a transition type, such as Dissolve, from the Category menu. You can also search for a transition by typing its name in the search box.

Video transitions have animated thumbnail previews that show how they affect clips. Select a transition to set its thumbnail in motion. You can preview an animated thumbnail transition in the Transition panel without having to apply it to a clip.

Note:

Adobe Premiere Elements includes two audio transitions in the Crossfade category: Constant Power and Constant Gain. Though both provide fades, they differ slightly. Constant Power creates a smoother-sounding fade, while Constant Gain, though mathematically linear, often sounds abrupt.

In the Quick View or the Advanced View, click Transitions on the Action bar. The Transitions panel appears.
Click the thumbnail for any video transition to preview it.

Specify a default transition

The default transitions are Cross Dissolve for video or still images and Constant Power for audio. However, you can change these defaults.

In the Quick view or the Advanced view, click Transitions on the Action bar. The Transitions panel appears.
Right-click/ctrl-click the transition you want to be the default and choose Set Selected As Default Transition.

Types of Transition

3D Motion: A 3D motion transition is a fancy way to switch scenes in a video. Instead of a jump cut, it uses 3D effects or camera moves to create a smoother bridge between clips.

Dissolve: Progressively fading out the outgoing clip while simultaneously fading in the incoming clip.

Iris: Creates a circular wipe between two clips.

Page Peel: Simulates the effect of turning a page in a book or magazine to reveal the following clip.

Slide: Simulates one clip sliding horizontally or vertically to reveal the following.

Wipe: Reveals the incoming clip by "wiping away" the outgoing clip in a specific direction.

Zoom: The visual effect connects two clips by zooming in on the other clip during the transition.

Apply transitions in the Sceneline

In the Sceneline, drop zones appear the moment you drag a transition. The drop zones let you easily apply transitions between clips.

Apply a double-sided transition in the Sceneline

In the Quick view, click Transitions on the Action bar. The Transitions panel is displayed.
Drag a transition from the Transitions panel to the drop zone between two clips in the Quick view timeline. An icon of the transition appears on the right and left bottom corners of the clip to indicate it has been applied. In addition, the Transition control panel is displayed.
(Optional) Modify the properties of the clip, for example, duration. This can be done in the Transition Controls panel.

Apply a single-sided transition in the Sceneline

In the Quick view, click Transitions on the Action bar. The Transitions panel is displayed.
From the Transitions panel, select the transition you want to apply.
Do one of the following:
- If any one side of the clip has nothing adjacent to it, drag the transition to the transition rectangle on that side of the clip.
- If the clip is adjacent to another clip, drag the transition to the desired edge of the clip. In the Transitions control panel set Alignment as Left Clip, Between Clips, or Right Clip.

Apply transitions in the Advanced view timeline

When applying transitions to the Advanced view timeline, you can choose from alignment options, Left Clip, Between Clips, or Right Clip.

Apply a double-sided transition in the Advanced view timeline

To apply a transition between two clips in the Advanced view timeline the clips must be on the same track, with no space between them.

If a double‑sided transition must use repeated frames (rather than trimmed frames), the transition icon contains additional diagonal lines. The lines span the area where it has used the repeated frames.

In the Advanced view, click Transitions on the Action bar. The Transitions panel appears.
From the Transitions panel select the category containing the transition you want to apply.
Drag the transition from the Transitions panel to the cut between two clips in the Advanced view timeline, and release the mouse button when one of the following alignment icons appears:

Start At Cut transitionStart At Cut

Aligns the beginning of the transition to the beginning of the second clip.

Center At Cut transitionCenter At Cut

Centers the transition over the cut.

End At Cut transitionEnd At Cut

Aligns the end of the transition to the end of the first clip.

Note:

Pressing Ctrl while dragging a transition lets you select Start At Cut, Center At Cut, or End At Cut by slowly dragging the transition left and right over the cut.

Apply a single-sided transition in the Advanced view timeline

When you create a single‑sided transition, whatever is below the transition in the Advanced view timeline appears in the transparent portion of the transition. For example, If you want the clip to transition to black, it must be on Track 1 or have no clips beneath it. If the clip is on a track above another clip, the clip on the lower track appears in the transition, so the transition will appear to be double‑sided.

In the Advanced view, click Transitions on the Action bar. The Transitions panel appears.
From the Transitions panel select the category containing the transition you want to apply.
Do one of the following:
- If the clip has no adjacent clip to one side of it, drag the transition from the Transitions panel to the edge of the clip.
- If the clip is adjacent to another clip, Ctrl‑drag the transition to the edge of the desired clip.

Apply a default transition in the Advanced view timeline

You can apply the default video and audio transitions to any selection of two or more clips. The default transitions are applied to every edit point where two selected clips touch. The placement does not depend on the current-time indicator's position or whether the clips lie on targeted tracks. The default transitions are not applied where a selected clip touches a non-selected or no clip.

In the Timeline, select two or more clips. Shift-click clips or draw a marquee over them to select them.
Select Timeline> Apply Default Transitions To Selection.

Replace a transition

You can replace a transition by simply dropping a new transition onto the old one in the Quick view or the Advanced view timeline. When you replace a transition, Premiere Elements maintains the alignment and duration of the original transition; however, it discards the settings of the original transition and instead uses the default settings of the new transition.

In the Quick view/Advanced view, click Transitions on the Action bar. The Transitions panel appears.
From the Transitions panel, select the transition you will use to replace the previous one.
Drag the transition onto the transition in the Advanced view timeline or Sceneline.

Preview applied transitions

You can preview transitions you’ve applied from either the Transitions control panel or the Program Monitor. The Transitions control panel provides a preview area where you can display thumbnails of the actual clips or the default thumbnails (the letters A and B). Adjust your transitions in the Transitions control panel and preview the transitions as you make adjustments.

Note:

If you have a digital camcorder, you probably can connect it to both your computer and TV to see real‑time previews on the TV monitor. This gives you a better sense of how the transition will look in the finished movie.

Preview transitions in the Program Monitor

In the Sceneline or the Advanced view timeline, move the current-time indicator to the left of the transition, and then click the Play button in the Program Monitor.

Note:

To preview a particular transition frame in the Program Monitor panel, drag the current‑time indicator to the desired frame.

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