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Get started with Adobe Premiere Pro

  1. Adobe Premiere Pro User Guide
  2. Beta releases
    1. Beta Program Overview
    2. Premiere Pro Beta Home
    3. Beta features
      1. New Spectrum UI
      2. Color management system
  3. Getting started
    1. Get started with Adobe Premiere Pro
    2. What's new in Premiere Pro
    3. Best practices for updating Premiere Pro
    4. Keyboard shortcuts in Premiere Pro
    5. Accessibility in Premiere Pro
    6. Frequently asked questions
    7. Release notes
  4. Hardware and operating system requirements
    1. Hardware recommendations
    2. System requirements
    3. GPU and GPU Driver requirements
    4. GPU Accelerated Rendering & Hardware Encoding/Decoding
  5. Creating projects
    1. Start a new project
    2. Open projects
    3. Move and delete projects
    4. Work with multiple open projects
    5. Work with Project Shortcuts
    6. Backward compatibility of Premiere Pro projects
    7. Open and edit Premiere Rush projects in Premiere Pro
    8. Best Practices: Create your own project templates
  6. Workspaces and workflows
    1. Workspaces
    2. Import and export FAQs
    3. Working with Panels
    4. Windows touch and gesture controls
    5. Use Premiere Pro in a dual-monitor setup
  7. Frame.io
    1. Install and activate Frame.io
    2. Use Frame.io with Premiere Pro and After Effects
    3. Integrate Adobe Workfront and Frame.io
    4. Share for review with Frame.io
    5. Invite collaborators to co-edit a project
    6. Frequently asked questions
  8. Import media
    1. Importing
      1. Transfer files
      2. Importing still images
      3. Importing digital audio
    2. Importing from Avid or Final Cut
      1. Importing AAF project files from Avid Media Composer
      2. Importing XML project files from Final Cut Pro 7 and Final Cut Pro X
    3. File formats
      1. Supported file formats
      2. Support for Blackmagic RAW
    4. Working with timecode
  9. Editing
    1. Edit video
    2. Sequences
      1. Create and change sequences
      2. Set In and Out points in the Source Monitor
      3. Add clips to sequences
      4. Rearrange and move clips
      5. Find, select, and group clips in a sequence
      6. Remove clips from a sequence
      7. Change sequence settings
      8. Edit from sequences loaded into the Source Monitor
      9. Simplify sequences
      10. Rendering and previewing sequences
      11. Working with markers
      12. Add markers to clips
      13. Create markers in Effect Controls panel
      14. Set default marker colors
      15. Find, move, and delete markers
      16. Show or hide markers by color
      17. View marker comments
      18. Copy and paste sequence markers
      19. Sharing markers with After Effects
      20. Source patching and track targeting
      21. Scene edit detection
    3. Cut and trim clips
      1. Split or cut clips
      2. Trim clips
      3. Edit in Trim mode
      4. Perform J cuts and L cuts
      5. Create and play clips
      6. Adjust Trimming and Playback preferences
    4. Video
      1. Synchronizing audio and video with Merge Clips
      2. Render and replace media
      3. Undo, history, and events
      4. Freeze and hold frames
      5. Working with aspect ratios
    5. Audio
      1. Overview of audio in Premiere Pro
      2. Edit audio clips in the Source Monitor
      3. Audio Track Mixer
      4. Adjusting volume levels
      5. Edit, repair, and improve audio using Essential Sound panel
      6. Enhance Speech
      7. Enhance Speech FAQs
      8. Audio Category Tagging
      9. Automatically duck audio
      10. Remix audio
      11. Monitor clip volume and pan using Audio Clip Mixer
      12. Audio balancing and panning
      13. Advanced Audio - Submixes, downmixing, and routing
      14. Audio effects and transitions
      15. Working with audio transitions
      16. Apply effects to audio
      17. Measure audio using the Loudness Radar effect
      18. Recording audio mixes
      19. Editing audio in the timeline
      20. Audio channel mapping in Premiere Pro
      21. Use Adobe Stock audio in Premiere Pro
    6. Text-Based Editing
      1. Text-Based Editing
      2. Text-Based Editing FAQs
    7. Advanced editing
      1. Multi-camera editing workflow
      2. Editing VR
    8. Best Practices
      1. Best Practices: Mix audio faster
      2. Best Practices: Editing efficiently
      3. Editing workflows for feature films
  10. Video Effects and Transitions
    1. Overview of video effects and transitions
    2. Effects
      1. Types of effects in Premiere Pro
      2. Apply and remove effects
      3. Use FX badges
      4. Effect presets
      5. Metadata effect in Premiere Pro
      6. Automatically reframe video for different social media channels
      7. Color correction effects
      8. Effects Manager
      9. Change duration and speed of clips
      10. Adjustment Layers
      11. Stabilize footage
    3. Transitions
      1. Applying transitions in Premiere Pro
      2. Modifying and customizing transitions
      3. Morph Cut
  11. Titles, Graphics, and Captions    
    1. Overview of the Essential Graphics panel
    2. Graphics and Titles
      1. Create a title
      2. Linked and Track Styles
      3. Working with style browser
    3. Graphics
      1. Create a shape
      2. Draw with the Pen tool
      3. Align and distribute objects
      4. Change the appearance of text and shapes
      5. Apply gradients
      6. Add Responsive Design features to your graphics
      7. Install and use Motion Graphics templates
      8. Replace images or videos in Motion Graphics templates
      9. Use data-driven Motion Graphics templates
    4. Captions
      1. Speech to Text
      2. Download language packs for transcription
      3. Working with captions
      4. Check spelling and Find and Replace
      5. Export text
      6. Speech to Text FAQs
    5. Best Practices: Faster graphics workflows
    6. Retiring the Legacy Titler FAQs
    7. Upgrade Legacy titles to Source Graphics
  12. Fonts and emojis
    1. Color fonts
    2. Emojis
  13. Animation and Keyframing
    1. Adding, navigating, and setting keyframes
    2. Animating effects
    3. Use Motion effect to edit and animate clips
    4. Optimize keyframe automation
    5. Moving and copying keyframes
    6. Viewing and adjusting effects and keyframes
  14. Compositing
    1. Compositing, alpha channels, and adjusting clip opacity
    2. Masking and tracking
    3. Blending modes
  15. Color Correction and Grading
    1. Overview: Color workflows in Premiere Pro
    2. Color Settings
    3. Auto Color
    4. Get creative with color using Lumetri looks
    5. Adjust color using RGB and Hue Saturation Curves
    6. Correct and match colors between shots
    7. Using HSL Secondary controls in the Lumetri Color panel
    8. Create vignettes
    9. Looks and LUTs
    10. Lumetri scopes
    11. Display Color Management
    12. Timeline tone mapping
    13. HDR for broadcasters
    14. Enable DirectX HDR support
  16. Exporting media
    1. Export video
    2. Export Preset Manager
    3. Workflow and overview for exporting
    4. Quick export
    5. Exporting for the Web and mobile devices
    6. Export a still image
    7. Exporting projects for other applications
    8. Exporting OMF files for Pro Tools
    9. Export to Panasonic P2 format
    10. Export settings
      1. Export settings reference
      2. Basic Video Settings
      3. Encoding Settings
    11. Best Practices: Export faster
  17. Collaborative editing
    1. Collaboration in Premiere Pro
    2. Get started with collaborative video editing
    3. Create Team Projects
    4. Add and manage media in Team Projects
    5. Invite and manage collaborators
    6. Share and manage changes with collaborators
    7. View auto saves and versions of Team Projects
    8. Manage Team Projects
    9. Linked Team Projects
    10. Frequently asked questions
  18. Long form and Episodic workflows
    1. Long Form and Episodic Workflow Guide
    2. Using Productions
    3. How clips work across projects in a Production
    4. Best Practices: Working with Productions
  19. Working with other Adobe applications
    1. After Effects and Photoshop
    2. Dynamic Link
    3. Audition
    4. Prelude
  20. Organizing and Managing Assets
    1. Working in the Project panel
    2. Organize assets in the Project panel
    3. Playing assets
    4. Search assets
    5. Creative Cloud Libraries
    6. Sync Settings in Premiere Pro
    7. Consolidate, transcode, and archive projects
    8. Managing metadata
    9. Best Practices
      1. Best Practices: Learning from broadcast production
      2. Best Practices: Working with native formats
  21. Improving Performance and Troubleshooting
    1. Set preferences
    2. Reset and restore preferences
    3. Recovery Mode
    4. Working with Proxies
      1. Proxy overview
      2. Ingest and Proxy Workflow
    5. Check if your system is compatible with Premiere Pro
    6. Premiere Pro for Apple silicon
    7. Eliminate flicker
    8. Interlacing and field order
    9. Smart rendering
    10. Control surface support
    11. Best Practices: Working with native formats
    12. Knowledge Base
      1. Known issues
      2. Fixed issues
      3. Fix Premiere Pro crash issues
      4. Unable to migrate settings after updating Premiere Pro
      5. Green and pink video in Premiere Pro or Premiere Rush
      6. How do I manage the Media Cache in Premiere Pro?
      7. Fix errors when rendering or exporting
      8. Troubleshoot issues related to playback and performance in Premiere Pro
  22. Extensions and plugins
    1. Installing plugins and extensions in Premiere Pro
    2. Latest plugins from third-party developers
  23. Video and audio streaming
    1. Secure Reliable Transport (SRT)
  24. Monitoring Assets and Offline Media
    1. Monitoring assets
      1. Using the Source Monitor and Program Monitor
      2. Using the Reference Monitor
    2. Offline media
      1. Working with offline clips
      2. Creating clips for offline editing
      3. Relinking offline media

Learn how to get started using Premiere Pro, a non-linear editing software for filmmakers, television broadcasters, journalists, students, and videographers.

Learn how you can get started using Premiere Pro, starting from importing rough footage all the way to a complete video.

Before you begin

  • Gather your footage and other media files: Premiere Pro supports a variety of file formats. Check our list of supported file formats to understand if your files can be imported into Premiere Pro. Save your files in your computer or in a dedicated storage drive (recommended).
  • Check your system requirements: If your computer meets these system requirements, go ahead and install Premiere Pro. If your graphic cards are not fully supported, Premiere Pro flags this issue when you launch the app. Check and update your drivers to get the best out of Premiere Pro.

Basic workflow

After you have your footage ready in your computer, open Premiere Pro and get started editing.

Tip:

If you don't have footage handy, try using the sample project files within Premiere Pro. From the Home screen, select Learn > Get started to use a sample project.

Start a new project or open an existing project

  • To create a new project, select New Project or press Ctrl + Alt + N (Windows) and Opt + Cmd + N (macOS).
  • To open an existing project, select Open Project.
  • If you're collaborating with others, then create a new Team Project by selecting New Team Project.

Import video and audio

  • Use the Media Browser or press Ctrl + Alt + I (Windows) or Opt + Cmd + I (macOS).
  • Use dynamic linking to bring in assets from After Effects, Photoshop, or Illustrator.

Assemble and refine a sequence

To view a clip in the Source Monitor, double-click the clip in the Project Panel. Using the Source Monitor, you can view clips, set edit points, and mark frames before adding clips to a sequence. Refine sequences by manipulating clips in the Timeline panel

Add clips to a sequence in the Timeline panel by dragging them from the Project Panel or by using the Insert or Overwrite buttons. 

Edit Video

Cut or split a clip to remove unwanted sections and create a new and separate instance of the original clip. 

Once you've built a rough-cut sequence on the timeline, you can trim clips to refine the edits and timing.

You can also perform J and L cuts to keep video and audio flowing seamlessly across scenes.

Add titles

To get started with titles, you can select an existing motion graphic template from Premiere Pro. You can also directly create a title using the Type tool in the Program Monitor or using keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + T (Windows) or Cmd + T (macOS).

Type in a title, and then adjust its appearance. Save your title as a Motion Graphics template so it can be reused and shared. 

Add transitions and effects

Add transitions between clips to smoothly move from one clip to another. The Effect Controls panel includes an extensive list of transitions and effects you can apply.

Add an effect or transition to a clip in the Timeline panel by dragging it from the Effects panel. Adjust the effect, duration, and alignment using the Effect Controls panel.

Edit color

There are multiple color workflows in Premiere Pro. You can:

  • Apply color presets and make adjustments.
  • Refine looks using RGB and Hue Saturation Curves.
  • Compare and match color across clips.
  • Adjust shadows, midtones, and highlights using color wheels.
  • Apply LUTs and make technical corrections to light 
  • Tone mapping and more.

To get started, experiment with looks. Select a clip in the timeline, and select a look from the Creative section of the Lumetri color panel. Adjust the Intensity and Adjustments sliders to fine-tune the preset.

Mix audio

Premiere Pro offers a complete audio editing solution within the application. Some common audio edits you can do are sync audio with video, or reduce background noise. You can also choose to edit audio in Audition for advanced audio mixing. 

Change duration and speed

You can set a duration for video or audio clips, letting them speed up or slow down to fill the duration.

You can use the following options to change the speed and duration of clips:

  • Speed/Duration command (Windows: Ctrl + R, macOS: Cmd + R)
  • Rate Stretch tool (Windows: R, macOS: R)
  • Time Remapping feature

 

Export

Export your edited sequences quickly and easily to the focussed content destinations. You can also export completed videos by using optimized render settings for popular social platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, or Twitter.

Work across platforms

You can work on a project across computer platforms. For example, you can start on Windows and continue on macOS. A few functions change, however, as the project moves from one platform to the other.

You can create a project on one platform and then move it to another. Premiere Pro sets the equivalent sequence settings for the second platform, if there is an equivalent.

All video effects available on macOS are available on Windows. Windows effects not available on the Mac appear as offline effects if the project is opened on the Mac. All audio effects are available on both platforms. Effect presets work on both platforms (unless the preset applies to an effect unavailable on a given platform).

Presets created on one platform are not available on the other.

Preview files made on one platform are not available on the other. When a project is opened on a different platform, Premiere Pro rerenders the preview files. When that project is then opened on its original platform, Premiere Pro renders the preview files yet again.

Windows AVI files containing either 10-bit 4:2:2 uncompressed video (v210), or 8-bit 4:2:2 uncompressed video (UYVU) are not supported on macOS.

The playback quality of unrendered non-native files is not as high as playback quality of these files on their native platforms. For example, AVI files do not play back as well on Mac OS as they do on Windows. Premiere Pro renders preview files for non-native files on the current platform. Premiere Pro always renders preview files in a native format. A red bar in the timeline indicates which sections contain files needing rendering.

Accessibility in Premiere Pro

Accessibility refers to making products usable for people with visual, auditory, motor, and other disabilities. Examples of accessibility features for software products include screen reader support, text equivalents for graphics, keyboard shortcuts, change of display colors to high contrast, and so on.

Premiere Pro provides tools that make it accessible to use and tools that you can use to create accessible content.


Related resources

Talk to us

If you have a question about getting started with Premiere Pro, reach out to us in our Premiere Pro community. We would love to help.

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The Creativity Conference

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The Creativity Conference

Oct 14–16 Miami Beach and online