Pan or balance a stereo track

Last updated on Apr 2, 2026

Learn to adjust audio distribution between left and right channels using the Audio Track Mixer controls in Adobe Premiere.

Panning and balancing controls help you position audio within the stereo field of your project. These controls appear in the Audio Track Mixer when routing audio between tracks with different channel configurations.

Use stereo panning to adjust how a mono or stereo track outputs to a stereo destination. A pan control knob appears in the Audio Track Mixer when you route a mono track to a stereo output, allowing you to position the sound between the left and right channels. When routing a stereo track to a stereo output, the same control functions as a balance adjustment, determining how much of each input channel is sent to the output channels. For 5.1 surround track routing or timeline-based adjustments, use the alternate methods available in Premiere.

Adjust the pan or balance setting

In the Audio Track Mixer, locate the circular pan control knob for your track.

Drag the knob left or right to adjust the setting or drag the numeric value below the knob.

Alternatively, click the numeric value, type a new percentage between -100 and 100, and press Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS).

The pan setting changes immediately and plays back in real time. Negative values favor the left channel, positive values favor the right channel, and 0 represents the center position.

Tip

For best monitoring results, verify that each audio output connects to the correct speaker and that positive and negative wires connect consistently across all speakers.