To add a transition in Premiere Pro, select two clips that touch on the timeline and choose Sequence, then Apply Default Transitions to Selection. Premiere adds a Cross Dissolve at each join. To use a different one, drag it from the Effects panel onto the edit point.
A transition is what happens at the join between two clips: a dissolve, a fade, a wipe. Used well, it's invisible. Used badly, it's the first thing a viewer notices. Premiere Pro gives you a quick way to add the same transition across a whole edit, and a slower, more careful way for individual cuts. Here are both, the duration setting that causes most trouble, and what to do when a transition won't lengthen.
The default transition
Adobe says Cross Dissolve and Constant Power Crossfade are the default video and audio transitions. In the Effects panel, the default has a blue outline on its icon. If you find yourself using a different one often, you can swap the default.
- Choose Window, then Effects.
- Expand the Video Transitions or Audio Transitions bin.
- Select the transition you want to use most.
- Open the Effects panel menu, or right-click, and choose Set Selected as Default Transition.
Be aware that this changes the default for all projects. It doesn't change transitions you've already placed in a sequence.
Apply a transition to lots of cuts at once
- In the Timeline panel, select two or more clips. Shift-click each one, or draw a marquee around them.
- Choose Sequence, then Apply Default Transitions to Selection.
Adobe explains that the default video and audio transitions go on every edit point where two selected clips touch. The position of your playhead doesn't matter, and nor does which tracks are targeted. If you want the default transition across most or all clips, the Automate to Sequence command places the default video and audio transition between all the clips it adds.
Add a different transition to one cut
For a single join, open the Effects panel, find the transition you want and drag it onto the edit point between two clips in your sequence. Use this for the odd moment that needs something special, such as a change of scene. Keep to one or two types in a whole video, because a different effect on every cut looks amateur.
Change the length of a transition
The default length is 1 second. You can change it two ways. For all future transitions, go to Edit, Preferences, Timeline on Windows, or Premiere, Settings, Timeline on a Mac, and change the default duration. Or use Set Default Transition Duration in the Effects panel menu. For a transition already on the timeline:
- Hover over the end of the transition until the Trim-In or Trim-Out icon appears, then drag.
- Or double-click the transition to open the Set Transition Duration dialog and type a new value.
- Or select it and use the Effect Controls panel.
When a transition won't get longer
This catches many editors out. Adobe says that if you're lengthening a transition, one or both of the clips must have enough trimmed frames to accommodate it. A transition needs extra footage on either side of the cut to blend between. If you've trimmed your clips tight, there is nothing to blend, so the transition can't grow. Extend the clip edges a little, or shorten the transition.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Same transition on every cut | Select clips, then Sequence, Apply Default Transitions to Selection |
| A different transition for one cut | Drag it from the Effects panel onto the edit point |
| A transition feels too quick | Lengthen it, as long as the clips have spare frames |
| Every new transition should be a different type | Set Selected as Default Transition |
Using transitions well
- A straight cut is often best. Only add a transition when it helps the story.
- Match the speed to the mood: short for energetic edits, longer for calm ones.
- Use the same transition for similar moments, so the viewer isn't distracted.
- Watch the sequence from start to finish before you export.
If you're working out which software suits you, my guides to picking video editing software and finding video editing work as a beginner are useful companions.
A worked example: a short interview edit
Imagine a five-minute interview cut into twelve clips with a few cutaways. Select all the clips on the main track and apply the default dissolve to the whole selection. Play it through and you'll probably find it's too much, because a dissolve on every cut looks sleepy. Undo, then apply the transition only at the joins where time passes or the topic changes, and leave the rest as straight cuts. That mix of plain cuts and a few soft transitions is how most professional edits feel. The tool makes it easy, but the judgement is yours.
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Audio transitions matter too
Adobe's default audio transition is Constant Power Crossfade. If the picture dissolves but the sound jumps, viewers notice. Applying the default transitions to a selection adds both video and audio transitions at the touching edit points, so your sound and picture blend together. Listen with headphones after you apply it, particularly where the background noise changes between clips.
My verdict
Set your favourite transition as the default, select your clips and apply it in one go. Keep durations short, and leave enough spare frames at the cut so you can adjust the length later.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add transitions in Premiere Pro?
Select two or more clips on the timeline and choose Sequence, then Apply Default Transitions to Selection. Or drag a transition from the Effects panel onto an edit point.
What are the default transitions?
Cross Dissolve for video and Constant Power Crossfade for audio. A blue outline marks the default in the Effects panel.
How long is a transition by default?
Adobe says the default duration is initially 1 second. You can change it in Timeline preferences or the Effects panel menu.
Why can't I make my transition longer?
One or both of the clips need enough trimmed frames to accommodate the longer transition.
Does changing the default transition affect existing ones?
No. It changes the default for all projects but doesn't affect transitions already applied to sequences.
