How to Speed Up Video in Premiere Pro (3 Methods)

Sped-up footage is a staple of social video: setting up a shop, packing orders, a day in fast motion. Premiere Pro gives you three ways to do it. Most people only ever need the first one, but the second is a real time-saver when you're fitting clips to music.

Method 1: the Speed/Duration dialog

1. Select one or more clips in the Timeline panel.
2. Choose Clip, then Speed/Duration, or right-click the clip and select Speed/Duration.
3. Type a percentage in the Speed field. Anything above 100% speeds the clip up.
4. Tick Maintain audio pitch if the clip has speech or music you're keeping.
5. Tick Ripple Edit so the clips after it shift up to close the gap.
6. Click OK and play it back in the Program Monitor.

Speed value	Result
100%	Normal speed
Above 100%	Faster, and the clip gets shorter
Below 100%	Slower, and the clip gets longer

Method 2: the Rate Stretch tool

This is the quickest way to make a clip fit a set space, such as the gap between two beats of music.

1. Press R or pick the Rate Stretch tool in the Tools panel.
2. Hover over the start or end edge of the clip in the timeline.
3. Drag the edge inwards to speed it up, or outwards to slow it down.
4. Watch the tooltip, which shows the percentage of the original speed.
5. Let go when it fits.

Adobe notes the Rate Stretch tool changes speed and duration together and leaves the audio portion unchanged, so for clips with important sound, use the Speed/Duration dialog where you can protect the pitch.

Method 3: Time Remapping for speed ramps

If you want a clip to start at normal speed, whizz through the middle and slow down again at the end, that's Time Remapping. It uses speed keyframes on the clip in the timeline. It's more fiddly, so I'd only use it for stylised effects rather than everyday edits.

The catch: fast footage can look choppy

When you change a clip's speed, Premiere has to decide what to do with the frames. In the Speed/Duration dialog you can choose a time interpolation method:

Method	What it does	Best for
Frame Sampling	Repeats or removes existing frames	Small speed changes, simple footage
Frame Blending	Blends neighbouring frames	Smoother motion without heavy processing
Optical Flow	Analyses motion and creates new in-between frames	The smoothest result on big speed changes

Optical Flow usually looks best but takes longer to render, and Adobe notes you can only apply it from the timeline or the export settings, not the Project panel. For a simple time-lapse, Frame Sampling is often fine. If you see stuttering or odd smearing, try a different method before you blame the footage.

Changing the length without changing the speed

In the Speed/Duration dialog there's a link icon between Speed and Duration. Click it so it shows a broken link, and you can change one without the other. That's handy when you want a still or graphic clip to last a specific time without affecting anything else.

Playing a clip backwards

Tick Reverse speed in the same dialog. Combine it with a speed above 100% for a rewind effect.

Tips for good fast-motion clips

• Shoot on a tripod. Shake looks much worse once it's sped up.
• Record longer than you think you need.
• Mute the original audio on time-lapses and add music instead.
• Keep the same speed across related clips so the edit feels consistent.
• Use the Properties panel's Adjust speed option for quick changes to a selected clip.

If you're producing short promo clips regularly, my guide to making effective short videos is worth a read.

Which method should you use?

Your goal	Best method
Speed up a whole clip by a set amount	Speed/Duration dialog
Make a clip fit a gap or a beat	Rate Stretch tool
Speed up the middle and keep the ends normal	Time Remapping
Speed up several clips the same amount	Select them all, then Speed/Duration

Don't overthink it. For most business videos, such as product demos, tutorials and behind-the-scenes clips, the Speed/Duration dialog does everything you need. I'd only reach for Time Remapping when you're deliberately creating a stylised effect for a reel or an ad. It looks impressive, but it takes longer to get right, and your audience is usually more interested in what's happening than how cleverly it's been edited.

My verdict

Right-click, Speed/Duration, type a number above 100%, tick Maintain audio pitch and Ripple Edit: that's how to speed up video in Premiere Pro for almost every job. Use the Rate Stretch tool (R) to fit clips to a gap, Optical Flow when big speed changes look choppy, and Time Remapping only for speed ramps. If Premiere feels like more than you need, my rundown of screen recording tools includes simpler editors for quick tutorials.

Frequently asked questions

How do I reverse a clip in Premiere Pro?

Open Speed/Duration and tick Reverse speed.

Does the Rate Stretch tool change the audio?

Adobe says the audio portion remains unchanged with the Rate Stretch tool. Use Speed/Duration with Maintain audio pitch for clips with sound.

How do I speed up a clip in Premiere Pro?

Right-click the clip, choose Speed/Duration and enter a speed above 100%.

What is the shortcut for the Rate Stretch tool?

Press R.

How do I stop audio sounding squeaky when I speed up a clip?

Tick Maintain audio pitch in the Speed/Duration dialog.

Why is there a gap after I speed up a clip?

The clip got shorter. Tick Ripple Edit in the Speed/Duration dialog to move later clips up.

How do I make sped-up video smoother in Premiere?

Change the time interpolation to Frame Blending or Optical Flow in the Speed/Duration dialog.

Can I speed up several clips at once?

Yes. Select them all in the timeline and open Speed/Duration.