Align and reposition transitions

Last updated on Jun 24, 2025

Learn how to align transitions in Premiere Pro for precise timing and smoother visual flow between clips.

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Follow along with any project to learn how to align transitions for smoother clip flow.

A transition does not need to be centered or strictly aligned to the cut. You can drag the transition to reposition it over the cut as desired in the Timeline panel. You can also change the alignment of a transition using the Effect Controls panel.

Align a transition in the Timeline panel

A clip in the timeline is selected which can be dragged to reposition it.
Select the clip and drag the transition in the Timeline panel to reposition it.

  1. In the Timeline panel, zoom in to see the transition clearly.

  2. Drag the transition over the cut to reposition it.

Align a transition using the Effect Controls panel

  1. To open a transition in the Effect Controls panel, click the transition in the Timeline panel.

  2. Select an option from the Alignment menu: 

    • Center at Cut or Custom Start: The transition’s start and end points move equally in opposite directions.
    • Start at Cut: Only the end of the transition moves.
    • End at Cut: Only the beginning of the transition moves. 

    In the Effect Controls time ruler, position the pointer over the center of the transition until the Slide Transition icon appears. Drag the transition as desired. For finer control, magnify the time ruler.

    In the Effects Controls panel, the Alignment drop-down menu is highlighted.
    Select desired options from the Alignment drop-down menu to align a transition within the Effect Controls panel.

    Note:

    You can also select an option from the Alignment menu in the Effect Controls panel. Custom Start appears as an option in the Alignment field only when you drag the transition to a custom location over the cut.