Change transition duration using the Effect Controls panel

Last updated on Jun 23, 2025

Learn how to change transition duration using the Effect Controls panel in Premiere Pro for better pacing and visual impact.

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Follow along with any project to learn how to change the transition duration.

You can edit a transition’s duration in either the Timeline panel or the Effect Controls panel. The default duration for transitions is initially set to 1 second.

Before you begin:

Create a sequence on the timeline and add a transition between two clips. If you are lengthening the transition duration, ensure that one or both clips have enough trimmed frames to accommodate it.

Change transition duration in the Timeline panel

In the Timeline panel, position the pointer over the end of the transition until the Trim-In icon or the Trim-Out icon appears, then drag.

A clip in the timeline is selected and can be dragged to reposition it, moving both the cuts and transitions along with it. — Select the clip and drag the transition in the Timeline panel to reposition it.

You can also double-click the transition in the timeline to launch the Set Transition Duration dialog box.

The transition is double-clicked in the timeline and the Set Transition Duration dialog box is launched. There is an option to add value for the Duration field. — Edit a transition’s duration in the Timeline panel by adjusting the duration value in the Set Transition Duration dialog box.

Drag the Duration value or select it and type a new value. Select OK.

Change transition duration in the Effect Controls panel

To open the transition in the Effect Controls panel, select the transition in the Timeline panel.

Do one of the following:

In the Effect Controls time ruler, position the pointer over the transition until the Trim-In icon or the Trim-Out icon appears, then drag.
Drag the Duration value or select it and type a new value. How the transition changes length depends on the alignment option currently selected.

The Effects Controls panel is open, and the Alignment dropdown menu for the transition is highlighted, showing the current setting as Center at Cut. — Select desired options from the Alignment dropdown menu to align a transition using the Effect Controls panel.

Set the default duration for transitions

If you change the default duration of a transition, the new setting has no effect on existing transitions.

Select Edit > Preferences > Timeline (Windows) and Premiere Pro > Settings > Timeline (macOS).

Change the value for the Video Transition Default Duration or Audio Transition Default Duration.

Select OK.

Move cuts and transitions simultaneously

Morph Cut overview

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