Compare edits to clips in the Program Monitor

Last updated on Jun 23, 2025

Learn how to compare changes to clips by turning on the Comparison View in the Program Monitor.

To turn on comparison view, select the Comparison View  icon at the bottom of the Program Monitor.

The Comparison View icon is selected in the Program Monitor.
Use the Comparison View icon in the Program Monitor to start comparing changes to clips.

The Comparison View in the Program Monitor facilitates the following workflows:

  • Shot Comparison: Allows side-by-side and split-view comparisons of different shots with a reference frame and a current frame. It can also be usedby side and split view comparisons of different shots with a reference frame and a current frame. You can also use this workflow for color matching.
  • Frame Comparison: Allows side-by-side and split-view comparisons of the same frame, displaying before and after results of applied effects.

You can toggle between the Shot Comparison and the Frame Comparison modes by selecting the Shot or Frame Comparison  icon, and you can view changes to the clip side-by-side, horizontally, or vertically by selecting the display options.

Comparison options are highlighted in the Program Monitor for side-by-side, vertical, and horizontal clip comparisons.
Compare changes in the clip side by side, vertically, or horizontally.

By default, the side-by-side view is displayed with the reference frame (or the Before frame) on the left, and the current frame (or the After frame) on the right. However, you can swap their position by clicking the Swap Sides  icon on the left of the Program Monitor.

If you use the vertical or horizontal split modes, you can drag the blue splitter across the image to do an onion-skinning comparison of the two shots.

The Vertical Comparison option is highlighted in the Program Monitor to view changes between frames with a side-by-side vertical comparison.
Use the vertical comparison option to perform an onion skinning comparison.

Shot Comparison

The Shot Comparison mode allows you to compare different shots.

  • Current frame: The current frame is selected by parking the playhead over a frame with the clip selected.
  • Reference frame: The reference frame is, default, the reference frame is the first frame of the entire sequence. However, you can click on the navigation icons in the reference frame to a previous or next edit point. You can also scrub to a different reference frame with the scrubbable timecode. Premiere Pro retains the selected frame throughout the editing session until you select a different frame.
The side-by-side comparison in the Program Monitor that shows a reference frame selected by scrubbing to a different frame using the scrubbable timecode.
Select a reference frame by scrubbing to a different reference frame using the scrubbable timecode.

Frame Comparison

This mode allows you to compare one side of a frame with a Before or After effect.

A before and after frame comparison of the clip is shown with and without edits.
A before and after frame comparison of the clip with and without edits.