Use the image overlay to apply a logo, watermark graphic, or any still image over every frame of the export.
Last updated on
Jul 23, 2026
Learn how to add a visual watermark to your exported video in Adobe Premiere.
You can add a visual watermark to your exported video directly from Export mode without modifying your sequence. Choose an image overlay to add a logo or watermark graphic, a name overlay to display the clip or sequence name, or a timecode overlay for editorial review and reference.
Overlays are applied only during export and don't alter your sequence or source media. They won't appear in the Premiere timeline and must be enabled each time you export unless they're saved as part of a Custom Preset.
Add an image overlay
Select Choose next to the Applied field and select an image file from your system.
Set the Position using the dropdown. The nine available positions are: Top Left, Top Center, Top Right, Left, Center, Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Center, and Bottom Right.
Use Offset (X,Y) to nudge the overlay away from the position anchor in pixels.
Adjust Size to scale the image. Select Absolute Sizing to specify the image size in pixels rather than as a percentage of frame height.
Adjust Opacity to control transparency. At 100% the overlay is fully opaque; lower values make it more transparent.
Tip
PNG files with a transparent background are recommended for logos and watermarks. To create a semi-transparent text watermark, such as PREVIEW or DRAFT, prepare a PNG in Photoshop or Illustrator.
Add a text overlay
The text overlay burns a file name or custom text string into every frame of the export. This is useful for reference cuts and dailies delivery when recipients need to identify source files.
Select the Text Overlay checkbox to enable it. Or optionally enter a Prefix to prepend text before the name, and a Suffix to append text after it.
Use the Format dropdown to choose what text is displayed:
- Prefix and Suffix Only: Displays only the custom prefix or suffix you entered, with no file name.
- Source File Name: displays the source sequence or clip name, including its file extension.
- Source File Name (Without Extension): Displays the source name without the file extension.
- Output File Name: Displays the name of the exported output file, including its file extension.
- Output File Name (Without Extension): Displays the output file name without the file extension.
Set the Position using the dropdown. The nine available positions are: Top Left, Top Center, Top Right, Left, Center, Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Center, and Bottom Right.
Use Offset (X,Y) to nudge the overlay away from the position anchor in pixels.
Adjust Size to scale the image.
Adjust Opacity to control transparency. At 100% the overlay is fully opaque; lower values make it more transparent.
Add a text overlay during export to display custom text and the source file name on the exported video.
Add a timecode overlay
The timecode overlay burns running timecode into every frame of the export. This is the standard approach for creating reference exports for audio mix sessions, conform, and client review.
Select the Timecode Overlay checkbox to enable it.
Set the Position using the dropdown. The nine available positions are: Top Left, Top Center, Top Right, Left, Center, Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Center, and Bottom Right.
Use Offset (X,Y) to nudge the overlay away from the position anchor in pixels.
Adjust Size to scale the timecode text, and Opacity to control transparency.
Use the Time Source dropdown to set where the timecode values come from:
- Media File: Uses the timecode embedded in the source media. When exporting a sequence, this reflects the sequence timecode, not the source timecode of individual clips.
- Generate Timecode: Generates timecode independently of the source media.
- Offset in Frames: Use it to shift the generated timecode by a specific number of frames from zero.
Note
When exporting a sequence, the Media File time source reflects sequence timecode, not the source timecode of individual clips. If your workflow requires source clip timecode burn-in, apply the Metadata & Timecode Burn-in video effect to an adjustment layer in the timeline instead, then export without the timecode overlay enabled.
Save overlay settings as a preset
If you use the same overlay configuration regularly, you can save it as a custom export preset so you do not need to reconfigure it for each export.
Configure your overlays and other export settings as needed in Export mode.
Select the three dots next to the Preset dropdown near the top.
Enter a name and select OK. The preset is added to your presets list and can be selected from the Preset dropdown on future exports.
Export the overlays
Confirm your Format, Preset, File Name, and Location.
Select Export to render immediately, or select Send to Media Encoder to add the job to the Adobe Media Encoder queue (recommended for longer exports or when you want to keep working in Premiere).
The overlays are baked into the output file. They will not appear in the Premiere timeline or in subsequent exports unless you re-enable them or select a preset that includes them.
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