How to create a zoom effect in Adobe Premiere Pro ?

What is a zoom effect ?

A zoom effect simply changes the scale of your video clip over time. For example, you can zoom in to emphasize a detail or reaction, then zoom out to return to the full frame. It’s a subtle trick that makes static shots feel more alive.

How to create a basic zoom

A basic zoom is a quick in-and-out effect to add a pop of focus to a specific moment.

Step 1 : Open or create your project

• Go to File > New > Project to start fresh — or open an existing project
• Drag and drop your clip onto the timeline to create a sequence if you haven’t already

Step 2 : Select your clip and open the Effects Control Panel

• Click on the clip in your timeline
• In the Effect Controls Panel, you’ll see settings like Position, Scale, Rotation, etc. For this effect, you’ll adjust Scale

Step 3 : Add your first keyframe

• Move your playhead to the point where you want the zoom to start (e.g. at the 10-second mark)
• Click the stopwatch icon next to Scale to turn on animation
• Premiere Pro adds your first keyframe, holding the scale at 100% until this point

Step 4 : Create the zoom in

• Move your playhead one or two frames forward for a snappy zoom
• Click the Add Keyframe button
• Increase the Scale value to your desired zoom level (e.g. 150%)

Step 5 : Hold the zoom

• Drag your playhead forward to where you want the zoom to stay (e.g. 15-second mark)
• Add another keyframe at the same Scale value to keep the zoom steady

Step 6 : Zoom back out

• Move your playhead one or two frames forward again
• Add another keyframe
• Change Scale back to 100% to return to your original frame size

💡 Tip : The closer your keyframes are, the faster the zoom. The farther apart, the slower the effect.

How to create a progressive zoom

A progressive zoom is a slow, continuous zoom that adds subtle motion to a static shot — perfect for interviews or tutorials when you want a cinematic touch.

Step 1 : Open or create your project

• Open your project or create a new one
• Add your clip to the timeline

Step 2 : Select your clip and open the Effects Control Panel

• Click on your clip and find the Scale setting in the Effect Controls Panel

Step 3 : Add your starting keyframe

• Move your playhead to the point where you want the zoom to begin
• Click the stopwatch icon next to Scale to create the first keyframe (e.g. at 100%)

Step 4 : Create the progressive zoom

• Drag your playhead forward to where you want the zoom to end
• Increase the Scale value (e.g. from 100% to 120%)
• Premiere Pro will automatically add a second keyframe — the clip will now zoom in slowly between the two points

Step 5 : Make it smoother

• Right-click your keyframes and choose Ease In or Ease Out for more natural motion
• Adjust the distance between the keyframes to make the zoom slower or faster

💡 Tip : Want the zoom to focus on something off-center ? Adjust the Anchor Point in the Effect Controls Panel to change where the zoom happens.

Bonus : Adjust the anchor point

By default, Premiere Pro zooms into the center of your frame. If you want to highlight a face or object that’s off-center, tweak the Anchor Point setting to shift the zoom’s focus.

Pro tip : Work smarter with AutoCut

Adding multiple zoom effects manually can take a lot of time — especially if you’re editing long videos or creating lots of clips for social media or YouTube. That’s why we built [AutoZoom]((https://www.autocut.com/en/autozoom/), part of AutoCut, to help you add dynamic, perfectly timed zooms automatically.

Want to see how easy it is ? Watch our step-by-step tutorial to start adding smart zooms in seconds :