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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Select your clip on the timeline
Click the clip you want to turn black and white so it is highlighted in the timeline. If you want the same look on several clips, select them all, or put them under one adjustment layer and apply the effect there. Either way, the effects below work on whatever is selected.
Step 2: Method 1, apply the Black & White effect
This is the fastest route. Open the Effects panel (Window > Effects) and type white in the search box. Under Video Effects > Image Control you will find Black & White. Drag it onto your clip, or double-click it while the clip is selected.
The color disappears right away and there is nothing to adjust. That makes it perfect for a hard cut to black and white, for example for a flashback.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of Black & White and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 3: Method 2, add Color Balance (HLS)
The second method gives you control over how the color leaves the picture. Clear the search box and type color ba. Look under Video Effects > Obsolete and choose Color Balance (HLS), not the RGB version. Drag it onto your clip.
If you cannot see an Obsolete folder in your version, your copy of Premiere may have hidden these older effects. Our guide to importing presets helps with adding extras, and the free pack linked at the end of this post restores them.
Step 4: Drop the Saturation to -100
Open the Effect Controls panel and scroll down to Color Balance (HLS). The control you need is Saturation. Dragging it all the way down to -100 removes every bit of color, and you get a clean black and white image.
To make the color fade out instead of switching off, click the stopwatch next to Saturation to add a keyframe at 0 where you want the fade to start. Then move the playhead forward a little, and set Saturation to -100. Premiere adds a second keyframe, and the picture drains of color between the two. The closer together the keyframes are, the faster the fade.
Smoother with EaseFlow: select the two Saturation keyframes and apply a real easing curve in one click instead of dragging Bezier handles, so the color fades out gently. See EaseFlow
Step 5: Check the result
Press the spacebar and scrub through the clip in the Program monitor. With Method 1 the whole clip is gray from the first frame. With Method 2 the clip starts in color and gradually turns black and white, which looks great when a scene shifts into a memory or a dramatic moment.
Tips
- Method 1 for speed. If you just want black and white for the whole clip, Black & White is the quickest choice.
- Method 2 for style. The keyframed Saturation fade works well for transitions between a present and a past scene.
- Add contrast after. Black and white can look flat, so a small contrast boost often helps the image pop.
FAQ
How do I make a video black and white in Premiere Pro?
Select the clip, search for Black & White in the Effects panel and drag it onto the clip. The color is removed immediately.
How do I fade from color to black and white?
Add Color Balance (HLS), keyframe Saturation at 0, then move forward and set it to -100. Premiere animates the change between the two keyframes.
Can I turn black and white back into color?
Yes. Delete the effect in Effect Controls, or set Saturation back to 0 at a later keyframe to bring the color back gradually.
Color Balance (HLS) is one of Premiere's older effects, so grab the free restored obsolete effects pack to make sure these classic effects are always available.
