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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Apply Gaussian Blur to your clip
Open the Effects panel (Window > Effects) and search for Gaussian Blur. You will find it under Video Effects > Blur & Sharpen. With your clip selected on the timeline, double-click the effect or drag it onto the clip.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of Gaussian Blur and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 2: Keyframe Blurriness at the start of the clip
Open the Effect Controls panel and make sure the playhead sits at the very start of the clip. Find Gaussian Blur in the list and click the stopwatch next to Blurriness to create the first keyframe. Then raise the Blurriness value until the picture is heavily blurred. Around 100 works well, but go higher or lower until the opening frame looks the way you want.
Step 3: Reset Blurriness to zero after about a second
Move the playhead forward by around one second. This sets how long the blur takes to clear, so use a shorter distance for a quick snap into focus or a longer one for a slow reveal. Now click the Reset button (the circular arrow) next to Blurriness. That sets the value back to 0 and adds a second keyframe automatically.
Press the spacebar to play it back. The clip now starts blurred and sharpens into focus. That is the basic effect, and you could stop here.
Step 4: Smooth it with Ease In and Ease Out
Straight keyframes move at a constant speed, which can look a little mechanical. To soften the motion, select your Blurriness keyframes in the Effect Controls timeline. Right-click one of them and choose Ease In, then right-click again and choose Ease Out. The blur now starts and settles gently instead of changing at a flat rate.
Smoother with EaseFlow: select the keyframes and apply a real easing curve in one click instead of right-clicking each one. See EaseFlow
Step 5: Fine tune the speed in the graph
For full control, click the small arrow next to Blurriness to open its value and velocity graphs. Select the keyframes to reveal the blue Bezier handles, then drag them to reshape the curve. A steeper start means the blur drops away quickly at first and then slows down. A flatter start gives a gentler opening.
Tips
- Reverse it for a blur out. Keyframe the blur from 0 up to a high value at the end of a clip to make a matching blur out.
- Check the edges. If you see dark borders at high blur values, keep Repeat Edge Pixels ticked in the Gaussian Blur settings.
- Copy it to other clips. Select the clip, press Ctrl+C (Cmd+C on Mac), select another clip and use Paste Attributes to reuse the same blur in.
FAQ
How do I make a blur in effect in Premiere Pro?
Add Gaussian Blur to your clip, keyframe Blurriness to a high value at the start, then move forward about a second and reset it to zero. Add Ease In and Ease Out to smooth the motion.
What Blurriness value should I use?
Around 100 gives a strong blur on most footage, but the right number depends on your footage and resolution. Adjust it until the first frame looks as soft as you want.
Can I use this blur in on text or graphics?
Yes. Gaussian Blur works on any clip, including text layers, images and nested sequences. You can pair it with a fade for a softer reveal, as in our fade text guide.
If you animate a lot of keyframes, a real easing curve makes every move feel more professional. Try EaseFlow for Premiere Pro
