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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Spot the problem
Drop your clip into the timeline and look at the Program Monitor. If the picture is smaller than the frame, with black bars on every side, the clip resolution is lower than the sequence resolution. Premiere does not stretch clips automatically, so you have to tell it to.
Step 2: Right-click the clip and choose Set to Frame Size
Right-click your clip in the timeline. Near the bottom of the menu you will find two similar commands, Scale to Frame Size and Set to Frame Size. Choose Set to Frame Size. The clip instantly grows to fill the monitor.
What is the difference? Set to Frame Size keeps the original clip resolution and simply raises the Scale value, so you can still zoom in later without losing quality. Scale to Frame Size resamples the clip to the sequence size. Set to Frame Size is the safer choice for most edits.
Step 3: Check the Scale value in Effect Controls
Select the clip and open Effect Controls. Under Motion you will see that Premiere has changed the Scale value for you. In the video it jumps from 100 to 150, which is exactly the amount needed to cover the frame. If Scale goes back to 100, the clip shrinks again, so this one number is what controls the fit.
Step 4: Fine-tune the Scale by hand
You can also set the fit yourself. Click the Scale number and drag it, or double-click and type a value. If the value is too low, thin black borders stay visible around the edges, as in the example below where Scale is around 145. Raise it a little at a time until the picture covers the whole frame. Do not go much higher than you need, because every extra percent crops more of your shot and softens the image.
Step 5: Reopen Effect Controls if you cannot find it
If the Effect Controls panel is missing, go to Window > Effect Controls and tick it. The panel then appears again, and you can change Scale and Position for the selected clip.
Tips
- Change the sequence instead. If most of your clips are a different size, create the sequence from the clip (right-click it in the Project panel and choose New Sequence From Clip), so Premiere matches the settings from the start.
- Turn on default scaling. In Preferences > Media you can set Default Media Scaling to Set to Frame Size, so new clips fill the frame as soon as you add them.
- Mind the aspect ratio. A vertical clip in a horizontal sequence will always lose the top and bottom if it fills the frame. Sometimes black bars are the better choice.
FAQ
How do I make a video fill the screen in Premiere Pro?
Right-click the clip in the timeline and choose Set to Frame Size. Premiere raises the Scale value so the clip covers the whole frame.
What is the difference between Scale to Frame Size and Set to Frame Size?
Set to Frame Size keeps the clip's original resolution and changes only the Scale value. Scale to Frame Size resamples the clip to the sequence size. Set to Frame Size keeps more quality if you zoom in later.
Why does my clip still have black borders?
The Scale value is probably a little too low. Increase Scale in Effect Controls a few points at a time until the edges disappear.
Want a head start on your next edit? Browse the 500+ Premiere Pro presets.
