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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Place the clip on the timeline
Start by dragging your video into the timeline, or into a new sequence. Choose a clip that already works as a repeating piece, such as waves, a city timelapse or a spinning object, because the loop will only be as smooth as the footage allows. If you want the loop to be shorter than the clip, trim it first so only the part you want to repeat remains.
Step 2: Hold Alt and drag to duplicate the clip
Click the clip, then hold Alt (Option on a Mac) while you drag it to the right. Instead of moving the clip, Premiere leaves the original where it is and drags a copy. Drop the copy directly behind the first one so the two clips touch with no gap.
Repeat this as many times as you need. In the video the clip is repeated until there are 4 copies in a row on V1. Check that there are no gaps between them. With snapping turned on (the magnet icon in the timeline), the copies click into place by themselves.
Step 3: Select all clips
Press Ctrl+A (Cmd+A on a Mac) to select everything on the timeline. This is quicker than selecting the clips one by one, and it tells Premiere that the next command should apply to all the cuts at once.
Step 4: Find the Cross Dissolve transition
Open the Effects panel and search for Cross Dissolve. You will find it under Video Transitions > Dissolve. A cross dissolve fades the end of one clip into the start of the next, which is what hides the point where your loop jumps back to the beginning.
If you do not see the shortcut working in the next step, right-click Cross Dissolve and choose Set Selected as Default Transition. Premiere always uses the default transition when you press the shortcut.
Step 5: Press Ctrl+D to add the transitions
With all clips still selected, press Ctrl+D (Cmd+D on a Mac). Premiere adds a Cross Dissolve to every cut between the copies in one go. You will see small Cross Dissolve boxes appear on the timeline at each join.
Play the sequence back. The clip now repeats and each repeat fades smoothly into the next one, instead of cutting hard.
Step 6: Adjust the length of the transitions
If the dissolves are too long or too short, grab the edge of a transition on the timeline and drag it. A small tooltip shows the new duration while you drag, and in the video it is changed to about a second or less. Shorter dissolves give a tighter, more obvious loop. Longer ones blur the join more.
You can also double-click a transition and change its Duration in Effect Controls. Because a dissolve borrows frames from both clips, trim the clips back a little if Premiere warns you that there is not enough media.
Tips
- Pick footage that repeats well. The closer the first and last frame look to each other, the better the loop feels.
- Loop audio too. If the clip has sound, apply the default audio transition to the audio cuts as well so the music or ambience does not click.
- Nest for long loops. To loop the loop, select the clips, right-click and choose Nest, then duplicate the nested sequence with Alt-drag.
FAQ
How do I repeat a clip many times in Premiere Pro?
Hold Alt (Option on a Mac) and drag the clip to the right to make copies. Repeat until the loop is as long as you want.
What does Ctrl+D do in Premiere Pro?
It applies the default video transition, which is Cross Dissolve unless you changed it, to the selected cuts. With several clips selected, it adds one at every cut.
Why does my loop still look like it jumps?
The first and last frames of your clip probably look too different. Lengthen the Cross Dissolve, or choose a section of the footage where the motion starts and ends in a similar place.
Looking for more transitions to blend your clips? Explore the free glitch transitions with sound for more ways to join your clips.
