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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Put your screen clip on the timeline
Drag the screenshot or screen recording you want to treat onto the timeline. This effect works best on content with lots of small details, such as a web page with text, an app window or a dashboard, because the pixel grid is easier to see on fine detail. If your screenshot is small, scale it up in Effect Controls first so it fills the frame, as the video does with its screenshot.
Step 2: Find the Grid effect
Open the Effects panel (Window > Effects) and type grid into the search box. In the video the effect appears under Video Effects > Obsolete > Grid. Drag Grid onto your clip.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of Grid and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 3: Size the grid with a slider
As soon as you add the effect, the Program Monitor turns into white grid lines on black. That is normal for now. Open the effect in Effect Controls and change Size From from Corner Point to Width Slider. This lets you set the size of the grid cells with a single Width value instead of dragging a corner point around.
Step 4: Blend the grid into your clip
Scroll to the bottom of the Grid settings and set Blending Mode to Stencil Alpha. Then tick Invert Grid. Now your picture comes back and the grid lines cut thin gaps through it instead of covering it.
Step 5: Make the lines thin and subtle
At the default size the lines are far too heavy. Lower the Width to around 3 and bring the Border value right down to somewhere between 0.1 and 0.5. Adjust it until you can barely see the grid on the whole frame but it becomes clear when you zoom in. A very thin border keeps the text readable and gives you that realistic screen look.
Step 6: Zoom in to check the result
Use the zoom dropdown under the Program Monitor to magnify the picture and check the grid close up. You should see a faint pixel pattern behind the letters, like a real screen seen from close range. If it looks too strong, reduce the Border a little more. If it is invisible, nudge it up.
Tips
- Keep it subtle. The effect sells itself when viewers feel it more than see it. A very thin border looks more real than a heavy one.
- Use it on screen content. Screenshots, app demos and computer scenes in a story are where this look makes the most sense.
- Copy the effect. Once you like the settings, copy the clip and paste the attributes onto other screen recordings so they all match.
FAQ
Where is the Grid effect in Premiere Pro?
Search for Grid in the Effects panel. In the tutorial it lives in the Obsolete folder under Video Effects. If your version no longer shows it, our free restored obsolete effects bring those older effects back.
Why does my screen turn black when I add the Grid effect?
By default the effect draws grid lines on a black background. Set the Blending Mode to Stencil Alpha and tick Invert Grid and your picture returns with the grid on top.
How do I make the pixel lines thinner?
Lower the Border value in the Grid effect. Values between 0.1 and 0.5 give a very fine pixel look, and you can use the Width value to change the size of each cell.
Want a ready-made version you can drag onto your own footage? Try the free pixel screen overlay.
