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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Open the Preferences
Go to the top left of Premiere Pro and click Edit. At the bottom of the menu, choose Preferences. On a Mac, the same options are under Premiere Pro > Settings instead.
Step 2: Go to the Timeline settings
In the list on the left of the Preferences window, click Timeline. Here you will find Video Transition Default Duration, Audio Transition Default Duration and, a bit lower, the setting you need: Timeline Playback Auto-Scrolling. By default it is set to Page Scroll.
Step 3: Choose Smooth Scroll
Click the Timeline Playback Auto-Scrolling dropdown. You get three options:
- No Scroll keeps the timeline still, so the playhead can move out of view.
- Page Scroll jumps to the next page when the playhead reaches the edge.
- Smooth Scroll moves the timeline continuously, keeping the playhead in view.
Select Smooth Scroll and click OK to save the change.
Step 4: Play your timeline
Zoom into your timeline so the whole sequence does not fit on screen, then press Space to play. Instead of jumping a page at a time, the timeline now scrolls smoothly under the playhead. It is easier on the eyes and much easier to follow when you are checking your edit or timing cuts to music.
Tips
- Switch back any time. If you prefer jumping a page at a time, go back to the same setting and pick Page Scroll.
- Zoom to see the effect. Smooth scrolling only matters when your sequence is longer than what fits on screen, so zoom in with the + key.
- Tidy the rest of your workflow. While you are in the Timeline preferences, you can also set the default transition duration, as used in how to fade video in and out.
FAQ
Where is the smooth scrolling setting in Premiere Pro?
Open Edit > Preferences > Timeline and look for Timeline Playback Auto-Scrolling. On a Mac, open Premiere Pro > Settings > Timeline.
What is the difference between Page Scroll and Smooth Scroll?
Page Scroll jumps the timeline forward one page at a time. Smooth Scroll moves the timeline continuously with the playhead.
Why does my timeline not scroll during playback?
Check that Timeline Playback Auto-Scrolling is not set to No Scroll. Switch it to Smooth Scroll or Page Scroll.
Want to speed up the rest of your editing as well? Take a look at the free Mako panel for Premiere Pro.
