by 
Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Create an adjustment layer
In the Project panel, click New Item and choose Adjustment Layer, then click OK. Drag it onto the timeline and make sure it sits above all the clips you want the stopwatch to appear on. Stretch it to cover the full length of the section.
One click with Mako: the free Mako panel adds an adjustment layer over the selected clips, at the playhead, on the first free track, in one click. Get Mako for free
Step 2: Add the Timecode effect
Open the Effects panel and search for Timecode. In current versions of Premiere Pro it lives in the Obsolete folder under Video Effects. Drag it onto the adjustment layer.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of Timecode and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 3: Customize the timecode
With the adjustment layer selected, open Effect Controls. Under Timecode you can change the Position and Size of the numbers, and the Opacity of the background box. You can also choose whether to show the Field Symbol next to the numbers by ticking or unticking it.
To start the stopwatch at a different number, adjust the Offset value. Play the sequence and watch the numbers count.
Step 4: Mask the numbers you want to show
By default the timecode shows hours, minutes, seconds and frames. For a real stopwatch look, show only part of it. First move the playhead to a point where all the numbers are visible. Then, under Timecode in Effect Controls, click the Free Draw Bezier (pen) tool.
In the Program Monitor, draw a mask around only the numbers you want to be visible, such as the last four digits for seconds and frames. Close the mask by connecting the last point to the first, and set Mask Feather to 0 so the edges stay sharp.
Step 5: Show minutes or hours too
Want the minutes as well? Make a bigger mask around more of the digits, again with Mask Feather at 0. The timecode now displays the minutes, so the stopwatch reads like 00:34:37.
Tips
- Use a bold, clear font look. Increase Size and keep the background opacity low so the numbers stay readable on busy footage.
- Need a countdown? See our countdown timer tutorial.
- Match the speed to your clip. If your footage is sped up, remember that the timecode runs at the sequence frame rate.
FAQ
Where is the Timecode effect in Premiere Pro?
Search for Timecode in the Effects panel. In newer versions it is in the Obsolete folder under Video Effects.
How do I hide the hours and frames?
Draw a mask with the Free Draw Bezier tool around only the digits you want to show, and set Mask Feather to 0.
How do I start the stopwatch at a different time?
Change the Offset value under the Timecode effect in Effect Controls.
The Timecode effect is hidden in newer versions of Premiere Pro. Get it back with the free restored obsolete effects.
