How to Remove Background in Premiere Pro (3 Easy Steps)

Trying to get rid of a solid background in your video? Whether it’s a green screen or just a black backdrop, Premiere Pro has a built-in tool that makes this way easier than it sounds.

The trick is using the Ultra Key effect. It’s designed for chroma keying (aka removing specific colors), and once you get the hang of it, it only takes a few clicks.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Import and place your footage

First things first, drag your video clip into the timeline. Make sure it’s on Video Track 2 if you plan on adding a new background underneath it later.

If you’re working with green screen footage or anything with a solid color background (like black or white), this method will work best.

2. Apply the Ultra Key effect

Now let’s get that background out of the way:

1. Go to the Effects panel.
2. Search for Ultra Key.
3. Drag and drop it onto your clip in the timeline.

Once that’s done, head over to the Effect Controls panel.

3. Use the Eyedropper to key out the background

In Effect Controls, find Ultra Key and look for the Key Color option.

1. Click on the eyedropper tool.
2. Then click directly on your video preview where the background color is.
3. Fine-tune the result with settings under Matte Generation, Matte Cleanup, and Spill Suppression

Once you're happy with how clean it looks, you can drop in any new background underneath your keyed clip. An image, another video, whatever fits your project.

That’s really all there is to it. Once you've done this once or twice, you'll be able to knock out backgrounds super fast without needing any extra plugins or software.

Wrap-up

Removing backgrounds in Premiere Pro is pretty straightforward once you know where to look. The Ultra Key effect does most of the heavy lifting for you. Just pick your key color carefully and tweak things as needed until it looks clean.

Whether you're working with green screens or just trying to isolate someone from a plain backdrop, this trick can save you tons of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to make a black background transparent in Premiere Pro?

Use the Ultra Key effect:

1. Apply Ultra Key from Effects panel.
2. In Effect Controls, select the eyedropper under “Key Color.”
3. Click on the black area in your video.
4. Adjust Matte settings if needed for cleaner results.

How to make a video background transparent?

To make any solid-color video background transparent:

1. Add Ultra Key effect.
2. Use eyedropper tool on desired background color.
3. Fine-tune Matte Cleanup settings.
4. Place new content behind keyed layer if needed.

How do I change the background of a video in Adobe Premiere Pro?

After removing the original background using Ultra Key:

1. Add your new image or video layer below your keyed clip.
2. Resize or reposition as needed.
3. Make sure transparency looks clean by adjusting Matte settings if necessary.

How to fade background in Premiere Pro?

To fade just the background:

1. Duplicate your clip.
2. Apply Ultra Key on top copy and remove subject.
3. Lower opacity of bottom layer (background only).
4. Use keyframes if you want gradual fade over time.