How to Rotate Video in Premiere Pro (3 Easy Steps)

Got a clip that’s sideways or upside down? Or maybe you're working with vertical footage and want it horizontal? Whatever the case, rotating video in Premiere Pro is super straightforward once you know where to go.

Let’s walk through it together.

1. Import and add your clip to the timeline

First things first, open up your project and bring in the video you want to rotate.

1. Drag your clip into the Project panel if it’s not already there.
2. Then drop it into the timeline so it’s ready for editing.

If you’re starting from scratch, just go to File > Import, find your video, and bring it in that way.

2. Open the Effects Controls panel

Click on the clip in your timeline so it's selected. Now head over to the Effects Controls panel. If you don’t see it, go to Window > Effect Controls at the top menu and make sure it's checked.

Inside this panel, you’ll see a section called Motion. That’s where all the rotation magic happens.

3. Adjust the Rotation setting

Under Motion, look for Rotation. You’ll see a number next to it (usually 0° by default). This is where you can spin your clip however you like:

1. Type in 90, 180, or 270 degrees depending on what direction you need.
2. You can also click and drag left or right on the number for finer control.
3. If you want a mirrored effect instead of rotation, use Scale -100% under either Position X or Y (more on that below).

And that’s pretty much it! Your video is now rotated.

If your rotated clip doesn’t fit perfectly in frame (like after turning vertical footage horizontal), just tweak the Scale setting right above Rotation until everything looks good.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change a video from vertical to horizontal in Premiere Pro?

1. Select your vertical clip in the timeline
2. Go to Effects Controls > Motion
3. Set Rotation to 90 or -90 degrees
4. Adjust Scale so it fills the frame
5. Export using a horizontal sequence setting

This flips vertical footage sideways so it fits better on widescreen formats.

How to flip video in Premiere Pro?

To flip horizontally:

1. Go to Effects > Transform > Horizontal Flip
2. Drag it onto your clip

To flip vertically:

1. Use Vertical Flip from the same menu

You can also set Scale X or Y to -100% under Motion for manual flipping.

How do you rotate a video in Adobe?

In Adobe Premiere Pro:

1. Select your clip
2. Open Effects Controls > Motion
3. Change Rotation value (e.g., 90°, 180°)

This rotates your entire video frame by degrees clockwise or counterclockwise.

How do I rotate an object in Premiere?

If you're rotating something like text or an image:

1. Click on that layer in your timeline
2. Go to Effects Controls > Motion > Rotation
3. Adjust the angle as needed

Same process as rotating video clips, just make sure you've selected the right layer first.