Feature summary | Premiere Pro (May 2021 release)

This release introduces a new tool for adding gradients to text, editing refinements for the new Captions workflow, a new Loudness Meter, improved performance for Canon XF-HEVC and new support for DirectX display technology on Windows – including native support for HDR10 playback.

Previously only available with the Legacy Titler toolset, text gradients are now part of the modern titling tools in the Essential Graphics panel. Use gradients to add sheen to letters or colorful effects for text and titles.

Apply linear or radial gradients with colors or opacity to individual characters. For some really wild effects, you can try combinations of gradients.

Create your designs right in the Program Monitor. As with all text in the Essential  Graphics panel, you can save designs for reuse as Styles, or with animations as Motion Graphics templates.

For more information, see Applying text gradients in Premiere Pro.

Label colors for Captions

Caption items in the Captions track now have the same label color options as other items on the timeline. Select Label Color Group to assign labels and colors for captions - and use the same keyboard shortcuts. 

For more information, see Working with captions in the timeline.

Improved Caption trimming

Edit video files containing embedded captions more intuitively. Caption items are linked to their associated video and audio clips, making it easier to fine-tune edits and keep everything in sync on the Timeline.  

Simple edits with Caption items on the Caption track behave the same as traditional linked video and audio pairs. Selecting, moving, trimming, and blade edits will be applied to video audio and caption items simultaneously. 

Linking can be turned off with the Linked Selection tool in the Timeline. Individual or multiple caption items can also be linked manually to a video clip in the timeline, which provides the same benefit as editing video files with embedded captions. 

For more information, see Working with captions in the timeline.

New Loudness Meter

Use industry standard ITU-based loudness monitoring for broadcast, and streaming media content in Premiere Pro.

The new Loudness Meter, which will replace the previous Loudness Radar, transparently measures program loudness for full mixes, single tracks, or buses and submixes.

Presets support common regional loudness requirements, like EBU for Europe or ATSC for the Americas, while new presets ensure compatibility with online destinations, including Netflix, YouTube, and podcasting platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

For more information, see Measure and manage audio using the Loudness Meter.

Canon XF HEVC performance improvements

Performance optimizations in Premiere Pro mean smoother playback and scrubbing on the timeline, as well as faster seeking. 

Support for DirectX display technology on Windows

DirectX12 now replaces OpenGL as the default display rendering technology for Premiere Pro and After Effects on Windows, providing a more modern codebase with improved stability and performance. DirectX also supports native High Dynamic Range (HDR) playback for Premiere Pro with HDR10-capable monitors and a DirectX-compatible GPU.

For more information, see Enable DirectX HDR support.