Mask tracking tools in Premiere

Learn how to track masks in Adobe Premiere using built-in tracking controls and advanced vector mask tracking options.

You can track a mask directly from the Effect Controls panel. Each mask includes its own set of tracking controls, allowing you to follow motion automatically or refine movement frame by frame.

Use the following tracking controls to track a mask:

• Track bi-directionally: Tracks the mask from the current frame to the end of the clip, then back to the beginning.
• Track Forward: Tracks the mask from the current frame to the end of the clip.
• Track Backward: Tracks the mask from the current frame to the beginning of the clip.
• Track one frame backward/forward: Tracks the mask one frame in the selected direction.

Object Mask tracking quality

When tracking an Object Mask, you can choose between Faster and Better Quality tracking options based on your footage and the level of detail you need.

• Faster: The default option, optimized for tracking speed. Use it for everyday masking workflows where faster processing is preferred.
• Better Quality: Uses higher-resolution tracking to capture finer details and improve mask edges, particularly around hair, fur, and other intricate subjects. It also improves tracking through occlusions and over longer clips, but takes longer to process.

You can choose the tracking quality separately for each Object Mask in your project.

The selected tracking quality is displayed during tracking, so you can identify which option is being used.

Vector mask tracking

Vector mask tracking has been completely rebuilt from the ground up using advanced computer vision methods. This isn't an AI solution. 

Tracker options

Choose which object properties to track, such as position, scale, rotation, or perspective. You can choose any combination of Position, Scale, Rotation, or Perspective. Choosing Perspective supersedes Position, Scale, and Rotation and disables them. Perspective tracking will account for Position, Scale, and Rotation on its own as part of that process.

• Position: Tracks horizontal and vertical movement.
• Scale: Tracks changes in the object's size.
• Rotation: Tracks changes in the object's rotation.
• Perspective: Tracks changes in perspective, such as a sign or screen viewed from different angles.

Adjust masks at the clip or frame level

After tracking a mask, you can fine-tune its position or shape across the entire clip or on specific frames.

• Clip-level adjustments apply changes across the full clip.

• Frame-level adjustments apply changes only to the current frame and automatically create keyframes.