Create masks using HSL and Luminance

Last updated on Aug 26, 2026

Learn how to isolate a color or brightness range in your clip and create a mask from it using the HSL Mask Tool and the Luminance Mask Tool in Adobe Premiere.

The HSL Mask Tool and Luminance Mask Tool let you create a mask based on color or brightness in your footage, rather than drawing a shape by hand. Sample a color or luminance range directly from the frame, and Premiere generates the mask for you.

This differs from HSL Secondary color correction, which isolates a color for grading rather than creating a mask you can apply to any effect.

Create a mask based on color

Use the HSL Mask Tool to sample a color from your clip and automatically generate a mask.

Select and hold the mask tool in the toolbar, and then select HSL Mask.

Select the area of your clip in Program Monitor that has the color you want to mask. Premiere creates a mask that isolates pixels matching that color across the frame.

The HSL Mask Tool is selected in the toolbar, generating a color mask shown in the Program Monitor and Properties panel. — Selecting the HSL Mask Tool samples a color from the clip and generates a matching mask you can refine in the Properties panel.

A. HSL Mask Tool. B. Premiere generates a color mask, shown in Program Monitor. C. Refine the mask using the HSL controls in Properties panel.

Adjust the Hue, Saturation, and Luminance range controls in the Properties panel to refine the mask.

Create a mask based on Luminance

Use the Luminance Mask Tool to sample a bright or dark area in your clip and automatically generate a mask.

Select and hold the mask tool in the toolbar, and then select Luminance Mask Tool.

Select a bright or dark area of your clip in the Program Monitor to sample its luminance. Premiere creates a mask that isolates pixels within that brightness range.

The Luminance Mask Tool is selected in the toolbar, generating a brightness mask shown in the Program Monitor and Properties panel. — Selecting the Luminance Mask Tool samples a brightness range from the clip and generates a matching mask you can refine in the Properties panel.

A. Luminance Mask Tool. B. Premiere generates a brightness-based mask, shown in Program Monitor. C. Refine the mask using the Luminance control in Properties panel.

Adjust the range in the Properties panel to refine the mask.

Work with HSL and luminance masks

Masks created with the HSL Mask Tool and Luminance Mask Tool appear in the Properties panel under the effect they're attached to, and work in both Edit mode and Color Mode. You can adjust the range at any time, invert the mask, or refine and combine it with other masks on the same clip.

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