How to Replace Footage in Adobe Premiere Pro CC (2018)
There are plenty of times during an edit when you need to swap one clip for another. Maybe the client sent updated footage, maybe you found a better take, or maybe you just want to test how a different clip feels in a certain spot. Instead of deleting the old clip, placing the new one, and re-applying all the effects, Premiere Pro gives you quicker ways to handle it.
Today I am going to show you two methods to replace footage in Adobe Premiere Pro CC.
Method 1: Replace a Single Clip (Alt-Drag)
This method swaps one clip on the timeline for another while keeping all the effects, keyframes, and timing intact.
- Set up your sequence and edit it however you want.
- Go to the Project panel where all your imported footage lives.
- Find the clip you want to use as the replacement.
- Hold down the Alt key (Option on Mac) and drag the replacement clip from the Project panel onto the timeline.
- Drop it directly on top of the clip you want to replace.
- The old clip is replaced by the new one. All effects that were applied to the old clip transfer over to the new one automatically.
This method is great for testing different takes or trying out alternate B-roll in a specific spot.
Method 2: Replace All Instances (Source Replacement)
This method replaces every instance of a clip across your entire project. If you used the same clip in 20 different places on your timeline, all 20 will be updated at once.
- Go to the Project panel and find the original source clip you want to replace.
- Right click on it and select Replace Footage.
- A file browser will open. Navigate to the new file and click OK.
- Every instance of the original clip in every sequence in your project is now replaced with the new file.
This is especially useful when a client sends an updated version of a file (like a corrected logo or a re-graded shot) and you need it swapped everywhere.
When to Use Each Method
| Method | Scope | Effects Transfer | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alt-Drag | Single clip on timeline | Yes | Testing alternate takes, swapping B-roll |
| Replace Footage | All instances project-wide | Yes | Updated files from clients, corrected assets |
Tips
- Effects transfer over. Both methods carry over any effects, color grading, and keyframes from the old clip to the new one. This saves a huge amount of time compared to manually re-applying everything.
- Duration matters. If the replacement clip is shorter than the original, it will only fill part of the space. If it is longer, it will be trimmed to fit. Keep an eye on timing after replacing.
- Undo is your friend. If the replacement does not look right, press Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z) immediately to revert. Both methods are fully undoable.
- Use Replace Footage for placeholder workflows. Some editors use low-res proxy placeholders during the rough cut, then use Replace Footage to swap in the full-res files before final export. This is different from proxy editing but achieves a similar result.
- Be careful with Replace Footage on shared projects. Since it affects every instance across the entire project, make sure you actually want every occurrence changed. If you only want to replace one instance, use the Alt-Drag method instead.
That is how you replace footage in Premiere Pro. Two simple methods that save you from the tedious process of deleting, replacing, and re-applying effects manually.
