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Upscaling has become an essential skill in the modern video editing and content creation workflow. You often need to increase the video resolution for 4K displays, higher-quality sharing on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, and other personal purposes.
It can be a common challenge to upscale resolution in Adobe Premiere Pro. When you are working with older standard-definition footage, follow the guide to increase your video’s resolution and enhance its quality effectively.
Table of contents
Upscaling video in Adobe Premiere Pro can be quite straightforward. You can use its "Set to Frame Size" feature to increase your video resolution to 1080p, 4K, or higher. Download and launch Premiere Pro on your computer and take the steps below to do that.
Open Premiere Pro, create a new project, and create a new sequence (4K sequence if you want). Set the correct frame size and other settings. Click the OK button to make it.
Import your source video to Premiere Pro, and then drag it over to your timeline where your sequence has just been created. The Adobe software will prompt you with a warning message, saying that the clip doesn’t match your sequence’s settings. Click the Keep existing settings button.
Right-click on your video inside the timeline and choose the Set to Frame Size option. This operation will automatically scale the clip to fit the sequence frame while maintaining its original aspect ratio.
On the right side, customize various settings under the Adjustments section to optimize the overall look of your footage. That helps sharpen the video, improve clarity, and correct colors. You can use other features and tools to edit your video and enhance the final quality.
After that, you can save the project and export the video at 4K resolution. Check and adjust related output settings according to your needs. Under the Bitrate Settings, ensure you select a higher bitrate. Click the Export button to start the upscaling process.
• When upscaling resolution in Adobe Premiere Pro, it is pretty critical to preserve the correct aspect ratio. This effectively prevents image distortion.
• Before exporting the upscaled video, you can perform various actions to enhance the footage.
• Enable “Use Maximum Render Quality” in your export settings for the highest quality results in Premiere Pro.
• Utilize GPU acceleration to improve scaling performance. Access and enable it in Project Settings > General > Video Rendering and Playback.
If you are preparing upscaled content for YouTube, you should understand the platform’s technical requirements for optimal results.
• Minimum and recommended resolutions. YouTube recommends at least 720p for all your uploads. Generally, you are suggested to upload 1080p and 4K videos for better quality and viewing experience. The platform currently supports up to 8K resolution.
• Frame rate and codec considerations. After you upscale the resolution in Adobe Premiere Pro, you’d better export at your sequence’s native frame rate rather than converting. Inconsistent frame rates may create motion issues.
• Bitrate recommendations. To ensure the high quality of upscaled YouTube content, you should use the recommended bitrate settings. For a standard 1080p (24-30 fps) video, the bitrate should be 8-12 Mbps. For a high-motion 1080p (48-60 fps) video, its bitrate should be 35-45 Mbps. For standard 4K (24-30 fps) content, the recommended bitrate should be around 35-45 Mbps. If you are dealing with a high-frame-rate (48-60 fps) 4K UHD video, its bitrate should be 53-68 Mbps.
• Balance quality and file size. You can use the VBR 2-pass encoding option in Premiere Pro’s export settings for optimal quality at smaller file sizes.
• Consider viewer experience. You should give multiple quality options for varying internet speeds when possible. Check your upload on mobile devices and ensure the upscaled content remains viewable even at a lower playback resolution.
• Optimize for different devices. Test your upscaled video on various screens, including 4K monitors, TVs, 1080p tablets, iPads, iPhones, and Android phones.
While Adobe Premiere Pro offers capable upscaling tools, you may prefer a dedicated AI-powered upscaling solution. Many AI video upscaler or enhancer tools use advanced machine learning algorithms to generate higher-quality results quickly.
Another consideration is that Premiere Pro is a very expensive video editor. If you are not a professional who frequently handles various editing tasks, it is not a good choice. Whatever the reasons, if you want dedicated AI-powered upscaling solutions, check the alternatives below.
| Feature | Adobe Premiere Pro | VidHex Video Upscaler | Picwand AI Video Upscaler |
| Upscaling Method | Traditional scaling and interpolation algorithms | AI-powered upscaling and enhancements, including details reconstruction and generation | AI-powered enhancement |
| Feature | Adobe Premiere Pro | VidHex Video Upscaler | Picwand AI Video Upscaler |
| Maximum Output | Depends on sequence settings | 4K, 5K, 8K, or highe | Up to 8K resolution |
| Ease of Use | Steep learning curve | Intuitive interface, easy of use | Easy to use |
| Performance | Utilizes GPU acceleration | Requires powerful hardware for best results | Cloud-based |
| Integration | Native within editing workflow | Standalone application | Web-based with mobile apps |
| Pricing | Expensive. Subscription-based (part of Adobe Creative Cloud) | Free trial (Start at $31.92) | Free trial with enough credits |
| Best For | Integrated video editing workflow | High-quality AI upscaling for general users | Quick enhancements, mobile users |
Question 1. How do I make a low-resolution video look better in Premiere Pro?
Premiere Pro offers several efficient ways to enhance a low-resolution video, such as upscaling, sharpening, noise reduction, and more. You can enhance your video using these native tools. When you export the enhanced video, ensure “Maximum Render Quality” is enabled. Moreover, you should ensure the correct output settings, including the high bitrate, proper format, frame rate, aspect, and profile.
Question 2. Does Adobe have a dedicated video upscaler?
Adobe is developing a dedicated AI video upscaling tool. However, till now (late 2025), the native upscaler tool is not yet officially available on the market or in its Creative Cloud applications. There are practical third-party plugins you can use within Premiere Pro to upscale videos with ease.
Question 3. Is it possible to upscale a video from 480p to 4K in Adobe Premiere Pro?
Yes, you can technically upscale a video from 480p to 4K in Premiere Pro. You can create a 4K sequence, place the source 480p video in it, and then export it at the desired 4K resolution. However, it is essential to know that this upscaling process won’t add data and create accurate details that were not in the original file. If you didn’t perform suitable editing or enhancement actions, the result will likely look soft or pixelated.
Conclusion
You can learn how to upscale resolution in Adobe Premiere Pro step by step from this guide. If you already have this Adobe software on your computer, use its Set to Frame Size option to increase your video resolution with ease. If you prefer a quick upscaling experience and higher-quality outputs, dedicated AI-based upscaling tools are often a better choice.
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