Fade Audio In & Out in Premiere: 3 Ways From Basic to Pro

Ever notice how some videos feel smoother than others? A lot of that comes down to the audio. Hard cuts on music or voiceovers sound jarring, but fade-ins and fade-outs fix that.

How do you fade in/out audio in Adobe Premiere Pro? Here are 3 methods, from simple fade-in and fade-out effects to pro-level fine-tuning by keyframe.

Part 1. How Fade-In and Fade-Out Improve Your Audio

Fades make your work sound intentional. They're a quick way to level up audio quality for YouTube videos or short-form content.

A fade-in starts the audio quietly and brings it up to full volume, and a fade-out drops the level slowly until silence. These changes reduce abrupt pops and awkward endings, hence making transitions feel natural.

Part 2. Method 1. How to Fade In/Fade Out Audio in Premiere Pro

Step 1Expand the audio track

In the timeline, click the small triangle near the audio track name so you can see the waveform more clearly.

Step 2Drag the handles

Hover your mouse near the top-left or top-right corner of the audio clip. Small square handles appear. Drag the left one inward for a fade-in, or drag the right one inward for a fade-out. The farther you pull, the longer the fade.

Part 3. Method 2. How to Add a Crossfade Between 2 Audio Clips in Premiere

When you cut to the next scene, you want the background sound to flow naturally. How to make audio fade in/out in Premiere Pro between two clips? Use the Crossfades feature, which blends the end of one clip into the start of the next.

Step 1Place the clips next to each other

First, put the two audio clips together on the same track on the timeline, letting them touch or leave an overlap.

Step 2Apply a crossfade transition

Open Effects > Audio Transitions > Crossfade. Drag Constant Power right onto the cut point between the two clips. Premiere will apply the transition across both.

Step 3Or use the keyboard shortcut

Select the edit point, and press Shift + Ctrl + D on Windows or Shift + Cmd + D on Mac. This applies the default audio transition.

Step 4Fine-tune with fade handles

You can expand the tracks and drag the fade handles, that is, the small gray dots, across the clips to create a custom crossfade.

Part 4. Method 3. How to Use Keyframes to Precisely Fade Audio in Premiere

By adjusting keyframes, you can start and end the fade exactly where you want.

Step 1Show the volume rubber band

In the timeline, click the Show Keyframes button (a small hexagon) under the audio track name, and choose Track Keyframes > Volume. A thin white line (the rubber band) appears across the clip. Expand the track height if needed.

Step 2Add keyframes

Hold Ctrl on Windows or Cmd on Mac, and click on the rubber band where you want the fade to begin. Click again where you want it to end. Two keyframes then appear.

Step 3Adjust the levels

For a fade-out, drag the second keyframe all the way down to the bottom of the clip (silence). And for a fade-in, start the first keyframe low and raise the second one to full volume. Drag the keyframes left or right to change the duration.

Step 4Smooth the curve (optional)

Right-click a keyframe and choose Ease In or Ease Out for a more natural curve.

Part 5. Bonus: Simpler Alternatives to Fade In/Out Audio for Free

Premiere Pro as an audio editor might feel like overkill. If you don't want to fire up Premiere Pro for a quick fade, here are two easier ways to add a fading effect quickly on different devices.

Tipard Video Converter Ultimate (Windows/Mac)

Tipard Video Converter Ultimate is a versatile one-stop toolkit for video and audio editing. In its audio tools, you can enable fade-in and fade-out checkboxes for the background music track of a video.

Tipard Video Converter Ultimate

• Add fade-in and fade-out to an audio track with a click.
• Adjust the audio track by trimming, syncing with the video, and changing the channels.
• Extract audio from a video, or add a new audio track to a video.
• Support 1000+ video and audio formats.

Free Download Free Download

Step 1Open your file

Go to the MV tab and click the plus button at the bottom. It will let you add the file you want to work with.

Step 2Add Fades

After adding your file, go to the Settings tab at the top. Under Audio Track, look for the Fade in and Fade out options. Check the boxes next to each to add these effects. You can also replace the default with another audio track, and adjust the volume and delay.

Step 3. Save the result

Now, head to the Export tab next to the Settings tab. Choose your format and resolution. You can also set where you want to save the file. When everything is settled, click the Start Export button to save your video with fading audio.

CapCut (iPhone/Android and desktop)

CapCut can fade audio on a phone without a Pro license.

Step 1.Select the audio

Tap the audio clip on the timeline. It's the colored waveform, not the video layer.

Step 2.Open the Fade controls

In the bottom toolbar, swipe until you see Fade and tap it. You'll get two sliders: Fade In and Fade Out.

Step 3.Set the durations

Drag the Fade Out slider to the right to lengthen the fade at the end. Do the same for Fade In at the start. Preview, then tap the checkmark.