Premiere Mobile only creates a new video track when you drop a clip on top of a clip that's already on the timeline. If you drag a clip into empty space, it won't stack, so drop it over an existing clip instead.
Once that works, two more gestures cover most of your timeline work: pinch to zoom and long press for quick actions.
How to add a new video track in Premiere Mobile
- Open your project's timeline. Open the project you're editing so the timeline shows at the bottom of the screen.
- Pick the clip you want to stack. Press and drag the clip you want on the new layer, like a B-roll shot or an overlay.
- Drop it on top of an existing clip. Release it directly over a clip that's already on the timeline. Empty space won't work.
- Check the new track. The clip now sits on its own track above the clip below it, and it plays over that clip in the preview.
Use this for B-roll over a talking head, a logo over footage or any picture-in-picture shot.
Pinch to zoom the timeline
When you need precise edits, like trimming a cut to land on the beat, zoom in on the timeline.
- Zoom in: spread two fingers apart on the timeline. Each clip gets wider, so you can trim by small amounts.
- Zoom out: pinch two fingers together. You see the whole sequence at once, which helps when you move clips around or check the overall order.
Switch between the two as you work. Zoom in to trim, then zoom out to see how the edit fits together.
Long press a clip for quick actions
Press and hold a clip on the timeline to open a menu of common tools, including Split, Duplicate and Delete. You get them without digging through the toolbar.
It takes a few edits to get used to, but once you do, it's the fastest way to cut and clean up clips on your phone.
If you also edit on desktop, How to Learn Premiere Pro for Beginners covers a practice routine that carries over to the full app.
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