How to Upscale Video in Premiere Pro with Two Methods

Explore the AI advancement of video upscaling with the systematic, step-by-step guide on how to upscale video in Premiere Pro to match the UHD video streaming experience of old/poor videos on the latest devices’ displays.
how to upscale video in premiere pro

Introduction

Whether you are a professional videographer or a casual social media user, you always like to watch and post videos in HD. You don't want to compromise on your video streaming quality when you have an HD/ UHD device display. So, to match the video quality of your old, low-resolution video with your modern device display, social media platforms, or YouTube, you must know how to upscale video in Premiere Pro. 

How to Upscale Video in Premiere Pro? 

Being one of the leading video editing suites, Adobe Premiere Pro offers an extensive video-transforming tool and techniques in its AI-supported latest Pro program. Among various AI-based video editing functions, including video resizing, audio mixing, animating effects, adding titles, automatic transcription, etc., Premiere Pro AI upscale functions are the most demanding ones to enhance video quality. 

Before diving into the step directly, let's get a brief idea about how this tool works to upscale the video quality by increasing the pixels in each frame. To upscale a video from 1080p with 2 million pixels to 4K with 8 million pixels, you have to stretch 2 million pixels into a 3840x2160 frame, and there will be 6 million gaps to be filled. 

Premiere Pro uses a simple algorithm to fill the gap based on adjacent pixels. So it's time to see how to upscale video in Premiere Pro using two methods: single video with low resolution and multiple video with mixed resolution. 

Method 1: Steps to Upscale 720p to 1080p Video in Premiere Pro

1.1 Prepare Video

To upscale 720p to 1080p in Premiere Pro, you have to prepare the video first, and then you should start the upscaling process. For this, you can stabilize the video if it is shaky, cut or crop any unwanted part, or do any other editing or customization. 

This will help make the video upscaling process more accurate and seamless. After preparing your video, you must figure out the desired resolution size to which you want to upscale your prepared low-resolution video. 

1.2 Upscaling Video

Step 1

Import your desired video into the program’s project bin option, then add it to the timeline by dragging it. Right-click on the video clip, then choose “Replace with After Effects Composition.”

upscale 720P to 1080P premiere pro- step1
Step 2

In the After Effects Window go to the “Effects & Presets” > search for “Detail-Preserving Upscale” Effect option > add it to the video clip while dragging/ double clicking on it. 

upscale 720P to 1080P premiere pro- step2
Step 3

In the “Effects Control” Panel, you can select “Fit to Comp Width” to upscale the video clip by covering the width of the canvas. You can set the scale percentage to make the clip even larger, for example, 200% for 1080p to 4K upscaling and 300% for 720p to 4K upscaling. 

upscale 720P to 1080P premiere pro- step3
Step 4

Here, you can also customize your video with “Reduce Noise” to eliminate digital noise and “Details” to enhance the details in your video by default settings up to 50%.

upscale 720P to 1080P premiere pro- step4
Step 5

Once you are done with your video upscaling process, head back to Premiere Pro, move to sequence, and select the entire timeline clip or any section for rendering. Next, export the video and make sure that the export setting matches the sequence settings. 

Method 2: How to Upscale 1080p to 4K in Premiere Pro with Multiple Video with Mixed Resolution

When you have multiple videos with mixed resolutions and want to convert them into one single streaming resolution, you can either upscale or downscale the resolution to match any of the resolutions of your multiple videos. For example, if you have two videos with 1080p and 4K resolution, you can select one resolution for the output. Since you are talking about methods of How to1080p to 4K upscale video in Premiere Pro, you will see the steps of video upscaling to 4K of your mixed-resolution videos here. 

Step 1

In the Premier Pro Dashboard, open the project window where you have already imported your multiple videos with mixed resolutions. For example, here we are dealing with two videos with 1080p and 4K resolutions. We will match these two videos’ resolutions to 4K by upscaling. 

How to Upscale 1080p to 4K in Premiere Pro-step1
Step 2

Go to “File” > then “New” > “Sequence” >. The new sequence drop-down box will appear with presets of various resolution and framerate options. You have to select the preset that matches your desired output resolution. In our case, to upscale both videos to 4K, we selected the “RED” Preset because it has our desired resolution and frame rate. 

Step 3

After clicking on “RED” > click “HD 4K” > 4K HD 16×9 23,976. Here, 23,976 denotes the frame rate per second. Next, you have to give a name to your project in the “Sequence Name” Section at the bottom > click “OK”. 

How to Upscale 1080p to 4K in Premiere Pro-step3
Step 4

Next, Go to “Edit” at the upper left side horizontal panel > Preference > Media > get “Default Media Scaling” on the right side window > select the “Set to frame size” > click “OK” at the bottom. 

Step 5

Now, we drag our two video clips with 1080p and 4K to the timeline and see that both videos are upscaled in 4K. However, if you don't select the “Set to frame size” option beforehand, the video won't be scaled properly to match your desired frame size. So, to match the resolution and frame rate of both videos, you must select the “Set to frame rate” option before adding the video to the timeline. 

How to Upscale 1080p to 4K in Premiere Pro-step5
Step 6

However, if you haven't selected this option beforehand, you can also select it after adding the videos to the timeline. To do this, right-click on your required video > select the “Set to frame size” Option. You will get similar results by matching the same resolution and frame size of your multiple videos.

Step 7

You can also customize the “Scale” of your video clip by clicking on the “Effect Control” On the top horizontal function bar > see the “Scale” Option under the “Motion” option. Here, you can set your desired scale parameters of individual video clips depending on your requirements. 

Step 8

Go back to the “Sequence” and for rending export the newly edited video in your preferred format.

Try Premiere Pro Alternative: UniFab Video Enhancer for instant & automatic video upscaling

Upscaling videos manually can be time-consuming. With UniFab AI Video Enhancer, you can rely on AI automation—no technical skills needed. Just install it on Windows or Mac, and start instant, automatic upscaling.

This AI Video Enhancer offers two dedicated models, Universal & Animation models, to upscale video with clear and crisp video quality. While upscaling video, this tool analyzes each frame and enhances every detail to produce the best results. With its AI-based versatile video upscaling function, this tool is perfect for personal, professional, and commercial use. Now, to upscale video from any low resolution to 4K or 8K, let's see the futuristic features that will take your poor-quality video to the next level of professional perfection. 

Key Features of UniFab Video Enhancer

  • Universal Model: Here, you can upscale video while sharpening, restoring lost video details, and optimizing color without compromising the original video quality. 
enhancement by unifab
  • Animation Model: Using this dedicatedly designed model, you can upscale any anime, cartoon, or motion graphics while integrating the artistic aesthetics of the animation. With edge enhancement and color optimization, it supports detail enrichment to preserve subtle details in characters and backgrounds. 
animation video 4k processing effect
  • Denoise Video: While upscaling any video, it removes the digital noise caused by over-compression, high ISO settings, low lighting, etc. 
unifab denoise video
  • Conversion & Compression: With more than 1000 formats supported, it lets you convert video to your desired format while compressing its file size to make the output file fit and compatible with all devices and platforms. 
  • Output Customization: You can customize various factors, such as codec, resolution, bit rate, etc., to get the best output in your video upscaling process. 
  • Built-in editor: It supports impressive video editing tools, including cropping, adding effects, adding a watermark, editing audio and subtitles, and controlling speed. 

Steps to upscale 720p to 1080p/4K in UniFab

After knowing the fascinating features of this AI tool, it's time for real-time experience of these functions following the steps below. 

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Step 1

Once you open the program on your Windows or Mac PC, double-click on the UniFab icon > select the “Upscaler” mode. 

Step 2

Upload your desired low-quality video file to UniFab's main interface for upscaling to 1080P/4K.

unifab interface
Step 3

Start customizing the output file with format, frame rate, resolution, quality, etc. After completing customization, choose the “Start” option to finish the video upscaling process from low quality to 1080P/4K.

unifab output settings

Conclusion

When you want to enjoy all of your old memories stored in an old and poor-quality video on your HD device, you must know the best way of upscaling video. The step-by-step guide on how to upscale video in Premiere Pro will definitely meet your needs with your desired specifications. However, if you want to explore the most hassle-free video upscaling with AI automation, UniFab Video Upscaler AI is the ultimate option with professional perfection. 

FAQs

Which is the best 1080P to 4K upscalers?

Check out this comprehensive review article to explore the best 1080P to 4K upscaler available.

What is video upscaling all about? 

Video upscaling is a process that enhances the video quality from low to high resolution by increasing the video resolution for high-quality streaming on the latest HD devices with larger screens. To do this, the video upscale analyzes the video pixels’ position and video color, and using interpolation technology, the tool fills the gap between pixels by adding new pixels depending on the surrounding pixels’ color. With UniFab Video Enhancer AI, you can upscale video automatically without manual steps. 

How to convert 720P to 1080P without losing quality? 

Manual video upscaling can sometimes degrade quality if you lack the right skills. However, UniFab Video Enhancer’s AI upscaling preserves your video’s originality by adding detailed data, enhancing quality without the need for technical expertise.

HarperMore >>
I enjoy capturing life's beautiful moments and exploring innovation. Trying different video editing software helps me find the best tools for my work. My articles aim to help you discover video editing software that fits your style, as we navigate the ever-changing world of technology together.