Have you ever imported a video into Adobe Premiere Pro only to discover that the footage looks squished, stretched, or distorted?
This usually happens because Premiere Pro is interpreting the footage with the wrong pixel aspect ratio. The good news is that you can usually fix squished video in Premiere Pro in just a few clicks.
In this guide, I’ll show you two ways to fix distorted footage in Premiere Pro:
- Correct the footage’s pixel aspect ratio using Modify > Interpret Footage
- Manually adjust the clip’s width and height using Effect Controls
The first method is usually the best option because it’s more precise and corrects how Premiere interprets the footage.
Why Does My Video Look Squished in Premiere Pro?
Before fixing the problem, it’s helpful to understand what’s happening.
Video files have an aspect ratio, which describes the shape of the image. For example, standard widescreen video is typically 16:9.
However, video also has something called a pixel aspect ratio. This determines the shape of the individual pixels that make up the video.
Most modern video footage uses square pixels, meaning each pixel has the same width and height.
If Premiere Pro incorrectly interprets your footage as using a different pixel aspect ratio, the video can appear squished or stretched, even though the original file looks completely normal when you play it outside of Premiere Pro.
That’s exactly what can happen when you import footage with a non-standard aspect ratio.
Method 1: Fix Squished Footage With Interpret Footage
This is the method I recommend trying first.
Step 1: Find Your Footage in the Project Panel
Locate the video clip that’s appearing squished inside Premiere Pro.
You don’t need to add it to your timeline first. You can fix the footage directly from the Project panel.
Step 2: Right-Click the Video Clip
Right-click on the footage you want to fix.
From the menu, select:
Modify → Interpret Footage
This opens the Interpret Footage settings for your clip.
Step 3: Change the Pixel Aspect Ratio
Look for the Pixel Aspect Ratio section.
Premiere Pro may currently be using the pixel aspect ratio that was detected from the video file.
Select:
Conform to: Square Pixels (1.0)
This tells Premiere Pro to interpret the footage using square pixels.
Step 4: Click OK
Click OK to apply the change.
Your footage should now display with the correct proportions inside Premiere Pro.
You can double-click the clip in the Project panel to preview it and confirm that it no longer looks squished.
Step 5: Add the Footage to Your Timeline
Once the footage looks correct, drag it into your timeline.
If Premiere asks whether you want to Change Sequence Settings or Keep Existing Settings, choose the option that matches your intended sequence setup.
It’s important to remember that changing the pixel aspect ratio doesn’t necessarily change the video’s overall aspect ratio. It changes how Premiere interprets the pixels inside the file.
Method 2: Manually Fix the Distortion With Effect Controls
There’s another way to correct squished or stretched footage: manually change the clip’s width and height.
This method can be useful if you intentionally need to adjust the proportions of a clip, but it’s generally less precise than correcting the pixel aspect ratio.
Step 1: Add the Clip to Your Timeline
Drag your video clip onto your Premiere Pro timeline.
Step 2: Open Effect Controls
Select the clip in your timeline and open the Effect Controls panel.
Find the Motion controls.
You’ll see settings such as:
- Position
- Scale
- Rotation
- Anchor Point
Depending on your version and setup, you may also have options for adjusting the horizontal and vertical dimensions.
Step 3: Turn Off Uniform Scaling
If Uniform Scale is enabled, Premiere will maintain the same proportions when you adjust the clip.
If you need to adjust the width and height independently, turn Uniform Scale off.
You can then change the horizontal and vertical dimensions separately.
Step 4: Adjust the Height or Width
Now you can increase or decrease the dimensions until the footage looks correct.
For example, if your footage looks compressed vertically, you can increase its height until the subject looks proportional again.
Be careful with this method, though.
If you adjust the dimensions too far, you can simply create a different problem: instead of squishing the footage, you’ll end up stretching it.
The goal is to make the image look natural and maintain the correct proportions.
Squished vs. Stretched Video: What’s the Difference?
It’s easy to confuse these two problems.
Squished footage has been compressed in one direction. People and objects may look unusually short or narrow.
Stretched footage has been expanded in one direction. People and objects may look unusually tall, wide, or distorted.
Both problems are essentially caused by the image being displayed with the wrong proportions.
For example, if a person’s face looks unusually wide, the footage may be stretched horizontally.
If the same person’s face looks unusually narrow or tall, the footage may be stretched vertically or compressed horizontally.
The easiest way to tell whether you’ve fixed the problem is to look at something you know should have normal proportions, such as a person’s face or a circular object.
Which Method Should You Use?
In most cases, I recommend Method 1: Modify → Interpret Footage.
If the video looks normal outside of Premiere Pro but becomes squished after you import it, there’s a good chance Premiere is interpreting the footage incorrectly.
Changing the Pixel Aspect Ratio to Square Pixels fixes the underlying interpretation rather than simply compensating for the distortion with a manual scale adjustment.
Use the manual Effect Controls method when you intentionally need to change the proportions of the clip or when you need more control over the final appearance.
What If the Footage Still Looks Wrong?
If changing the pixel aspect ratio doesn’t fix the problem, there may be another reason your footage looks distorted.
Check the following:
Check Your Sequence Settings
Your sequence may have a different frame size or aspect ratio than your footage.
For example, your footage could be:
- 16:9
- 9:16 vertical
- 1:1 square
- 4:3
- Another custom resolution
A mismatch between your footage and sequence doesn’t necessarily mean your footage is broken.
Check the Original Video
Play the original video outside of Premiere Pro.
If it looks normal in Finder, QuickTime, or another media player but looks squished in Premiere, that points toward an interpretation or import issue.
If the original file is also distorted outside Premiere, the problem may be with the footage itself rather than Premiere Pro.
Check the Pixel Aspect Ratio
Go back to:
Right-click footage → Modify → Interpret Footage
Then check the Pixel Aspect Ratio settings.
For most modern video footage, Square Pixels (1.0) is what you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I fix a squished video in Premiere Pro?
Right-click the video clip in the Project panel and select Modify → Interpret Footage. Under Pixel Aspect Ratio, choose Square Pixels (1.0) and click OK.
Why is my video squished after importing it into Premiere Pro?
Premiere Pro may be interpreting the footage using the wrong pixel aspect ratio. This can cause the video to appear stretched or compressed even though the original file looks normal.
How do I fix stretched footage in Premiere Pro?
First, check the clip’s pixel aspect ratio by going to Modify → Interpret Footage and selecting Square Pixels (1.0) if appropriate. You can also manually adjust the clip’s dimensions using the Effect Controls panel.
Does changing the pixel aspect ratio change the resolution?
No. Changing the pixel aspect ratio changes how Premiere Pro interprets the pixels in the footage. It doesn’t simply resize the underlying video file.
Should I use Effect Controls or Interpret Footage?
If Premiere is incorrectly interpreting your footage, Interpret Footage is generally the better solution. Use Effect Controls when you intentionally want to modify the proportions of the clip.
Final Thoughts
If your footage suddenly looks squished after importing it into Premiere Pro, don’t panic. The original video may be perfectly fine.
Start by checking the Pixel Aspect Ratio under:
Right-click footage → Modify → Interpret Footage → Square Pixels (1.0)
In many cases, that’s all you need to get your footage looking normal again.
If you want to manually adjust the proportions, you can also use Effect Controls and disable Uniform Scale to independently adjust the width and height.
And if you’re just getting started with Premiere Pro, check out more of my Premiere Pro tutorials for practical tips and workflows that can help you edit faster and solve common problems.