how to mask path in premiere pro 2026

Quick Scoop: In Premiere Pro 2026, masking a path usually means creating a mask with the Object Mask, Pen, Rectangle, or Ellipse tool, then animating or tracking that mask in the Effect Controls panel. The newer 2026 workflow also uses Unassigned Masks , which you can attach to Opacity or another effect after creating the mask.

Basic steps

1. Select the clip in the timeline.
2. Open Effect Controls.
3. Create a mask with one of the mask tools:
   • Pen for a custom path.
   • Rectangle or Ellipse for simple shapes.
   • Object Mask for AI-assisted masking.
4. If the mask appears under Unassigned Masks , assign it to Opacity or drag it to the effect you want.

Track the mask path

For movement, use Mask Path tracking in Effect Controls so Premiere follows the object across frames. If tracking needs more precision, you can step frame by frame and adjust the mask path manually, which is useful for faster motion or imperfect detection.

Animate manually

If you want to animate the mask yourself, enable keyframes on Mask Path , move to a new frame, and reshape or reposition the mask as needed. That creates a path over time without relying on automatic tracking.

Useful adjustments

• Feather softens the mask edge.
• Opacity controls how strong the masked area appears.
• Inverted applies the effect outside the mask instead of inside it.

2026 workflow note

A common 2026 change is that mask tools are easier to access from the toolbar long-press, and masks may start out as unassigned until you link them to an effect. That’s why a mask can look like it was created correctly but still not seem to “do” anything until it is assigned.

If you want, I can turn this into a step-by-step “click here, then here” guide for either the new Object Mask workflow or the old Pen-mask workflow.