Premiere Pro 26.3 removed the simple opacity mask workflow for Text/Graphics layers. The new Object Mask system is slower and confusing.

Premiere Pro 26.3 appears to have removed or fundamentally changed the ability to create and animate multiple opacity masks directly on native Text/Graphics layers in the Effect Controls panel.

This was an efficient workflow for progressively revealing text, creating simple wipes, and timing graphics to narration. Previously, I could create several masks and animate their Mask Path, Expansion, or Feather with only a few clicks. The new Object Mask workflow is not a functional replacement. It is slower, harder to discover, and often creates new masks when I simply want to edit existing ones.

This change disrupts established professional workflows and invalidates years of tutorials and training based on the previous interface. Tasks that once took seconds now require unnecessary extra steps or workarounds.

If this is an intentional redesign, I respectfully request that Adobe restore the legacy opacity masking workflow as an option for Text/Graphics layers. If this is a regression or bug, please correct it so native text behaves as it did in previous versions.

New features should expand Premiere's capabilities, not remove efficient tools that editors rely on daily. Please consider restoring this workflow or providing a compatibility option for long-time users.