Skip to main content
R
Rosen Sunvisor Systems
Participant
November 3, 2023
Answered

"Stabilize Only" is still cropping the footage to the original frame

  • November 3, 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 971 views

1. Version 24.0.0 Build 58

2. Windows 10 Pro 64bit

3. Steps to reproduce: Apply warp stabilizer effect, when done processing, choose "stabilize only."  Use motion to move the clip around to see more clearly that footage is cropped to the bounds of the original fotoage.

4.  It used to be that you could choose the option to "Stabilize Only" and it would not crop your video. You could then manually zoom and transform the footage to keep it in the frame as you wished and the whole original footage was shown uncropped. HOWEVER, some time in a recent update this option was broken. You can see the video that I made that shows the issue of the stabilized footage being cropped to the frame, even when "stabilized only" option is selected.

 

    Correct answer Krisboul

    Hey there, in case you haven't found a solution to this bug (which still occurs as of v 24.4.1), a workaround is to set the Warp Stabilizer "additional scale" value to 50%, then scale your clip (Motion) to 200%. It makes no sense, but fixes the right and bottom cropping that still occurs when "Stabilize Only" is selected.

    Hope this helps.

    4 replies

    R
    Rabih_Sleiman8490
    Participating Frequently
    September 25, 2025

    Here are techniques people have used to reduce or work around the cropping, or get more control over the stabilized result:

     

    Strategy How to do it Pros & cons / notes

     

    Nest the clip in a sequence and stabilize the nested sequence Put your footage in a sub-sequence (e.g. create a sequence with just that clip) and apply Warp Stabilizer to the nested sequence rather than the clip in the main timeline Sometimes gives more room/“breathing space” so the crop is less aggressive

    Increase “Additional Scale” in the Warp Stabilizer In the effect options, you may find a parameter called “Additional Scale” (or similar). Some users set this quite high (e.g. 50 %) and then reduce the clip’s Motion scale parameter accordingly to regain framing. It can feel awkward — you might need to “undo” the extra scale with manual motion adjustments

    Split / segment the clip Break long, highly shaky clips into smaller segments where motion is less extreme, and apply stabilization per segment Less aggressive cropping in each smaller section

    Reduce the stabilization strength / smoothness Use a lower smoothness % so that the algorithm doesn’t force as much movement, and thus less need to crop You may get some slight shakiness but better image retention

    Use higher resolution footage (if available) If your source is higher resolution than your sequence, you have more “room” to shift without reaching the cropped boundary If your clip exactly matches your sequence resolution, there’s no margin to maneuver

    Try switching rendering / processing mode Some older posts suggest switching GPU vs software rendering can change how aggressively the effect behaves. This is hit-or-miss, and may affect performance / final quality

    Roll back to an earlier build / older Premiere version If you had a version where “Stabilize Only” did work properly, you could revert Not always viable / desirable for other features or s

    tability

    Ann Bens
    Community Expert
    Ann BensCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 25, 2025

    Adding WS to a nest clip is a pita: takes ages to stabilize.

    IMO it makes no difference if WS is applied to the clip or to the nest regarding amount of cropping

    The higher the (additional scale), the more image quality loss it will suffer for clips with the same resolution as the sequence or nests.

    If the clip still crops, you will have to accept the clip is not suited for stabilization - as in too much motion.

    Premiere can do wonders: it cannot perform miracles.

    WS is meant for handheld footage.

    R
    Rob Claisse
    Inspiring
    September 24, 2025

    I'm still seeing this on 25.3.0

    S
    Community Manager
    Sumeet_Kumar_ChoubeyCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    September 24, 2025

    Hi Rob Claisse,

    Have you tried the latest version of Premiere Pro (v25.5) to check if it's working properly? 

     

    Thanks,

    Sumeet

    R
    Rob Claisse
    Inspiring
    September 25, 2025

    Just upgraded and still the same issue - bottom and right edges of clips get a fixed crop when in the "Stabilize Only" setting.

    W
    wise_writer7923
    Participant
    April 12, 2025

    This bug is still present in 25.2.1
    Did this post get moved from Bugs to Discussions at some point?

      Krisboul
      KrisboulCorrect answer
      Participant
      August 10, 2024

      Hey there, in case you haven't found a solution to this bug (which still occurs as of v 24.4.1), a workaround is to set the Warp Stabilizer "additional scale" value to 50%, then scale your clip (Motion) to 200%. It makes no sense, but fixes the right and bottom cropping that still occurs when "Stabilize Only" is selected.

      Hope this helps.

        Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
        Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices