Congratulations to Adobe; its Premiere Pro Color Mode is taking home Videomaker’s Best Software Update award at NAB 2026.
Adobe just launched the latest version of Premiere, and it has something no other editing software currently offers: a brand-new color grading system designed specifically for video editors. It’s called Color Mode.
Adobe bills Color Mode as “the first dedicated color grading experience purpose-built for video editors.” It was built over three years with input from more than 400 working editors. The new system is integrated directly into Premiere as a dedicated workspace, and it promises to reimagine how video editors handle color.
Color Mode is designed to reflect the way video editors already work, promising an intuitive workflow with familiar tools.
Color Mode in action
Inside the Color Mode workspace, editors can access a Clip Grid view that offers an overview of each sequence. Color Mode’s bi-directional controls allow two paired adjustments to be shifted at the same time. For example, temperature and tint can be tuned simultaneously with a single adjustment.
Once you find a look you like, you can save it with Color Mode’s Styles and Modules system. Color Mode’s Operations system aims to eliminate the need to copy and paste attributes across clips. With Operations, color grades can be moved across a sequence through a simple drag-and-drop process. Operations can be used to apply color to a single clip, to a custom group or globally to an entire sequence.
What about Lumetri?
Adobe stresses that Color Mode is not an update to Lumetri. Instead, it features an entirely new interface that was designed from the ground up for ease of use and creative experimentation within Premiere. For color experts, Color Mode still offers access to more advanced tools like luminance zones and hue isolation.
Don’t worry, Lumetri isn’t going anywhere. At least not for a few years. However, the Lumetri panel is no longer available in the latest version of Premiere (beta). Instead, you’ll access Lumetri controls through the Effects panel.
Availability
Color Mode is available now in Adobe Premiere (beta). Subscriptions start at $22.99 per month with an annual commitment. To learn more, visit adobe.com.
