Color grading is one of the most important parts of video editing, but it's also one of the more intimidating skills to master. Adobe is hoping to change that with its new Color Mode in Premiere.
Color Mode is officially becoming generally available following a period in beta, and it brings an entirely new approach to color grading that Adobe promises will make creating professional-looking footage more accessible.
Announced at Adobe MAX 2026, Color Mode introduces a dedicated color grading workspace, with a redesigned interface that puts the video front and center while providing easier access to the tools needed to adjust its appearance.
One of the biggest additions is a new system of Style Presets, which allow editors to apply complete looks to their footage with a single click. However, unlike simply applying a LUT, these presets are fully customizable, meaning editors can fine-tune the individual adjustments rather than being stuck with a predetermined look.
Presets can be applied to individual clips or across an entire sequence, while a new grouping system allows editors to make adjustments to selected clips without affecting everything else.
During a briefing ahead of Adobe MAX, I watched a demonstration where Adobe applied a preset across an entire video before identifying several shots that looked a little too blue. Rather than individually correcting every clip or adjusting the entire sequence, the editor simply grouped the affected shots and adjusted their color temperature together.
Adobe describes the system as a new approach to grading designed specifically for video editors, and while it remains to be seen whether it can make the more advanced aspects of color grading genuinely easier to master, I think making these tools more approachable is certainly a step in the right direction.
Color Mode is available as part of the latest Adobe Premiere release, alongside a host of other improvements announced at Adobe MAX 2026.
