A timecode burn-in prints the running timecode onto every frame of your export - and it is the cheapest way to make feedback precise: when "the cut at around 1:24" becomes "the cut at 01:24:07," notes stop needing phone calls. In Premiere Pro the whole setup is one effect on an adjustment layer, and it belongs in your review-export preset if any of your reviewers work outside a review player.
The two-minute setup
1. Add an adjustment layer. Layer > New > Adjustment Layer, then drag it onto a track above your whole sequence and stretch it from the first frame to the last. The adjustment layer carries the effect without touching any of your clips.
2. Apply the Timecode effect. Open the Effects panel, search "Timecode" (it lives under Video Effects), and drag it onto the adjustment layer. A default timecode readout appears on your Program monitor immediately.
3. Match the source to your sequence. In Effect Controls, check the source the effect reads: with the adjustment layer starting at the head of the sequence, its clip timecode and the sequence timecode line up - if the layer starts anywhere else, drag it to the start or use the effect's offset so the printed counter matches what your timeline shows. Getting this wrong is the one classic burn-in mistake: a counter that disagrees with every note referencing it.
4. Place and style it. Use the effect's position, size, and opacity controls (or Essential Graphics' transform tools) to put the readout where it cannot cover action - lower-left or lower-right corner, sized small, opacity around 50-70% so it stays legible without shouting. Choose 24-hour or frames display to match how your team writes notes.
5. Export as usual. The burn-in prints into any export from that sequence - which is the point. Save the whole arrangement (adjustment layer + effect settings) as part of a review-export sequence preset or a template project so round two starts pre-burned.
When a burn-in earns its place - and when to skip it
Burn-ins matter most when the timecode is not otherwise visible: exports sent by email or chat, offline viewing on planes and phones, QC passes where vendors need exact references, and any file that will be screenshotted in a bug report. A burn-in also protects you on vertical cuts, where a reviewer quoting a moment from their phone cannot see a player timecode at all. The honest counter-case: if every reviewer watches inside a review tool whose comments pin to the exact frame - timecoded comments vs frame-accurate annotations - the burn-in is redundant chrome on a polished client cut. The working rule: burn-in the utility exports, keep the client-facing review link clean, and let the player do its job where it can. Review-grade export settings (codec, bitrate) are covered separately in what format to export for client review.
Two habits that make burn-ins stick
First, standardize the position and style across every editor on the team - a reviewer who always finds the counter in the lower-left stops thinking about it, and mixed placements quietly reintroduce the "where is the timecode" friction. Second, treat the burn-in as part of the review round contract you set in your kickoff email: one line ("timecode is burned in - reference it in notes") tells reviewers the reference system and makes their notes precise by default. The email phrasing is ready to copy in the video review email templates.
FAQ
Does the burn-in affect my actual footage?
No - the Timecode effect on an adjustment layer adds an overlay at render time and touches no media. Remove the adjustment layer (or mute its track) and the sequence returns to clean instantly. Keep the burn-in layer on its own track so one toggle controls it.
Why does my burned-in timecode not match the timeline?
Source mismatch - the effect is reading the adjustment layer's own timecode while the layer does not start at the sequence's first frame. Drag the adjustment layer to the head of the sequence, or set the effect's offset so the printed counter aligns with sequence timecode, and the numbers will agree with every note.
Should I burn in timecode on the final delivery master?
Almost never - delivery masters go out clean per the destination spec, and a burned-in counter is a defect on a finished file. Burn-ins are for review and QC artifacts. If a broadcaster or platform asks for a timecoded viewing copy, that is a specific deliverable rendered separately from the clean master.
Can I burn in other data, like version numbers?
Yes - pair the timecode with a small text layer showing the version (v3 - Oct 12), so every screenshot that leaves the review loop self-identifies. The versioning discipline behind that habit is in the video versioning guide, and if your exports leave the tool entirely, consider a watermark as well - the reasoning is in why watermark video reviews.