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PME80s
Participant
Nov 11, 2026 11:24 AM UTC
Open for Voting

LR Classic 16.0 - Still can't import my iPhone Video files

It’s really a shame. Over the months, I tried various tips found online, but without success. Today I installed version 16.0, hoping that I could finally import my iPhone h.265 videos again. Unfortunately, no luck. After months, I have now given up and reinstalled 15.4.1. And boom, everything is working again.

Windows 11 Pro 25H2

The import error started with Lr Classic 15.5.

      3 replies

      Azarjindal007
      Azarjindal007
      Participant
      Nov 13, 2026 11:21 PM UTC

      Workaround tested: HEVC/MOV import failure in Lightroom Classic 16.0 on Windows 11

      My original HEVC videos imported and played in 15.4.1 but failed in 16.0 with “An unknown error occurred while reading the video file.”

      A Process Monitor trace showed 16.0 requesting shared HEVC 4.3 decoder files that were missing. The older version used the installed 4.0 decoder.

      What worked:

      1. Installed Adobe Media Encoder 26.5.2 through Creative Cloud’s Other versions.
      2. Added an affected video and opened Export Settings → Source preview, allowing Adobe’s automatic codec installation.
      3. Quit and reopened Lightroom Classic 16.0.
      4. The same original video then imported and played successfully—no conversion or manual DLL copying.

      Lightroom was verified loading the newly installed HEVC decoder, version 14.3.0.25617.

      This worked on my Windows 11 Insider Preview system; it is not an Adobe-confirmed universal fix. Media Encoder 27.0 alone did not resolve it in my test.

      If you are on Photography Plan, use trial Media Encoder

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      WhitcombeRD
      Known Participant
      Nov 13, 2026 11:35 PM UTC

      Almost.

      Additional step, in Media Encoder i had to go into Preferences > Media and disable both the H265/HEVC hardware encoding and decoding, restart media player THEN do source preview.  Then LR works.

      Without that extra step it didnt download the codec or work for me.

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      WhitcombeRD
      Known Participant
      Nov 13, 2026 5:53 PM UTC

      Identical issue on 15.5 in windows.  Unfixed.

      It seems to be any HEVC file.  It wont read but *also wont import off the card* so you can lose your videos unless you manually copy them over yourself.

       

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