P: LrC 15.5 Video Files Issues (Windows)

Forum|Forum|1 month ago
August 5, 2026
96 replies
2300 views

I updated to LrC 15.5 a few hours ago. Since then LrC has problems with video files. The first problem I noticed was that when I tried to synchronize a folder that had two new video files. After a couple of minutes I got the error message “An unknown error occurred while reading the video file. (2)”. I had just completed those files with DaVinci Resolve so I went back and produced the same files again to check if DR had made an error. When I tried again with the new files but got the same errors. I was able to play both videos without any issue using VLC Media Player, so they seem to be OK. I then shutdown LrC and did a backup including optimizing the catalog, and then restarted it to see if that made any difference, but same error. Then I started looking at other videos that were already in LrC and found that when browsing them in the Library module, most of them pop up a message “There was an error working with the video”. They will not play in LrC but work fine with VLC Media Player.

Prior to upgrading to 15.5 I did not experience any of these errors. Is anyone else seeing these problems?

K

Kindhearted_makeraaad

Participant

Confirming this on 15.5.1 with an additional data point that may help to
pin down the regression - and confirming that the rollback works.

Every HEVC/H.265 video fails to import with "An unknown error occurred
while reading the video file", while H.264 files import normally in the
very same batch.

The key observation: this is not about specific files or cameras. My
catalog already contains HEVC videos that Lightroom Classic itself
imported in earlier versions (iPhone 8 Main profile, iPhone 15 Pro Main 10,
1080p and 4K). When I copy those exact same files to a new folder and
re-import them with 15.5.1, they now fail as well. Same files, same
machine, same catalog - only the Lightroom version changed.

CONFIRMED WORKAROUND: rolling back to 15.4.1 fixes it completely. The
exact same files that failed under 15.5.1 - including 4K HEVC and files
from three different devices - import without a single error. The catalog
needed no modification and opened normally after the downgrade.

What I ruled out by testing before rolling back, in case it saves someone
time:
* Location: fails identically from a local SSD and from a network share.
* GPU setting in Lightroom: "Custom", "Auto" and "Off" - no difference.
* Video cache cleared via Preferences > Performance - no difference.
* Windows GPU assignment for Lightroom.exe: "High performance" and
"Let Windows decide" - no difference.
* Windows decoding is fine: Films & TV and all other installed players
play the files normally.
* Hardware decoding is fine: ffmpeg decodes the same files without a
single error using -hwaccel cuda, d3d11va, dxva2 and qsv.
* Microsoft HEVC Video Extension 2.5.33.0 installed, status OK.

So the failure is specific to Lightroom Classic 15.5/15.5.1 and unrelated
to hardware, drivers, codecs, paths or GPU configuration.

System: Lightroom Classic 15.5.1 (202608131348-cab7eed5), Windows 11 Home
build 26200, MSI Vector 16 HX AI A2XWIG, Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, 32 GB,
NVIDIA RTX 5080 Laptop (driver 32.0.16.1078) + Intel Graphics
(driver 32.0.101.6629).

Happy to provide sample files that fail - including ones this same
catalog imported successfully under an earlier version.

C

coreypro2

Participant

I have the same problem with LrC 15.5. Can’t play previously imported MOV or MP4 video files and also can’t import MOV or MP4 video files. Called LR support and they said they will no longer be supporting video playback or importing in LrC. I don’t know how they can get away with that. I have thousands of video files that are organized in LrC and now I can’t see them natively in LrC or continue to organize future videos using LrC. Time to go find a new app to replace Lightroom.

johnrellis

Legend

[View this post in your web browser. It contains formatting and images that don't appear in email.]

@coreypro2 Called LR support and they said they will no longer be supporting video playback or importing in LrC.

Adobe technical support for LR can’t be trusted -- over the years, they’ve acquired the reputation of saying anything to close out an issue.

In this instance, this thread contains a bug report acknowledged by Adobe (since it remains in the Bugs section). In general, the most authoritative information about bugs is provided here by the Adobe moderators, often well before that information reaches Adobe technical support.

So until an Adobe moderator responds here, I think you should assume what Adobe technical support said is bogus. LR 16 will almost certainly arrive the beginning of November, and if Adobe intends to discontinue support for video in LR Classic (which I doubt), it will surely be announced as part of LR 16.

In the meantime, rolling back to LR 15.4.1 works around the problem.

DClark064Author

John, I agree that the Adobe tech support is giving out bogus information, but that seems to be the only response from Adobe on this issue other than moving this thread from Questions to Bug-Reports. It may be that Adobe will fix this issue in the November release, but that is only a wish. It may be much longer. LrC has been unable to open and play h.265 videos for a long time. Now LrC cannot even import them. That’s not progress.

We have many examples of bugs that have existed for many years and show no sign of being fixed. I wish Adobe was more respectful of their customers and would make some statement on this issue, and others. I wish you were managing Adobe’s LrC development. I think we would see an immediate improvement in the quality of releases and the responsiveness to customers.

T

thomas5CED

Inspiring

Same here with Pixel 8 and Pixel 10 videos. They worked fine in LrC 15.4, they play fine using the GPU in MPC-HC. Please fix, this has been open for almost a month now and is getting ridiculous. This is not how you bug fix professional software.

K

Kallja

Participant

When trying to play iphone video error message on screen “There was an error working with the video”

When trying to import iphone ,mov videos, error window on screen “An unknown error occurred while reading the video file.” In the import file list the videos are shown “Preview unavailable for this file.”

Corrections tried: deleted subfolders in %AppData%\Adobe\dynamiclinkmanager and %AppData%\Adobe\dynamiclinkmediaserver.

Purged cashe x2 in Preferences - Performance

Some 2-3 weeks ago it was possible to play and import iphone videos.

Tried to activate HEVC codec in PC, and even bought Microsofts HEVC Video Extensions for 0,99€. This did not help at all.

NVIDIA display driver updated some weeks ago.

E

edrob

Known Participant

I can add that HIF files will not import either.

G

georgen74268845

Participant

Same here. I thought it might be Windows but it isn’t. I went back to Ver. 15.4.1 and everything is fine. Lightroom has no problem with video, only LrC.

gLightUser

Participant

Same issue in 15.5.1 with Sony MP4 videos from an A7CR - attempting to import fails with a “"An unknown error occurred while reading the video file". Previously worked fine.

A

adamd66157351

Participant

Same here, Windows, importing videos from DJI Air 3S

johnrellis

Legend

Moderators, @Rikk Flohr_Photography, please merge with the bug report:

https://community.adobe.com/bug-reports-674/p-lrc-15-5-video-files-issues-windows-1635342/index3.html?sort=oldestFirst#comments

johnrellis

Legend

Adobe has acknowledged this bug with video in LR 15.5 on Windows:

https://community.adobe.com/bug-reports-674/p-lrc-15-5-video-files-issues-windows-1635342/index3.html?sort=oldestFirst#comments

The only known workaround is to roll back to 15.4.1. Add your vote and constructive comment to that bug report, and you’ll be notified when Adobe releases a fix.

R

RRFfm

Participant

I have the same problem with LrC v15.5 and v15.5.1 under windows: Any import of videos from iPhone results in error messages. roll back to v15.4.1 works fine again, withoud adapting the database.

marcinb51184367

Participating Frequently

Nikon Z5II MOV files (H.265, 8-bit 3840×2160/30p) work correctly in Lightroom Classic 15.4.1, but fail with “An unknown error occurred when reading the video file” in both 15.5 and 15.5.1. By contrast, MP4 files (H.264,1920×1080/30p) work normally. The H.265 files play normally in Media Player Classic. The problem occurs in a new Lightroom catalog and persists with GPU acceleration enabled/disabled and after clearing the video cache.

H

hugh.letheren

Inspiring

Let’s hope that if enough of us grumble about this ,Adobe will sort this - soon!

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