After Effects error: File "name.mp4" cannot be opened, it may be in an unsuppoted format. (86 :: 1)

[ValeriiN]

Recently, After Effects has been giving errors with almost all video file formats.
Does anyone know how to solve this issue?

P.S.: I've already tried fixing it using YouTube tutorials (changing the file extension to .avi, running the video through Media Encoder, restarting the computer), and none of it helps.
The Error:

My AE version:

[jenkmeister]

Any chance you're trying to use files stored in a cloud drive (google, one drive, dropbox, etc.)? 

[ValeriiN]

Nope.
All files in formats such as .mov, .mp4, .avi, etc. are directly on my PC.

[jenkmeister]

Can you share any files as samples for us to test? 

[ValeriiN]

Sure
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J9iHKiJ1ad8klb4D8nu6SeYaCQ--Keg1/view?usp=sharing

[jenkmeister]

Thanks. I was able to open the file on my Windows machine in AE 24.0.3. The built in windows video player wanted a HEVC codec installed to play it back though. Any chance you've installed other codecs recently that might be interferring? If you could enable logging (Help -> Enable Logging), reproduce the error, then find the log file (Help -> Reveal Logging File) and find the After Effects Log.txt file that might have something in it to tell us what's failing. 

[ValeriiN]

Here is .txt file:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YwkGrGYKjdw563ZeSITSXUGWDjMgWu09/view?usp=sharing

[ValeriiN]

Hello.
Have you received my Reveal Logging File?
I've probably watched all the tutorials on YouTube, but nothing seems to help.
I can't use the program fully 😞

[jenkmeister]

I did receive the files, thanks. There are some warnings that we think might be causing the issue:

ippInit warning: ippStsNonIntelCpu: The target CPU is not Genuine Intel

Can you tell me more about your CPU? I can't imagine it's changed lately but potentially the newer AE versions are requiring something that your CPU doesn't support.  

[ValeriiN]

Sure, here is my CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 2200U with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx   2.50 GHz.
It's very strange; last week, After Effects was working fine, and there were no such errors 🤔

[mayjain]

Hi @ValeriiN ,

Thanks for higlighting it. We haven't seen any such import issue internally of late, so we believe this may be related to some specific system/product state.  

Can you try clearing media cache ?You can check this old article for steps https://community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects-discussions/faq-how-to-clean-delete-or-trash-media-cach...

Moreover, please see if you can reproduce this issue on any other system too, and probably install Premiere Pro/Media Encoder from CC and verify there too ? 

We will continue try to reproduce this locally meanwhile.  

Thanks, 
Mayjain

[ValeriiN]

I cleared the media cache, as you advised, but it didn't help 🤷
I also use Media Encoder and Premiere Pro (the latest versions), and I don't encounter such problems with these programs;
all video formats are imported without errors.

[ValeriiN]

Hi.
I would like to know if my issue is being considered.
I still can't use the program properly, and I don't understand what to do.

[ValeriiN]

Hello.
I still can't use the program.

Can someone help me with this issue?

[jenkmeister]

Can you try rolling back to 23.6 or 23.4 and see if the issue still happens? It's hard to know what you have installed on your machine that is blocking this from working, or what else might have changed on your machine. There is nothing in the log files outside of the warning around your CPU but given you probably didn't change that, I'd expect some other software or OS update you've installed to be interferring with AE.

[Warren Heaton]

If the file "name.mp4" is decompressing in Premiere Pro and Media Encoder as expected, try using Media Encoder to transcode the file to an Apple ProRes 422 LT QuickTime movie file for use in After Effects (Format pop-up menu set to QuickTime and Preset pop-up menu set to Apple QuickTime ProRes 422 LT).  Assuming this works, you can do that until you determine what on your system is preventing the file from working in After Effects in the first place.  If that does not work, try using Shutter Encoder (donation-ware) to transcode the file.  If ProRes 422 LT still does not work, try another on of the "Editing codec" options available in the Choose function pop-up menu. 

Also, since your clip is variable frame rate HEVC from an iPhone 11, I wouldtranscode to ProRes 422 LT for Premiere Pro anyway.

[ValeriiN]

Thank you for the advice.
The transcoded file through Media Encoder, as you suggested, finally imported into After Effects.
However, this did not solve the main problem... The fact that the video has a variable frame rate HEVC and was shot on an iPhone 11 doesn't seem to significantly impact the import; still, all videos, regardless of format and source, give the same error (except QuickTime/Apple ProRes 422 LT).

[Warren Heaton]

It's something specific to your computer that is causing the issue.

You could try another computer (our Creative Cloud plan allows us to have the software active on two machines).

Another thing to try when whatever is causing a conflict cannot be determined is to do a clean install of Windows and After Effects on your current machine.  That of course takes some time and effort that ideally would not be necessary.

[ValeriiN]

I'm rolling back to 23.6 & 23.4 and the issue still happens 😕

[ValeriiN]

Recently, I installed a plugin from Mister Horse called Animation Composer.
Is it possible that the issue is related to this?
P.S.: I also have this plugin installed in Premier Pro, and everything works there without errors.

[Warren Heaton]

Disabling plug-ins is a common trouble-shooting step, but I'm not sure it's a solution here.

[ValeriiN]

So, the issue is resolved.
Honestly, I don't know how, but after the recent update, everything fixed itself.
Now, I can import all video formats again.
Thank you all for your attention.