Video file not opening in Photoshop 2020

[RiddleDigital]

So, since updating to Photoshop 2020, I can't open a video file 😕

Getting an error messsage: 

Could not open “filename.mp4” because the video file could not be opened.

Getting on my nerves a little bit, updated to the lastest version, I am on Catalina 🙂 I have tried a few different other video files, same errror and can't seem to find a fix 😕

[Roger Lilly]

To fix this issue which only seems to be an issue for Mac users. 

1. Click settings.

2. click security and privacy 

3. scroll to full disk access 

4. click the plus sign ( you have to click the lock in the bottom left corner to allow changes) 

5. after clicking the plus sign a new window will open, click applications in the left sidebar

6. Find photoshop and click it, then click it again and hit open to add it to your list. 

Do the same for Lightroom and then close and restart and reopen photoshop and try opening a video and it should work. 

[mark-heaps]

I had a similar issue with video going into a non-Adobe product and followed these same steps in the updated Apple OS and it resolved the issue for me for that app as well.

[bradleyg92122464]

still no luck 😕 it says 

"Could not place “videofilename. mp4 ” because the video file could not be opened." 

Been looking for hours for a solution, I hate when updates mess things up I might have to call support. 

[Roger Lilly]

I'm going to make a YouTube video and post the link. If you followed all the steps it should be working. I tried the fix someone posted earlier in the thread but until I alllwed permission under all of their suggestions and the full disk access it kept saying I couldn't open a video. 

[Stephen Barrante]

Will take anything that might help, thanks!!

[Roger Lilly]

https://youtu.be/7F3WQY0yWw8

Here is a YouTube video of my screen record. If you add permission under files and folders, accessibility, AND full disk access and it still doesn't allow photoshop to open videos after restarting then I'm not sure what to suggest. 

I tried the previous fix that Adobe posted about just adding permission under the accessibility tab whenever I first posted in this thread and that fix didn't work. It wasn't until I just allowed permission under the three I mentioned that it let me start opening and editing videos. It is very frustrating, hopefully this helps some people at least with the issue. 

[TVWxMan]

SOLUTION:

Hi everyone.  I am brand new to Photoshop and brand new to this forum.  I stumbled on this thread because I too desired to capture a still image from video using photoshop and encountered the same error message that started this thread. I am happy to report I have successfully opened video files and captured the images I seeked.  It might have actually helped I'm brand new to this because experienced users might have blown right past the step I discovered.

Disclaimer:  This is only working on video files encoded with the H.264 codec, not the H.265 HEVC codec. Of course warnings abound with the H.265 codec cautioning folks that it may not be compatible with all applications and playback devices, especially older ones.  I suppose I can't blame photoshop too much for the incompatibilty here since it hasn't been built from the ground up to be a video player.  But if you still want to blame them, that's fine too, LOL!  Ok enough blather, here we go:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These notes are taken from this youtube video produced by Adobe Product Manager Bryan O’Neil Hughes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZup--tpyzk&list=PL097JQj2RAe8hFjYQDmMsOzUmLD97yBsr&index=4

1. Ignore his opening  statement, as you all know, you can’t just open a video file in PS due to a supposed bug in PS 2021.  
2. To open a video file, when starting PS, you should be presented with an opening dialogue box asking you what you wish to do.  If not, check your settings, this is critical.  Click on “Create New” then “Film and Video”.  Then click “View All Presets” and choose your format.  Typically mine is 3840x2160.
3. At this point you have two options to extract a still image from the video.

METHOD ONE:

1. Make sure your timeline is visible.  Click “Window” then click “Timeline”.
2. File… Open…  (I have only been able to open videos using the H.264 codec, not H.265 HEVC.
3. Click on the ‘Render Video’ arrow in the lower left of the PS window.
4. In the dialogue box choose a name for your images (frames), select a destination folder.
5. Change “Adobe Media Encoder” to “Photoshop Image Sequence”.
6. Choose your format.  JPEG? Uncompressed Photoshop?
7. I recommend leaving the image (Document) size alone, more on that below.
8. Finally, set your range.  You might want to grab several frames for the reasons mentioned in Method 2.
9. Click render and enjoy your captured images.

METHOD 2:

1. File… Import… Import Video To Layers
2. When the dialogue window appears, use the bookends to set your range.  It’s a little coarse this way.
3. When you click ‘OK’ it will populate your Layers area with all the frames you captured.
4. For me, capturing one frame is enough, but for doing more with multiple layers, see the video.
5. Here is the point where Bryan chose to resize the image, and I was impressed.  See video at 3:50.

That's it!  I hope this helps.

[TVWxMan]

By the way, I should have mentioned:  I'm a Windows 10 user, not a Mac.

[patriciac1912043]

Roger Lilly....thank you so much. problem solved! You ROCK!

[Tu-La]

Thank you!!!

[Lynne N]

This worked!!! Thank you :)))

[Валерия22269194uwgg]

What helped me: 
1. Quit Photoshop 
2. Open system preferences>Security and Privacy>Files and Folders> make sure to Check the on the Adobe Photoshop Documents folder
3. Restart the Mac
4. Open Adobe account where you install the Photoshop and chooose Open (Intel)

I got the message "Could not open because the video file could not be opened" after I chose  Open(intall) but when I changed the System preferences it worked for me!

[defaultw31rhx0oqv4w]

Yes, this solved the problem for me. Sounds like an M1 chip bug for some people.

[defaultw31rhx0oqv4w]

Thanks for posting!

[shawnhowe]

Any solution to this? I am having the same issue. I am running the most updated version. 

[bradleyg92122464]

did you ever find a solution?

[fadhl1]

Mine having problem when adding video on PS Timeline, I can play the video, but there's no image showing, only the audio of the video.

[Elena73]

I have the same problem on PC: "Could not complete the Video Frames to Layers command because the file could not be opened".

Up to 3 days ago everything was working, now no images showung, just audio... any solution?

[bradleyg92122464]

sorry I've been commenting on everyones post but did you ever figure out how to fix this?

[au - thomasr82165624]

Same issue here.

Videos that worked two weeks ago no longer load. Just a blank square pops up.....

I have converted the videos every which-way I can think of. For some reason the only videos that now open in Photoshop are ones from my phone.... PLEASE FIX!

[dan2018]

The issue for me seemed to be related to where the video files are saved. If I open a video from an external drive - no issues. Opening a video saved on the internal drive - error message. The workaround is to copy the video to an external device and open it in Photoshop. Hope that helps

[AnimoMotion]

Workaround - found an old downloader from an external site with Photoshop CC2018 on there, reluctant to post in case Adobe stop it but you can goodle it and should be fine or DM me with your email and I will send it to you - using that in conjuction with Mojave worked great. So we have progressed 1 OS and 1, now 2 Photoshop CC iterations and this functionality no longer works. Well done Adobe and Apple. Once again, your corporate nonsense hurts the people who use your products. 

Ridiculous. 

[Obscure.]

Same here

[AnimoMotion]

Workaround - found an old downloader from an external site with Photoshop CC2018 on there, reluctant to post in case Adobe stop it but you can goodle it and should be fine or DM me with your email and I will send it to you - using that in conjuction with Mojave worked great. So we have progressed 1 OS and 1, now 2 Photoshop CC iterations and this functionality no longer works. Well done Adobe and Apple. Once again, your corporate nonsense hurts the people who use your products. 

Ridiculous. 

[bradleyg92122464]

can you send me the downloader and will it work with catalina