Premiere Elements 2020 not opening m4v video file

[Bill Gardner Photography]

All of my m4v videos opened in Premiere Elements 2018, but I get an import error in 2020 version. Documentation states that m4v video files can be imported, but not exported. Using MacBook Pro running MacOS Mojave. Any ideas?

[Bill Sprague]

m4v files typically are downloaded from iTunes.  Apple copywrite protects those so they can't be used in any editing program.   I don't know why 2020 rejects them and 2018 doesn't.  

[Ann Bens]

If the are not copy protected files change m4v to mts.

[Bill Sprague]

Ann,

Can you do that with a simple rename or does in need a conversion program?  Handbrake?

Bill

[Bill Gardner Photography]

As a follow-up, my m4v videos were not files that I downloaded from iTunes. They were videos that I created from a slideshow I made using my own images. Nothing is copy protected. As I mentioned, they all open in Premiere Elements 2018.

[Bill Gardner Photography]

Just in case anyone else has this problem, I received a message from Adobe Customer Service with a solution:

"Please convert file to mp4 then you can able to use with Premiere Elements 2020"

I assume Adobe's own documentation is incorrect. Maybe I'll just stick with Premiere Elements 2018, because that version imports the m4v files without a problem. 

[Bill Sprague]

Bill Gardner,

Premiere Elements is focused on being able to make videos from common consumer camera footage.  It does not pretend to have all the codecs.   Each "container" of MTS, MP4, M4V can have a variety of codecs.  My hunch now is that your slide show program created a M4V container with a codec Premier Elements does not share.  

I agree that your best choice is to stick with version 2018.

[Ann Bens]

Things have changed under the hood since 2018, did you try the m4v to mts ?