Can't import HEVC-videos to Premiere Pro (2018)

[tosse]

Hi!

Is it just me that can't import videos from my iPhone to Premiere Pro CC (2018)? It probably has something to do with the new codec in IOS11 (HEVC).

"Code missing or unavailable".

[Guest]

so I understand the HEVC format, only works on the paid version of the adobe premiere, meaning you have to do the signature with the adobe so that the suite imports the HEVC format natively.

[Kevin-Monahan · Accepted solution]

HI Tosse,

• Premiere Pro CC 2018 (12.0.1) now supports QuickTime wrapped HEVC (AKA H.265) video files.
• Note that only licensed Creative Cloud members have access to this codec.
• Trial versions do not recognize these files, sorry.
• If you are having trouble with import issues, create a new post, and then file a bug.
• HEVC is not a very performant format, I would recommend you create proxies or transcode the footage at ingest.
• Please return with any questions.

Thanks,
Kevin

[kietthai]

Hello, I have spent hours tonight trying to figure out how to use these HEVC files in Premiere.

After trying all sorts of file conversion methods I finally saw this thread. I just upgraded my OS to High Sierra and upgraded my premiere to 12.0.1 (not a trial version). When I opened Premiere and imported an HEVC file I got a message saying that the HEVC codec needed to be installed to view the file. Clicking ok will install the codec for immediate use. So I clicked OK and got a message saying the codec was missing.

What else am I supposed to do after I upgrade to Premiere 12.0.1? I thought this was the last step of many frustrating hours spent technical troubleshooting.

[sBirch]

Hey, did you make sure to update Media Encoder to 12.0.1 also? I was stuck like you, but it was not enough simply to upgrade Premiere Pro. You should also manually do an update of Media Encoder from the Creative Cloud Apps tab. I also signed out and in of Creative Cloud after upgrading, just for good measure.

[kietthai]

Hi sBirch.

I finally figured it out. HEVC files have to be encoded with AAC audio to be usable in Premiere. My files were HEVC with AIFF audio. This is what cause the files to not be readable.

HEVC + AAC = ok go!

HEVC + AIFF = headache!

[sBirch]

Hi Kevin,

SOLVED: I had to update Media Encoder to 12.0.1 as well, manually. I found out this after a complete reinstall. MOV files recorded with HEVC now import correctly. Now it works as it should!

Ive installed Premiere Pro 2018 12.0.1 and Media Encorer 12.0 (202). I am a subscriber - I made sure ti sign out of Creative Cloud and back in after updating to 12.0.1 of PPro. How do I activate this new codec? I tried to Ingest some .MOV files I have copied off an iPhone 8 that was shot with the 4k Best Efficiency codec.

The error I see in Media encoder is:

The file IMG_2056.MOV  could not be imported - check that it is a valid file.

If I import the IMG_2056.MOV file into Premiere Pro without Ingesting it, I see the error

File importer detected an inconsistency in the file structure of IMG_2056.MOV. Reading and writing this file's metadata (XMP) has been disabled.

[Dazzling_user15D5]

I am a CC customer....where is the access to this codec? Specifically. No ambiguity please.

[sBirch]

It is baked into Media Encoder 12.0.1. Update that, also update Premiere Pro. Then import a .MOV file encoded with H.265 and you will see a prompt to install the codec. Click OK and it is there.

IF you see an error message about file invalidity or something, you either failed to update PPro and Media encoder or the file is corrupted - I struggled a lot with that on top of everything else with that because iCloud is unreliable and allows you to download broken files.

[bert 1989]

When will this update be out for windows?

[Aldea Visual]

I have the full Adobe Suite paid and can't make it run. Not even with a proxy. Any suggestion?

[sarahj92427727]

Hi there,

I have HEVC files that I changed from .mov to .mp4 so that I could import into premiere. That worked. I also made proxies and attached them. In my premiere project, it plays ok. But when I sent the sequence to another editor, she told me about half of the clips don't have audio when she watches the same sequence. Then I realized when I play them in quicktime on my own system, about half don't in fact have audio, even though it plays in Premiere!

1.) Why would some proxies not have sound in quicktime even though they were all made the same way? 2.) Why would proxies with no sound play WITH sound in premiere on my end. 3.) If our systems are identical, why would these files play on mine and not hers?  4.) Is this audio trouble because of changing the extension? Is there any way for me to  import these HEVC files that Premiere doesn't like without changing the extension?

Feeling frustrated and desperate and could really use your insight!

[sarahj92427727]

Oh, and the proxies I made are apple pro res.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hello Sarah,

Sorry for your frustration in collaborating with others and working with HEVC files. The first thing to find out is why your HEVC files were not importing.

QuickTime wrapped HEVC files are currently supported, so the first step I would take is to find out why they are not importing into your machine.

• HEVC files are fully supported in versions 12.0.1 and later
• Premiere Pro and Media Encoder must both be updated to 12.0.1 or later.
• HEVC files do not work in trial versions.
• HEVC files only work in fully licensed versions of Premiere Pro and Media Encoder.
• HEVC files with AIF audio are not imported, they must be recorded as AAC.
• HEVC files are difficult to edit with: transcode the files or create proxies in Media Encoder so you can edit with them without losing your mind.
• If HEVC files cannot be imported into Media Encoder, change the extension to .m4v, then import them for transcoding or creating proxies.

A full transcode of these files is always my suggestion with HEVC originals so that you have some good working files that can be handled more normally. These files completely suck to edit with, so yes, change that extension if you have to; but immediately transcode those nasty things, if anything but for the sake of your own sanity.

I'm not sure exactly why the issue you described is occurring, but it may have something to so with your cache files being generated only on your system, while your collaborator does not have the same cache files, which were created on ingest. It's possible that the audio is being sourced from your proxies or something like that.

This is one of those situation where a kink in your workflow screwed up something that should probably have worked a little more elegantly in the first place. Undoing this situation sounds rather complicated, though. I would attack it by first fixing my own project, then hand off working media and project files to my collaborator.

I hope that helps. If you need more advice let me know. If you need help with designing a more bullet proof workflow for collaboration for your next project; also let me know.

Thanks,
Kevin

[kims80256062]

Hi Kevin,

Thank you SO MUCH for weighing in last month. It was very helpful.

We've been changing systems around a lot, and I just realized this computer I've been working on lately does indeed have 12.0.0 instead of 12.0.1. I assumed it had 12.0.1 since all the systems do.

So last month before I discovered this version discrepancy, I  made proxies of the original HVEC .mov files, left those originals on the drive, but also made a folder of the same files with the changed the extension to .mp4.  I changed the extension so that I could import the raw files (albeit with a different extension) to then attach the proxies I made for the original .mov files to them. Was this a bad idea? This seems to have worked, but I'm nervous something will go wrong when we move to the offline.

We just got a new batch of footage that again has HVEC files, and this is when I discovered the version on my computer is 12.0.0.

Is there a link you can provide me with for 12.0.1? I'd used https://prodesigntools.com/adobe-cc-2018-direct-download-links.html  in the past, but it keeps giving me 12.0.0.

Or, do you think what I did in  the past was the right way to do it?

Many thanks for your help.

[kims80256062]

Hi again, Kevin.

I'm told it is no longer possible to download version 12.0.1, which concerns me since all the other systems use it. Will it be a problem passing back and forth projects from an editor who uses 12.0.1 and another with version 12.1.2? I'm told this is all I can do. Or, I suppose I can continue using 12.0.0 and hope that the HVEC workflow I described earlier will be fine.

Thanks again!

[eds_adobe]

Hi Kevin, I have the same issue HEVC files from my Gopro are not supported. I installed the trial version of Adobe Premiere.

Buying the pro version without testing is not an option for me...

[Ann Bens]

Trial version does not support HEVC files.

[jurysout]

Sadly, this hasn't been an easy fix. I updated CC for both ME and PP and imported the HEVC clips into PP. Really bizarre things happening. Clip will play first 5 seconds, then jump, freeze and keep playing audio. [files are HEVC, AAC] or play audio with frozen image. I'm currently converting everything in ME to H264/MP4, which looks like it might work. So not fluid workflow yet Adobe... Looking forward to when it is.

[Will..]

That is pretty much what's happening for me.. I can't win trying to use Premiere Pro to edit. with Iphone footage from my XS Max, it shows full red frames randomly, or it plays and glitches/repeats parts and also randomly slows the audio down on non-slowmo footage.. I tried encoding them to other formats and it didn't help, all that did was bake in the glitches......

I'm running the latest version of Premiere Pro CC2019. My Iphone has been out for a few months now and this is CC2019's 3rd update.. Why doesn't it work? How can I fix it. Trying automatic or original settings on my phone didn't help.

Also tried the files on both my Macbook Pro and my Windows 10 PC. Same issue on both systems.

[Ann Bens]

WillBartlett  wrote

. I tried encoding them to other formats and it didn't help, all that did was bake in the glitches......

My conclusion would be: the originals are corrupt.

[Will..]

The originals are not corrupt, I made a post about it explaining how I used the original recorded videos in a workaround to eventually be able to edit them on a computer: https://forums.adobe.com/message/10840409#10840409

[Ann Bens]

Encoding to an other format with phone footage one usually does not use AME as it does not handle the variable framerate.

Hens my remark. I was assuming you used a converter other then AME.

Continuing in other thread.

[Will..]

I tried multiple converters, but because it's vertical and HEVC footage, the options are limited.