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No AC3 codec in Windows 11 24H2 - Solution is needed

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
May 30, 2024
13 replies
72168 views

If i do a clean install of Windows 11 24H2 i cannot playback mp4 files with 5.1 audio. Microsoft writes "Beginning with Windows 11, version 24H2, the AC-3 codec is no longer included with Windows." and no solution is available such as "Buy the AC3 codec in MS Store now!!".

To reporduce:

1. Do a clean install of Windows 11

2. Install Premiere Pro

3. Import a mp4 file with 5.1 audio.

Result:

The file will be imported as video-only.

Expected result:

That the file imports as Video/Audio and that i can playback the file and hear the 5.1 audio.

Additional info:

If you have upgraded from a prior version of Windows 11 to 24H2 the AC3 codec is included, so doing a clean install of Win 11 24H2 is vital to reproduce this.

I have a HP Z4 G5 workstation and none of the audio drivers for this machine do contain any AC3 codec that Premiere Pro can use.

Any solution from Adobe?

Microsoft document: Codecs in Media Player - Microsoft Support

Import

Correct answer Averdahl

You can install the Dolby Digital codec. Read more here: Dolby Digital Plus Decoder for PC OEMs

This will bring back the audio for you!

We really hope that Microsoft, Adobe or even Canon will include the codec! I have about ten years of shooting and editing done in this format and I often have to recover past fragments. Shots taken with a Canon that I still use as a forklift. I did a clean install of Win11 two days ago and it took me half an afternoon to find out why I couldn't hear the audios anymore and the files in the premiere montages were no longer recognized. Tonight, guys, it's really hard to discover such a BETRAYAL.

By @Fondazione_G_Bassetti

D

darshana_07

New Participant

I had this same issue with the latest version of Adobe Premiere Pro 25.3 builds and ended up having to downgrade to 25.2 version to get the audio issues fixed where imported MTS files were playing white noise.

I found this link that helped me: https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/premiere-25-3-0-problems-with-audio/td-p/15376935

MyerPj

Community Expert

If your issue was MTS files, @Ann Bens provided a different link above:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/p-audio-of-avchd-files-in-mts-format-with-pcm-audio-does-not-play-correctly-sounds-like-noise/idi-p/15369553

This is mostly a thread about doing a Clean install of Windows 11 24H2, and the MS removed Dolby codecs, and @Averdahl post a link to get them back.

MyerPj

Community Expert

I'm late to post back here, but in the meantime, I've put a clean 24H2 onto my laptop, which I noted above, and now on my main machine about six weeks ago, and using the linke form @Averdahl's post (https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/no-ac3-codec-in-windows-11-24h2-solution-is-needed/m-p/14974444#M537883) <- here or above, it worked fine on both machine with little drama. So, all's well, with thanks to @Averdahl 🙂

AverdahlAuthor

Community Expert

Great to hear that it works and thank you for the report! 🙂

I'm late to post back here, but in the meantime, I've put a clean 24H2 onto my laptop, which I noted above, and now on my main machine about six weeks ago, and using the linke form @Averdahl's post (https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/no-ac3-codec-in-windows-11-24h2-solution-is-needed/m-p/14974444#M537883) <- here or above, it worked fine on both machine with little drama. So, all's well, with thanks to @Averdahl 🙂

By @MyerPj

MyerPj

Community Expert

Nope! ?

MyerPj

Community Expert

Something strange is happening here, I'm not able to see my recent posts. Let's see if I see this one?

MyerPj

Community Expert

I've just setup my Surface Laptop 3 with a clean install of 24H2, and indeed there was no ac3 audio. I then installed the AC3 (but not the ac4) codec from @Averdahl 's link, and it installs quickly (Ie: Not a lot of nonsense installing) and works great. I doubt I'll install PP on it, but am pondering the current Windows update offering of 24H2 on my main machine, or doing a clean install of it soon.

MyerPj

Community Expert

I've setup my Surface Laptop 3 with a clean install of 24H2, and indeed there was no ac3 audio. I then installed the AC3 (but not the ac4) codec from @Averdahl 's link, and it installs quickly (Ie: Not a lot of nonsense installing) and works great. I doubt I'll install PP on it, but am pondering the Windows update offering of 24H2, or doing a clean install of it soon.

F

Fondazione_G_Bassetti

Participating Frequently

Davvero speriamo che Microsoft, Adobe o anche Canon includano il codec! Ho circa dieci anni di riprese e montaggi fatti in questo formato e mi capita spesso di dover recuperare frammenti passati. Riprese fatte con una Canon che ancora uso come muletto. Ho fatto una installazione pulita di Win11 due giorni fa e ho impiegato mezzo pomeriggio a scoprire come mai non sentivo più gli audio e i file nei montaggi premiere non venivano più riconosciuti. Stasera, ragazzi, è proprio dura scoprire un simile TRADIMENTO.

AverdahlAuthorCorrect answer

Community Expert

You can install the Dolby Digital codec. Read more here: Dolby Digital Plus Decoder for PC OEMs

This will bring back the audio for you!

We really hope that Microsoft, Adobe or even Canon will include the codec! I have about ten years of shooting and editing done in this format and I often have to recover past fragments. Shots taken with a Canon that I still use as a forklift. I did a clean install of Win11 two days ago and it took me half an afternoon to find out why I couldn't hear the audios anymore and the files in the premiere montages were no longer recognized. Tonight, guys, it's really hard to discover such a BETRAYAL.

By @Fondazione_G_Bassetti

MyerPj

Community Expert

Hey @Averdahl , thanks very much for those. I'm about to do a clean install 24H2 on my tester, and I have a surface where I manged to get a clean install of 24h2 pro, so I'll be trying it out on both.

MyerPj

Community Expert

Found some very good test files:

https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/11qqv95/surround_sound_test_files_in_almost_every_format/

R Neil Haugen

Brainiac

Well, this will be a pain!

We've not upgraded to Win 11 yet, all our computers are still on 10. So would an upgrade from 10 to 11 have this, as seems likely?

Everyone's mileage always varies ...

AverdahlAuthor

Community Expert

If you upgrade from Win 10 the Dolby codec will probably carry over to Win 11.

R Neil Haugen

Brainiac

Hoping so, but ... Win10 kept some things from previous, but changed others. It was something of a fishing expedition to sort a few things out. I am not a fan of OS updates. Sigh.

Everyone's mileage always varies ...

wxthings

Participating Frequently

This sounds like the cause of the problem I'm having with no audio on AVCHD .MTS files in Premiere, After Effects and Media Encoder, given that I purchased a brand new workstation with Win 11 installed. https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-bugs/video-importing-with-out-of-sync-audio/idc-p/14962324#M39867

AverdahlAuthor

Community Expert

@wxthings

I eventually found Download Dolby AC-3/AC-4 Installer - MajorGeeks and installed the two codecs, AC-3 and AC-4. This is the Dolby Digital Plus Decoder for PC OEMs and that gave me audio in Premiere Pro and audio in Windows Media Player. This is the only decoder that gave me both.

Un-zip the file you download and install the two packages. 🙂

Try that to see if it solves your issue and report back.

wxthings

Participating Frequently

Thanks, but no solution. I installed the AC 3 codec (and reinstalled Premiere 25). While it does bring back the missing audio from the .mts clips, the audio leads the video by about 20 frames in my existing Premiere projects and new Premiere projects (as well as in After Effects compositions.

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