Timecode - Instead of numbers only squares appear.

[TIKWA Atelier]

Hi, maybe you can help me. My timecode in Premiere does not work. Instead of numbers, only squares appear. I have several versions of Premiere CC installed, but all versions have the same error. I'm using Premiere on a Macbook Pro 2017. What can I do?

[Richard M Knight]

Are you talking about the UI timecode display or some sort of burnt-in to the video timecode?

[TIKWA Atelier]

Hi, i talk from the timecode you can add in the videos with effects/videoeffects/video/timecode. Thank you.

[Richard M Knight]

How are you adding the effect, I usually add a transparent video layer and put the timecode effect on that. There is now the option to add timecode at the export stage using the timecode overlay.

[TIKWA Atelier]

I insert the video effect / timecode on a transparent layer. But instead of the numbers only empty boxes appear. See image.

[Richard M Knight]

That almost looks like the font is missing. Does it work if you use the export overlay method?

[TIKWA Atelier]

Unfortunately not. Only boxes instead of numbers. I've read that Premiere uses for the timecode Arial.TTF as font. But this font is installed in my system.

[Jcalpayne · Accepted solution]

If you have a mac, I went to the Font book and checked Arial Font. On the bottom right it said I had multiple fonts for Ariel and I clicked Automatically resolve and it deleted the duplicates. It fixed the square issue.

[TIKWA Atelier]

Thank you Jcalpayne. this was helpful. Timceode ist working.

Thanks,

Tikwa

[Kevin-Monahan]

Still having this problem, TIKWA%20Atelier? Let us know so we can help.

Thanks,
Kevin

[TIKWA Atelier]

Thanks, Kevin. Timecode is now working.

Best, Tikwa

[Lisa Benden]

Helo,

I am also having this problem this is an old post, but it was the only instance of this problem I could find info on...

I have tried resolving the fonts with fontbook, and it did't work.  I tried manualy moving fonts around and that didn't help, I tried putting the font in the system folder and/or the user folder.  I have also rebooted my computer and cleared my cash...  Noting has helped.

I am runing Premiere Pro 2020, Verson 14.1.0

And, Mojave 10.14.6

Any advice?

[connie5]

Hi Lisa Benden,

I was having the same problem that I noticed in Media Encoder just after I upgraded to Catalina from High Sierra -- so I thought it was a bug between the two. After I updated Media Encoder I still had the issue of instead of TC numbers it showed boxes. 

I tried the same method as above, resolving the duplicates of Arial in the fontbook, and it didn't work the first time. But then when I did it manually, it worked. 

**Try resolving manually, and checking the box that says to put duplicate into the bin. Make sure no duplicate Arial fonts remain (active or inactive).**

Hope that helps!

[salvizslove]

I know this is an old topic but I just ran into the same problem. The way I fixed it was rather simple so I wanted to post it in case someone else needs another option:

-- This worked on my Mac and I haven't used a Windows machine recently enough to know if a similar solution exists --

• I deleted the ARIAL font files from Font Book (I only moved them to the desktop, in case I needed them later)

     This made it so that adding the TimeCode effect in Premiere didn't display anything except the fields icon

     After adding that .ttf file for ARIAL back into the Font Book the squares came back so I figured it was a corrupt file

•I was going to download a new .ttf ARIAL file from the internet, but I ended up having the idea to just copy the one from my laptop over to the iMac having the problem. I installed the .ttf file back into the iMac's Font Book and VOILA

I followed the same process for the remaining ARIAL family .ttf files

I hope this helps someone!

[Bobby Boson]

I'm having the same problem. Seems like it didn't start happening until I installed Premiere 2022 on my mac. I've tried all the solutions listed here and nothing has worked. Any other ideas?

[Michael Grenadier]

Have you tried opening fontbook (a mac program that's installed by defualt) and selecting all your fonts and going file: validate fonts and seing if there are any issues...

[Bobby Boson]

I did this and it didn't work. The strange thing is that other text based effects work fine, such as clip name and simple text. I assume they all use the same Arial font, right? Arial and all its variations also work fine in the essential graphics panel. 

[Michael Grenadier]

found this with that newfangled thing called "google."

https://setapp.com/how-to/mac-default-fonts

worth a shot

please post back and let us know how it goes.

[Bobby Boson]

Thanks for the sarcastic advice. I had also tried this newfangled thing called google.

I had already attempted 2 or 3 other methods of clearing the font cash/restoring default fonts and it hadn't worked, so I gave up on that approach. While on a lengthy and fruitless chat with an adobe rep (which involved deleting my preferences and keyboard shortcuts), I tried your method and it finally worked. 

[Michael Grenadier]

sorry for the snark.  sometimes it's hard to resist...  Thanks for posting your solution...  

[Bobby Boson]

All good, my friend. Thanks for your help.