FAQ: The File Cannot Be Opened Because of a Header Error

[Kevin-Monahan]

Unable to import your image(s) to Premiere Pro? Does “The File Cannot Be Opened Because of a Header Error” pop up? Adobe Expert, Jens Trimmer, created an article and video containing fixes for the issue. Check these out.

Here's Jens' updated troubleshooting guide if you run into the error:

https://videowithjens.com/premiere-pro-the-file-cannot-be-opened-because-of-a-header-error/

Jens also made a video about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtpyTbWZWJ8

[DigitalSoju]

I've been using Subtitle edit and the export to Final Cut Pro xml and whenever premiere reads the xml file, it reads it wrong (or the program is exporting it wrong). 29.97 always gets imported as 29 fps and 23.97 as 23 fps. It's been a huge pain because as the time length of the video goes on, the timing gets more thrown off. I've recorded a video through camtasia and showed the program developer the problem. But if it's a problem on Adobe's end, then I guess we're screwed unless Adobe sees it.

[andrewc28654932]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to import a wmv file which plays in VLC, WMP, & Media Viewer into Premire Pro. It also reads into VSDC albeit very slowly. I get an error that there is an error in the file header. I then tried converting the file to various formats in VLC and then get the error that the file contains no audio or video streams. The converted file plays fine in other media players.

The original file is quite old (from 2012) and I am trying to avoid reformatting in any way as I am worried about losing resolution on what is already a fairly low res file.

Checking back there seemed to be a problem back in 2010 but nothing since.

Can anyone help at all?

[Ann Bens]

If a file will play in a player it does not mean it will play in a NLE.

An NLE is not the same as a media player.

Try Handbrake to convert.

HandBrake 

[OmkarMadhu]

"Header errors" when importing jpeg files into Adobe Primere

[SAFEHARBOR11]

Open in Photoshop and make sure they are RGB and not CMYK. If that doesn't work, open in the free IrFanView program, then use Save As to get a new version of the still, which often fixes corrupted images for me.

Thanks

Jeff Pulera

Safe Harbor Computers

[Sumeet Kumar Choubey]

Hi OmkarMadhu,

Please let us know if you were able to solve the issue with jpeg import in Premiere Pro.

Thanks,

Sumeet

[cliffclof]

I have this same problem, has anyone found a fix?   It seems as though the image is fine until it is imported into premiere, at that time it fails and becomes corrupt.  Have been trying to figure this one out for a while.  Thanks.

Win 10 pro

Premiere V13.0.2 (B38)

Adobe Photoshop Version: 20.0.2 20181219.r.30 2018/12/19: 1202136  x64

Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

Version: 10 or greater 10.0.16299.431

System architecture: Intel CPU Family:6, Model:5, Stepping:4 with MMX, SSE Integer, SSE FP, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, HyperThreading

Physical processor count: 6

Logical processor count: 12

Processor speed: 3600 MHz

Built-in memory: 65189 MB

Free memory: 41809 MB

[SAFEHARBOR11]

Open in Photoshop and make sure they are RGB and not CMYK. If that doesn't work, open in the free IrFanView program, then use Save As to get a new version of the still, which often fixes corrupted images for me.

[gulistanm47518378]

Hi! This question has been asked in this forum before, but I've tried all the solutions and none have worked for me.

I have an SRT file that I want to bring into Premiere to line up with my footage that I need subtitled. The subtitles were already created. Previously I used this great program called Premiere SRT that was amazing, but it no longer works since the update to Premiere.

I'm on a Mac, so the subtitle edit program that someone recommended before is a no go for me. I tried the BBEdit program another user recommended, and that allowed me to at least bring the SRT file into premiere without the header error, however it only brings in a single subtitle and not the hundred or so that are part of the SRT file.

Grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks!

[Stan Jones]

Post the srt file to dropbox or similar and I'll take a look. Send me a PM from the message on my name.

[britnybelcher]

I have also tried all the suggestions from previous forums on this topic and nothing works. I have a MAC and am trying to import an srt file from YouTube. 

[OnePerson-TjrbWg]

Was recording some gameplay for my channel in OBS, as soon as I saw the drive drop to KBS I did the smart thing and disk cleaned up and began re recording, now I have and unopenable 82.7 GB file and an openable 946MB file, really don't want to find out this file is garbage now after like7-8 hours of gameplay, tried opening with VLC player and Handbrake and neither want to open it.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi OnePerson,

Sorry for your problems related to capturing and saving streams. It sounds like Premiere Pro CS6 generated an error dialog box related to your file. My guess is that this is variable frame rate footage. If so, it is not supported in Premiere Pro. Try transcoding it to Handbrake first, then report back. Let us know if you are still getting the same error.

Thanks,
Kevin

[OnePerson-TjrbWg]

Handbrake isn't allowing the file in.

[Warren Heaton]

How is the drive that you captured the 82.27GB file formatted?  There are some rules about drive format, file format and file size that limit how long/larg a file can be, but  I can't remember off hand.  That could be affecting you here.  For example, an 82GB QuickTime file can go onto a HFS+ drive, but not a FAT32 drive.  Although, if it was strictly drive format issue, you probably would have had a failed capture at the 4GB point.

This doesn't help your current issue, but could help for future recording:  I've found that for extended length recordings that security camera DVRs tend to make very good recording devices.  The two models that I've used record continuously, but segment the files automatically.

[OnePerson-TjrbWg]

Saved recordings are going on an SSD.

[OnePerson-TjrbWg]

So basically the file is useless, will follow those tips you said though.

[Pere_Casanellas]

I have an Olympus camera (photos and also videos of less than 15 minutes) model E-M10 Mark III. When I try to open any video with Adobe Premiere I get the message: "Mensaje de error. El archivo no puede abrirse debido a un error de la cabecera". In English it should be something as: "Error message. The file cannot be openned because of an error in the header."

Is there any way to open and edit this kind of .MOV videos with Adobe Premiere? Some details are:

Frame widh 1920

Frame heigh: 1080

Data rate: 27712kbps

Total bitrate 29225kbps

Frame rate 29.97

Bit rate 1512kbps

Channels 2 (stereo)

Audio sample rate 48.000 kHz

Videos are saved in the following format: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264.

File extension: .MOV

Thanks in advance for any help!

[rodneyb56060189]

Good info provided by you. Are you on windows OS or Mac ?

If this is the first time you're trying to do this ( as opposed to " it worked before but it doesn't work now with new version of PPro ," then you might not know that you have to install QuickTime to get the mov stuff to work ?  For windows users the only option is Quicktime 7, and this subject is fraught with many ideological and technical chaotic issues.  So some people will recommend you transcode your files before putting into PPro.

I have a little point and shoot Olympus thing that records to SD card same format as you and use CS6 and it works fine.

good luck !

[Pere_Casanellas]

My Olympus camera is new and is the first time I try to edit this kind of videos with Premiere Pro; I have tried with several different videos, always without any success. Formerly I had edited several videos made with a very cheap video camera and also made with a Samsung smart phones without any problem.

I am on Windows 10.

I have installed QuickTime 7.7.9 and the problem has been solved.

Thank you very much for your help!

[juanmario]

I'm glad it's resolved, what I do not understand is that I do not have the QT installed and I can open the Mov.

Edit:

Probably not the latest version of Premiere.

[Pere_Casanellas]

Adobe Premiere Pro CS6.

[juanmario]

Thanks for the clarification, yes, in that version works with the QT.

[juanmario]

Si hay un error en el encabezado del archivo es porque tenía un error de escritura del contenedor.

Intente volver a encapsular el video con la función de copia, con algún convertidor compatible con su sistema operativo.

Si eso no funciona, deberá convertir el video si es posible.

If there is an error in the file header it is because it had a container write failure.

Try re-encapsulating the video with the copy function, with some converter compatible with your OS.

If that does not work you will have to convert the video if possible.

[rodneyb56060189]