This file requires the HEVC codec which is included with a Creative Cloud membership. To upgrade...

[Macgeekppc]

For some reason, Adobe Premiere Rush won't import a small H.265 clip. It gives me this error when it opens the folder where the clip resides:

"This file requires the HEVC codec which is included with a Creative Cloud membership. To upgrade to a paid plan, go to..."

I have purchased Rush. I have uninstalled it then reinstalled it. I have signed in and out of Creative Cloud on the Web as well as the desktop app. I still get the error.

Also, the thumbnail of the clip, when trying to start a new project shows "Unable to Load Preview." When I select it and click Create, I get another error message:

"The importer reported a generic error."

Any suggestions on how to fix this?

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi @intercede007 and @Macgeekppc,

The team said Rush doesn't support HEVC 10-bit 4:2:2 files. Could that be the issue? Let us know.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Macgeekppc]

Okay. Yes. That is the answer. That is the issue. 

[BruceK360]

Same issue with videos created on Nikon Z8, but those created with Nikon D850 open without issue.

Following this thread for help / solution.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi @BruceK360,

Thanks for the note. Sounds frustrating. The team says that HEVC 10-bit 4:2:2 footage is not going to work. Try running files through the " MediaInfo " freeware and share a screenshot in the tree view here. That would help a lot. Sorry for the frustration.

Thanks,
Kevin

[europro_ph]

Same problem here with video files of Nikon Z8

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi @europro_ph,

Is it 10-bit HEVC? Unfortunately, that is not supported. Feel free to link the group to a sample file for testing.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Max1893]

Stesso problam anche io la Z8 e drone DJI 4 mini Pro

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi @Max1893,

See my response above: https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-rush-discussions/this-file-requires-the-hevc-codec-which-is-...

Thanks,
Kevin

[Max1893]

Grazie per l'informazione. Secondo te questa funzionalità verrà implementata nel prossimo futuro?

[Jonathan Simo25829376l7xo]

Old thread, but i opened the clip in microsoft clip champ and exported it.  Then its fine.  you could use any number of programs to do this.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Ah, I see, @Jonathan Simo25829376l7xo. If an application like that can fix things, the codec may have changed from HEVC to H.264. That works. Thanks for posting a solid workaround.

Cheers,
Kevin

[DarioImpini]

OK based on Peep62's comment I tried VLC and using it to import the video and resave it as an h264/mp4.  As they pointed out, evidently that process strips off whatever DMCA or licensing restriction it has on it and you can then use the file in your editor as god intended.  I will say my graphics card went balls out with the fans during the re-save so it's a pretty serious load of horse workaround for a dumb problem.  But at least it's A SOLUTION at this point.

[richardk78350880]

I had this same problem. Chatted with Adobe Tech rep who told me I needed to get Adobe Express or Premiere Pro and connected me to sales.  Sales told me, as I thought, I already had Adobe Express included in my plan. Got a call from Adobe rep telling me problem would be solved if I converted my Acrobat subscription to Acrobat Pro.  Did that, but it didn't help.  Finally spoke with a tech rep who told me that I would need Premiere Pro of All apps subscription.  I have a photo subscription with 1 TB cloud storage.  The all apps plan only comes with 100MB of storage.  So, I would be paying more money and losing storage. He told me that Rush would not render H.265 files.  I told him it would not do it on my desktop but that I was able to do it on my iPad. 

The files I had problems with were recorded on my Galaxy S23.  All were H.265 files.  Some were 8k, some 4k and some 2.5k. I could render all of them on my iPad using iMovie. It automatically converted them to H.264 and it rendered the 8k files in 4k.  iPad also converted the files to H.264 when I used Rush and it rendered all of those except the 8k. Rush on iPad, unlike iMovie (which rendered in 4k) could not handle those files.  

The Adobe rep who told me I needed All Apps or Premiere Pro (after I told him I had no interest in losing my 1TB plan or paying for ALL Apps + my photo plan) told me that I could download a free open source software program called Hand Brake which would convert H.265 files to H.264. When I used Hand Brake to convert the H.265 files to H.264 files, I could render up to 4k files using Rush on my desktop.

So, if you want to use Adobe Rush and not upgrade to Premiere Pro or All Apps, my suggestion would be to either (1) get Hand Brake to convert H.265 files to H.264 or (2) if you can, set up recording devices to record in H.264.

[Tom26486281z505]

So slightly off-topic but I mentioned a while back that I was having this issue with Premiere Pro. I had tried everything to get this working, but the FIX that worked for me, was the following (on Windows 10 I might add):

1. Create a new user with administrator rights and login to that user.
2. Open Premiere Pro and try to export the file that was producing the HEVC codec error - it SHOULD now export successfully.
3. Go back to your main user account and you should be able to export normally now.

Don't know why this works but it does and it's saved me a headache that's lasted months. Hope it helps someone else out there.

Thanks

Tom

[Kevin-Monahan · Accepted solution]

Hello @Tom26486281z505,

Thanks for the note. Creating a new Admin account is a workaround. Thanks for walking the community through that. I have heard that if the codec is installed, it could be a permissions issue here:

C:\Users\Public\Documents\AdobeInstalledCodecsTier2\3.0

Granting R/W permission access to folders in this file path might solve the issue. See this KB doc: https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/preferences-folder-read-only-error.html.

Let me know if it works. As an aside, this technique might also help Premiere Pro editors who are facing the same problem.

Thanks,
Kevin

[LarryInIndy]

It's October of 2024, the problem still exists. The error says, "This file requires the HEVC codecs wich is included with a Creative Cloud membership. To upgrade to a paid plan, go to www.adobe.com/go/video

This takes you to a Page Not Found.  Of course I have a CC membership. apparently,, this problem has been going on for 5 years.. Now, Microsoft wants a dollar for the Codecs, which does nothing. 

[DarioImpini]

Yeah I just gave up and bought a cheap copy of Movavi and called it done.  It might be good enough for your purposes.  No *SUBSCRIPTION* either.