File formats supported for import

Some filename extensions—such as MOV, AVI, MXF, FLV, and F4V—denote container file formats rather than denoting a specific audio, video, or image data format. Container files can contain data encoded using various compression and encoding schemes. Adobe Media Encoder can import these container files, but the ability to import the data that they contain is dependent on which codecs (specifically, decoders) are installed.

By installing additional codecs, you can extend the ability of Adobe Media Encoder to import additional file types. Many codecs must be installed into the operating system (Windows or Mac OS) and work as a component inside the QuickTime or Video for Windows formats. Contact the manufacturer of your hardware or software for more information about codecs that work with the files that your specific devices or applications create.

Note: The free trial version of Adobe Media Encoder software does not include some features that depend upon software licensed from parties other than Adobe. For example, some codecs for encoding and decoding MPEG formats are available only with the full version of Adobe Media Encodersoftware.

Supported video and animation file formats

  • 3G2

  • Animated GIF (GIF)

  • DLX (Sony VDU File Format Importer, Windows only)

  • DV (in MOV or AVI container, or as a containerless DV stream)

  • FLV, F4V

    Note: FLV files contain video and audio data encoded using the On2 VP6 or Sorenson Spark video codec with the MP3 audio codec, whereas F4V files contain video encoded using the H.264 codec and audio data encoded using the AAC codec.

  • M2T (Sony HDV)

  • MOV (QuickTime; in Windows, requires QuickTime player)

  • MP4 (XDCAM EX)

  • MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4 formats (MPEG, MPE, MPG, M2V, MPA, MP2, M2A, MPV, M2P, M2T, AC3, MP4, M4V, M4A)

    Note: Some MPEG data formats are stored in container formats with filename extensions that are not recognized by Adobe Media Encoder; for example, files using the .vob extension. In some cases, you can import these files into Adobe Media Encoder after changing the filename extension to one of the recognized filename extensions. Because of variations in implementation in these container formats, compatibility is not guaranteed.

  • MTS (AVCHD)

  • Media eXchange Format (MXF)

    Note: MXF is a container format. Adobe Media Encoder can only import some kinds of data contained within MXF files. Adobe Media Encoder can import the Op-Atom variety used by Panasonic DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50, and DVCPRO HD video cameras to record to Panasonic P2 media. Adobe Media Encoder can also import XDCAM HD files in MXF format.

  • Netshow (ASF, Windows only)

  • QuickTime (MOV; 16 bpc, requires QuickTime)

  • Video for Windows (AVI, WAV; requires QuickTime on Mac OS)

    Note: Adobe Media Encoder cannot import DivX® video files, or AVI files encoded with DivX.

  • WMV (WMV, WMA, ASF; Windows only)

Supported audio file formats

  • Adobe Sound Document (ASND; multi-track files imported as merged single track)

  • Advanced Audio Coding (AAC, M4A)

  • Audio Interchange File Format (AIF, AIFF)

  • AVI (Audio Video Interleaved)

  • WAV (Audio WAVeform)

  • MP3 (MP3, MPEG, MPG, MPA, MPE)

  • MOV (QuickTime; in Windows, requires QuickTime player)

  • Windows Media Audio (WMA, Windows only)

  • Video for Windows (AVI, WAV; requires QuickTime on Mac OS)

Supported still‑image formats

Adobe Media Encoder supports 8-bit per-channel (4 bytes per pixel) and 16-bit per-channel (8 bytes per pixel) still-image files. It converts images with lower bit-depths to 8-bits per channel and images with higher bit-depths to 16-bits per channel on import. High bit-depth files are supported at one single-precision float per channel (16-bytes per pixel).

  • Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop sequence (PSD)

  • Bitmap and Bitmap sequence (BMP, DIB, RLE)

  • GIF

  • Icon File (ICO) (Windows only)

  • JPEG and JPEG sequence (JPE, JPG, JFIF)

  • PICT and PICT sequence (PIC, PCT)

  • Portable Network Graphics (PNG)

  • Targa and Targa sequence (TGA, ICB, VDA, VST)

  • TIFF and TIFF sequence (TIF)

Supported project file formats

  • Adobe Premiere Pro (PRPROJ)

  • After Effects Project (AEP)