File formats supported for import

Important: The trial version of Premiere Pro CS5 doesn't include some features that depend on third-party software components that are only included in the full version of Premiere Pro. The import and export of some formats are not supported in the trial version, such as AVC-Intra, AVCHD, HDV, MPEG-2, MPEG-2 DVD, MPEG-2 Blu-ray, and XDCAM. The trial version for Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and later does not have the limitations that Premiere Pro CS5 has. It includes all sequence presets, editing modes, encoders, and decoders that are included in the full, activated version of Premiere Pro CS5.5 and later. However, after downloading the trial version of Premiere Pro CS5.5 and later, you do not receive the title templates or non-English speech-to-text dictionaries (speech analysis modes). These items are available for download after you have purchased the software. For a detailed list of limitations of the trial version of Premiere Pro software, see the Adobe website. For more details about the trial version of Premiere Pro CS5.5 and later, see this video.

Premiere Pro can import many video and audio formats. Plug-in software modules provide file format support. Most of these software modules are installed automatically with Premiere Pro.

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. Premiere Pro can import these container files, but the ability to import the data that they contain is dependent on the codecs (specifically, decoders) installed.

By installing additional codecs, you can extend the ability of Premiere Pro 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. If Premiere Pro does not import your file, see this FAQ video tutorial, "Why can't Premiere Pro import my file?" for an explanation.

Video and still-image files that you want to import must not be more than the maximum dimensions allowed. For more information on maximum dimensions in Premiere Pro, see the Premiere Pro Work Area blog.

Adobe provides workflow guides for P2, RED, XDCAM, AVCCAM, and DSLR cameras and footage on the Adobe website.

Colin Brougham explains how Premiere Pro works natively with tapeless media (no transcoding) in this article and video series on the ProVideo Coalition website.

For more information about RED (R3D) digital cinema and Canon XF improvements in Premiere Pro CS5.5 and later, read this post on the Premiere Pro work area blog.

Premiere Pro can import files in the formats listed, provided the codec used to generate a specific file is installed locally.

Supported video and animation file formats

  • 3GP, 3G2

  • ASF (Netshow, Windows only)

  • AVI (DV-AVI, Microsoft AVI Type 1 and Type 2)

  • DV (raw DV stream, a QuickTime format)

  • FLV and F4V
    Note: Premiere Pro CS5 can import FLV files with video encoded using the On2 VP6 video codec; Premiere Pro CS5 can’t import FLV files with video encoded with the Sorenson Spark video codec. As with any unsupported format, transcode the file to a format that Premiere Pro can import.

  • GIF (Animated GIF)

  • M1V (MPEG-1 Video File)

  • M2T (Sony HDV)

  • M2TS (Blu-ray BDAV MPEG-2 Transport Stream, AVCHD)

  • M4V (MPEG-4 Video File)

  • MOV (QuickTime Movie, requires QuickTime 7 for import of non-native QuickTime files; in Windows, requires QuickTime player)

    Note: The fully featured version of QuickTime 7 Pro is not installed in Mac OS X 10.7 by default. If you are using Mac OS X 10.7, go to this page to download the proper version (QuickTime Player 7.66 for Mac OS X v.10.6.3). For more information see the article, "Install QuickTime 7 Pro with Lion.”

  • MP4 (QuickTime Movie, XDCAM EX)

  • MPEG, MPE, MPG (MPEG-1, MPEG-2), M2V (DVD-compliant MPEG-2)

  • MTS (AVCHD)

  • MXF (Media eXchange Format; P2 Movie: Panasonic Op-Atom variant of MXF, with video in DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO 50, DVCPRO HD, AVC-Intra; XDCAM HD Movie, Sony XDCAM HD 50 (4:2:2), Avid MXF Movie), and native Canon XF (new in Premiere Pro CS5.5 and later)

    Note: In Premiere Pro CS5.5 and later, native Canon XF files are previewed in the Media Browser and use of metadata is supported.

  • R3D (RED camera)

    • In Premiere Pro CS5, there was an update to the importer software for RED (R3D) files. The update is related to the RED camera Mysterium-X sensor and new color science. See the Premiere Pro Work Area blog for information.

    • In Premiere Pro CS5 (5.0.2), there were updates for RED (R3D) footage and new REDCODE plug-ins. See the Premiere Pro Work Area blog for more information.

    • Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and later includes several additions and improvements to source settings for RED Digital Cinema (R3D) files, including new color science support (REDcolor2, REDgamma2, REDlogFilm, etc.) and better curves and levels user interface. For a summary of these new and changed features for RED (R3D) footage, as well as improvements made in the Premiere Pro CS5 (5.0.2) update, including RMD and Red Rocket card support, see this video by Video2Brain.

    • Adobe has also released a preview version of advanced RED importer software that adds support for RED EPIC footage, as well as the following features:

      • ability to rotate and flip footage based on the camera orientation flag in R3D metadata

      • support for Echo port in R3D Source Settings dialog box, so that RED preview can be sent out to an external monitor

      • increased size of RED R3D Source Settings dialog on large monitors

      • HDR track selection and HDR blend support

  • SWF

    Note: SWF files can be imported with an alpha channel. Audio is not retained. Interactive content and scripted animation are not retained. Animation defined by keyframes in the main, top-level movie is retained.

  • VOB

  • WMV (Windows Media, Windows only)

Note: Render Type 1 AVI clips before previewing from a DV device. To render a Type 1 AVI clip, add it to a sequence in a DV project, and preview it.

Supported audio file formats

  • AAC

  • AC3 (including 5.1 surround)

  • AIFF, AIF

  • ASND (Adobe Sound Document)

  • AVI (Video for Windows)

  • BWF (Broadcast WAVE format, Premiere Pro CS5 (5.0.2) and later)

  • M4A (MPEG-4 Audio)

  • mp3 (mp3 Audio)

  • MPEG, MPG (MPEG Movie)

  • MOV (QuickTime; requires QuickTime player)

  • MXF (Media eXchange Format; P2 Movie: Panasonic Op-Atom variant of MXF, with video in DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO 50, DVCPRO HD, AVC-Intra; XDCAM HD Movie, Sony XDCAM HD 50 (4:2:2), Avid MXF Movie)

  • WMA (Windows Media Audio, Windows only)

  • WAV (Windows WAVeform)

Supported still‑image and still-image sequence file formats

Premiere Pro supports 8bpc (4 bytes per pixel) and 16bpc (8 bytes per pixel) still-image files.

  • AI, EPS

  • BMP, DIB, RLE

  • DPX

  • EPS

  • GIF

  • ICO (Icon File) (Windows only)

  • JPEG (JPE, JPG, JFIF)

  • PICT

  • PNG

  • PSD

  • PSQ (Adobe Premiere 6 Storyboard)

  • PTL, PRTL (Adobe Premiere title)

  • TGA, ICB, VDA, VST

  • TIF

Supported video project file formats

  • AAF (Advanced Authoring Format)

  • AEP, AEPX (After Effects project)

  • CSV, PBL, TXT, TAB (batch lists)

  • EDL (CMX3600 EDLs)

  • PLB (Adobe Premiere 6.x bin) (Windows only)

  • PREL (Adobe Premiere Elements project) (Windows only)

  • PRPROJ (Premiere Pro project)

  • PSQ (Adobe Premiere 6.x storyboard) (Windows only)

  • XML (FCP XML)

    Note: Premiere Pro on Mac OS imports projects from version CS3 onwards. You need the Windows version to open projects from earlier versions and save them as a current one.

Adobe recommends

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Importing Files into Adobe Premiere Pro

Chad Perkins
Learn how to import files with the import command, the Media Browser, and Adobe Bridge. Also, learn the advantages of using the Media Browser for file-based assets.