Quicktime not able to sync audio when playing h.264 exported from adobe

Hi all,

I was having the same problem with taking an older QT or h264 mp4 video file, converting it to a smaller H264 mp4 video file using Media Encoder 2021 on my iMac and then getting a mp4 file that was out of sync when playing on Quicktime Player. I looked up a few things and did these things:

• cleared Media Cache in Encoder
• did a VBR 2-pass under the instead of the default 1-pass user the Video tab Bitrate settings

Then the video that it output played in sync on Quicktime Player. I have a 2020 27 inch iMac running Catalina OS. Hope that helps someone out there...

Ok I've been researching this for 2 days and I think I finally discovered what the real issue and solution is. I don't believe it's any of the reasons listed in the replies to thread. Here's the solution that worked for me:

If you change your video exports in Adobe Premiere from VBR to CBR (AKA Constant Bit Rate) it should work as expected with all audio in sync in Quicktime and Safari. The reason people think Handbrake works, which it does, is because Handbrake exports with a Constant Bit Rate and that's the setting you need your Adobe Premiere to also do on your video exports.

I hope this helps!

I know your frustration. This drove me crazy for 2 days and was searching. After putting all the pieces together that is what worked for me.

What I identified through all Research is that it’s that QuickTime can’t deal with Variable Frame Rates (or variable bit rates)

So on export, if you will be relying on QuickTime, you have to export videos making sure there’s no VARIABLE frame rates or variable bit rates and it worked for me in Adobe. But I agree I’ve seen it not work sometimes and there may be some other strange tweaks.

Also, I don’t like the extra step but I know it works 100% if you export using Handbrake and use the constant frame rate/bit rate feature.

I think high level the issue is making sure the export doesn’t use VARIABLE frame rates or bit rates because QuickTime can’t handle it. Yet Adobe by default uses variable frame rates on export.

Maybe put your exact export settings in Adobe here also and everyone can cross check.

This is a tone deaf response. The issue has persisted and become known. Tests have been done.

All bitrates and resolutions in H.264 feature a loss of sync from Adobe AME compression as of this date, with all software current. Adobe is blaming Apple. They recommend HandBrake, yet another third party product, to transcode videos so they will perform in Big Sur. The workaround works, but is inconvenient.

Does Apple recognize this issue?

So we have done some tests.

It's a problem with Quicktime 10.5.

When I play the file in QuickTime 10.4 its fine. Rock solid audio sync.

So workaround until Quicktime fix the bug:

1. Use space bar in the finder to open as a preview and the file will play perfectly.

2. Open in VLC, Premiere Pro, Reoslve, or other aps. Plays fine.

Quicktime has never been the same since the death of QuickTime Pro. :(

Bring it back!

This YouTube video has a lot of insight: https://youtu.be/Gedpaq3ag2o

Seems you either have to transcode the raw footage in handbrake to constant frame rate first or somehow make sure Adobe exports in a constant frame rate manner if you need QuickTime to read it.

In my case using the constant bit rate feature in Adobe export worked for me on a 1gb file but I haven’t tested multiple files enough. Because keep in mind I believe it acts depending on how much frame variability is going on in the raw footage.

One thing I found strange for one of the files with variable frame rate that was out of sync when exported from Premiere and played on QuickTime, but when I uploaded the same video to YouTube it was in sync.

the whole thing boggles my mind and if you research you will see the same discussions going on about Adobe Premiere and VFR since 2014. And we’re almost in 2022 now.

This is also the Adobe document referenced in the YouTube video with some details also: https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/faq-how-to-work-with-variable-frame-rate-vfr-media-in-premiere-pro/td-p/10348229

Make sure you have it on constant bit rate and/or constant frame rates on export and it should work.

Yes! I've had this issue as well, starting with Big Sur. It's the same thing - any H.264 from AME eventually runs out of sync within QT player or QT preview.

I contacted Adobe about this issue and since then I've been using HandBrake to process the files for my clients so they will play back properly. Adobe claims (I'm not sure this makes any sense) that it's to do with QT gamma shift, and Apple will likely fix the bug.

Did you ever find a proper solution to this annoying fail? Thanks!

@maxcel thank you for this- my setup is similar. Once I dragged the exported file onto my desktop it played fine. Absolutely ridiculous that I would have to take that extra step in order to review my work, but at least it works now. Thanks for the tip!

I'm sorry but this is unacceptable. This has been causing problems for a LONG time, for many people. I just updated to Big Sur 11.5.1 and I was really hoping that the issue would be resolved, but I'm still having issues with MP4's losing sync. Quicktime 10.4 plays the files fine. VLC plays the files fine.

I have found that if you show files as columns, then scrub to the end of the file in the Preview Column, afterwards the file can be opened in Quicktime with no sync issues. This is CLEARLY a bug with the current version of Quicktime, since 10.4 plays them without losing sync.

Still have this issue in the fall of 2021. We need an update Apple! I've taken to making a ProRes export from Premiere Pro/Media Encoder (I prefer FCPX but my client does not) and then using compressor to make the mp4 (h264) version for screening. Just a waste of extra steps. I'm running Adobe CC 2021 on a M1 Mac mini with Big Sur (11.4) and QT 10.5

C'mon Apple! I bought the new M1 Mac and now I learn that the new version of Quicktime has sync issues?

This is absolutely unacceptable.

PLEASE FIX QUICKTIME - IT'S EMBARRASSING

I wasted hours on this today only to find the files are fine, it's just the crappy Apple Quicktime app that can't handle.

The work around suggested (do a "quick look" and then scroll to the end of the file and let it play until it stops) seems to have worked (so far), but the fact that I have to do a work around on something this simple using what was once considered the gold standard of desktop video playback is utterly stupefying.

Apple, I love you but I think you need your head examined.

I contacted Adobe support, but couldn't fix the issue. So I'm now exporting ProRes with Premiere Pro and MP4 from the ProRes in Davinci Resolve. This solved the issue for me.

Since Davinci Resolve 17.0 has a free version, you can find a lot of information about it on YouTube.

This video is quite good and short https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbPbG89WuYo

Which version of Quicktime are you running? We found the problem in Quicktime 10.5. (As per my post above)

But quicktime 10.4 worked fine.

Yeah but further, I believe it has to be exported both at constant bit rate as well as constant frame rate for it to work not variable frame rate.