iTunes won't add mp4 video files to the library

Question

iTunes won't add mp4 video files to the library

Hi everyone,

I'm on Windows XP with the latests versions of both iTunes and QuickTime and I'm trying to add videos to my iTunes library so I can put them on my iPad. I know iTunes doesn't support all video files, so I've converted my video to both .mov and .mp4 files.

When I try to add the video to the library (by using "add file to library" button or dragging), nothing happens. The video won't show up on any category.

I've been searching for solutions for 3 hours on the Internet, I've tried reconverting my video using Videora and Handbreak, I've tried reinstalling iTunes, but all have been useless.

iTunes-OTHER, Windows XP

Posted on Feb 1, 2012 11:13 AM

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Answer 1

wiclee

Level 5

6,992 points

Feb 1, 2012 11:23 AM in response to Caroline Gajevic

Did it not appear in Movies under Library?

Can you try play it in Quicktime?

VIDEO FORMAT supported:

Video formats supported: H.264 video up to 1080p, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format

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Answer 2

Feb 1, 2012 11:27 AM in response to wiclee

No, it doesn't appear in Movies, nor TV Shows...

Both files (.mov and .mp4) play in QuickTime.

About the format, where can I check these specs? Properties?

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Answer 3

wiclee

Level 5

6,992 points

Feb 1, 2012 11:42 AM in response to Caroline Gajevic

Strange. If you are able to play it in Quicktime, it should appear in iTunes under Movies.

Yes, Properties, Details tab.

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Answer 4

Feb 1, 2012 12:04 PM in response to wiclee

Yes, very strange... I've checked and the specs you gave me above seem to be correct. Actually some of them are a bit under, so there should be no problem...

These two videos I'm trying to add to my library play on my iPad and I know it because I threw them on my Dropbox and played them. So I don't understand why iTunes won't let me add them to the library. The problem is that Dropbox only allows me to play them if I'm connected to the Internet. If I'm not, it won't play them, and I need them to be played offline.

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Answer 5

Feb 1, 2012 12:35 PM in response to wiclee

Thank you very much for your help. I don't know what happened, I was so furious that I had tried everything and nothing worked that I decided to restart my computer and it worked!

I'll never know what made it work, if it was the conversions, the reinstallation... Anyways thank you very much and sorry for having bothered you. Have a nice day!

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Answer 6

wiclee

Level 5

6,992 points

Feb 1, 2012 12:37 PM in response to Caroline Gajevic

Great!! Could have been the reinstallation that requires a restart to get it to work.!!

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Answer 7

Feb 8, 2012 3:33 PM in response to Caroline Gajevic

I'm having the same problem, and I have restarted a number of times. I can't add .mov or .mp4 or .m4v vidoes. All work fine on a Mac, but not on Windows XP with latest iTunes and Quicktime.

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Answer 8

Vulturem

Level 1

4 points

Jun 15, 2012 11:28 AM in response to Caroline Gajevic

Installing Quicktime solved the problem for me.

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Answer 9

Aug 15, 2012 9:06 PM in response to Caroline Gajevic

Google "mediainfo" download and install

them look at the detail at your mp4 or mov. we should able to tell you why?

the most possible thing is you used some video profile or video format that iPad, iPhone iTunes won't play.

Video format is kind complex 🙂

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Answer 10

Dec 6, 2012 1:42 PM in response to Caroline Gajevic

So has no one actually found out why it happens? Cause am having the same problem. I converted from avi to mp4 with hand break and I can't drag it across nor the "add file" way to get it in iTunes but if I right click it and select open with and choose iTunes it plays? So I can't understand why it won't add it? Anyone got any more ideas please? Thanks

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Answer 11

BHgamer

Level 1

0 points

Dec 8, 2012 11:46 PM in response to Caroline Gajevic

Hello,

When I had old iTunes everything was fine.

Now when I installed new iTunes:

- I cannot play new mpeg4 files, only mpeg4 files that I transferred before installing new iTunes.

- I cannot play mp3 files that I downloaded after installing new iTunes.

All of this is on my MacBook Air.

Can You help my with this?

Thank You!

🙂

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Answer 12

Dec 13, 2017 9:43 AM in response to Caroline Gajevic

Having the same problem and super frustrated...I don't know why I update iTunes????? Something always gets screwed up....uggggg

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Answer 13

Dec 19, 2012 8:08 PM in response to Caroline Gajevic

I thought I'd add my voice to the fray... I am having the same issue as everyone else who has posted here. I created a simple video which I edited in Adobe Premiere Pro. I used the H.264 setting. I can play the video using "peek" (hightlight the file, hit spacebar) and also quicktime.

i'm on a macbook pro. Here is my hardware profile:

Model Name: MacBook Pro

Model Identifier: MacBookPro6,2

Processor Name: Intel Core i5

Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz

Number of Processors: 1

Total Number of Cores: 2

L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

L3 Cache: 3 MB

Memory: 4 GB

Processor Interconnect Speed: 4.8 GT/s

Boot ROM Version: MBP61.0057.B0F

SMC Version (system): 1.58f16

Serial Number (system):

Hardware UUID: AA674230-42E7-5BEF-AFF4-4BC4AC8D39AE

Sudden Motion Sensor

State: Enabled

OSX Lion 10.7.5

Adobe CS5 production edition with Premiere Pro.

I truly think there is a issue developing with users who just upgraded to itunes 11. I had no problems adding videos

to my itunes library, using the exact same version of premiere, same video settings, and this particular file that I am

referring to I added to different mac with the previous version of itunes and the same version of OSX lion.

I'd love to hear from others on this issue....

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Answer 14

Dec 20, 2012 8:32 AM in response to kickingbear

I am running windows 7 and had the same issue. The movies appear to import but did not show up under the movies tab. Went to list view and they were there! Went back to movie view and they were still missing. Clicked on the "Home Video" tab and there they were. Had to right click on the movie and change the video type from "Home Video" to "Movie" and it then jumped into the Movie category. This just started happening in iTunes 11.01. iTunes imports them into the wrong category. Maybe this is your scenerio.

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Answer 15

Dec 25, 2012 3:39 PM in response to Caroline Gajevic

I was having the same problem. I was attempting to add an mp4 movie to my library and it just would not appear under movies. I did a search for the file name in the itunes search bar and my file appeared. It has been under the "Home Movies" sub header. This was changable from right clicking, selecting "get info" > Options tab and using the dropdown to select the media type and change it to movie. It then showed up in the place I was looking. I sort of feel dumb for having missed that, but hopefully this will save someone else that shameful fate.

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