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iMovie Won't Import MP4 Files

For some reason iMovie '11 won't let me import videos. Specifically, I'm trying to add MP4 files that I copied to my hard drive from my GoPro HD 960. For GoPro users, I used the R2 (720p) format. They open properly in QuickTime and VLC but can't be imported into iMovie (or iPhoto). When I select File-->Import-->Movies and browse to the directory where I saved all the .mp4 files on my hard drive, they're all greyed out. And actually, it seems that just about no video files at all on my computer can be added (all greyed out)--even other MP4 files.


I downloaded MPEG Streamclip but that says "unrecognized file format" when I try opening the videos. I also installed Perian and rebooted.


In case it helps:

- I have an Intel MacBook running OS X 10.6.8 with iLife '11

- QuickTime info for the video format says "H.264, 1280 x 720, Millions; AAC, 2 channels, 48000 Hz"

- VLC says "Stream 0 (Video) - Codec: avc1" and "Stream 1 (Audio) - Codec: mp4a"


Any ideas? This is incredibly frustrating!

Posted on Apr 6, 2012 4:10 PM

Reply
28 replies

Apr 28, 2017 3:06 AM in response to drew879

This topic has been dealt with before, without result. And here we are again.

The point is, we shouldn't even be having this conversation. If Apple wants to force us working along with their format and codecs, at least it should provide their users access to those formats or at least provide us with clear workarounds and instructions.

I tried adding two .mp4 files to an iMovie project, but it wouldn't even recognise the files I wanted to work with. Then I had Quicktime 'convert' the mp4-files to mov-files (it actually more of a containing process, I read somewhere). After Quicktime was done, iMovie did recognise the files and it even showed a preview of the clips. I still wasn't able to import them into an iMovie project though. Oddly enough, no error message was displayed as to what the reason might be (I'm starting to miss my Windows PC). I also tried opening the movie clips from Finder--to no avail. Quicktime and iMovie are both Apple applications, so one might expect them to work with similar codecs.

Not so. It's just too counter-intuitive.

Feb 16, 2017 10:10 PM in response to drew879

Technically, iMovie does import MP4 video. However, iMovie only import MP4 files that are encoded with MPEG4/AAC or H.264/AAC data. And yet, MP4 is a video container format that may contain various audio and video codec (and sometimes even subtitle streams included). If the MP4 file is not encoded with iMovie support codec, iMovie will refuse to import this kind of MP4 video.

To solve can't import MP4 to iMovie, you may try the following method https://www.idealshare.net/mp4-imovie-solution.html

Apr 7, 2012 6:21 PM in response to drew879

"I wonder if something is wrong with my version of OS X or perhaps iLife..."


Hey drew879,


For what it's worth, the problem may not be your OSX or iLife. The problem may just be iMovie itself. I am running iMovie 09. I can't import any video from my hard drive into iMovie either. Maybe someone can help. For now, I will probably finish my project using Final Cut Pro. Good luck.

Sep 16, 2013 7:05 PM in response to drew879

Technically, iMovie does import MP4 video. However, iMovie only import MP4 files that are encoded with MPEG4/AAC or H.264/AAC data. And yet, MP4 is a video container format that may contain various audio and video codec (and sometimes even subtitle streams included). If the MP4 file is not encoded with iMovie support codec, iMovie will refuse to import this kind of MP4 video.


In order to successfully import all kinds of MP4 files to iMovie, a recommended solution is to convert iMovie unrecognized MP4 to iMovie supported video format.


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Sep 16, 2013 7:06 PM in response to drew879

According Apple official website, iMovie (including iMovie '11/'09/'08) can only import DV, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, MOV and M4V. Though the MP4 file format defines the storage of MPEG-4 audio, scenes and multimedia content using the ISO Base Media File Format, the MP4 file may also contain any number of audio, video, and even subtitle streams. So it is impossible for the MP4 file to determine the type of streams in an MPEG-4 file based on its filename extension alone. To enjoy MP4 file in iMovie freely, it is a quite wise choice to change MP4 file format to imovie support MP4 file format.


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Sep 16, 2013 7:02 PM in response to Nelson Scott

I agreed, what you need to do is find a good video converting software to recorde the .mp4 video to iMovie supports formats such as MOV formats in this case, as fas as I know there are several freeware supports to converting videos of nearly any formats on Mac, FFmepg and Handbrake are all great, completely free and no other cost. Handbrake has both windows and Mac version. I have been using Handbrake to converting video for years.


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Apr 17, 2015 10:43 AM in response to Macflustered

I have two video cameras


Oregon ATC9k and Panasonic HDC-SD9 AVCHD


I have used these for years successfully, I used them in January and February 2015 successfully and imported the movies from iphoto to imovie so that I could prepare a movie for loading to youtube and Vimeo. Worked fine.


Last night I tried to add more video to imovie so that I could modify the contents of the project file with extra video minutes.


I went round in circles but failed to get imovie to load the video.


Somebody at Apple has modified OSX latest version 10.10.3 and caused this function not to work!

When I first bought an imac in 2008 it was precisely because the imac would import Panasonic HDC-SD9 AVCHD video files!!

iMovie Won't Import MP4 Files

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