iOS 12 doesn’t show mp4 videos on SD Card on Import (iPad Pro 10.5)

Below is screenshot of content of SD card and video files copied into DCM folder from same SD card. If files are in DCM folder, they are scanned and accepted. If I copy XAVC S video file into DCIM folder and rename it something like MAH*****.MP4, file is accepted too and can be used in iMove etc. iOS 12 doesn't scan MP_ROOT folder anymore, as earlier versions of iOS did.

I contacted Apple by phone, I reported the issue and we did some diagnostic etc. They have opened support ticket about this issue and promised to call back after investigating the diagnostics data.

If you have the same issue, please use Apple's feedback formula to report this issue, so they fix it faster.

Feedback - iPad - Apple

Below is the screenshot from my old iPhone 5, which has iOS 10 (10.3.3 14G60). I have one video and one photo on my SD Card, which both are shown on iOS Photos Import screen.

Below is the screenshot from my iPad with iOS 2 (12.0.1 16A404) and it's sowing only image for importing. Video is missing on iOS Photos Import screen.

It's definitely iOS 12 bug, caused by iOS 12, which does not scan folder MP_ROOT as iOS 11 and older versions do.

If I connect Alpha a6000 camera with Apple's Lightning-USB 3 Camera adapter with MTP enabled on camera, I'm even able to import not only regular MP4 format video files but XAVC S video format files too and use them on iMovie. The only drawback is slow USB connection, as it does not support USB3 transfer speed. USB2 is too slow for video files. I bought new iPad Pro 10.5 especially for video editing because of USB3 transfer speed and better performance. At the moment on iOS 12 iPad renders almost useless for video editing, as I'm unable to import fast videos from SD Card.

I'm not the only person having this issue and this for sure affects everyone who uses iPad for fast video editing.

There are few temporary workaround options available:

• RAVPower 64GB iPhone Flash Drive 2 in 1 SD Card Reader
• Lexar microSD to Lightning Reader - LRWMLBNL

With these devices you are able to read Micro SD or SD cards. Lexar's model is smaller, but reads only Micro SD cards, RAVPower's model is bigger, but you can read both, Micro SD (adapter needed) or SD cards.

Thank you robertfrommaryville for reporting.

I posted my initial post there on Oct 6, 2018. The bug still remains, even after iOS 12.1 update.

Issue itself is quite simple. Apple's Photos Import doesn't scan MP_ROOT folder for data. Seems that it scans only DCIM folder.

Yes, there is issue that files aren't visible by iOS 12. And it's already described above, so I'm not going to explain it all again.

Sony's XAVC supports color depths of 8, 10, and 12 bits and chroma subsampling can be 4:2:0, 4:2:2, or 4:4:4. So it depends which XAVC format is used. XAVC S is 8 bits / 4:2:0 and is supported by iOS 12.

Re: iOS 12 doesn’t show mp4 videos on SD Card on Import (iPad Pro 10.5)

Thank you ahdansky for replying!

Just for curiosity, which camera you are using and into which folder your videos are recorded by camera?

I'm using Sony camera, which records MP4 videos into MP_ROOT folder on SD Card.

I have contacted Apple Support and they are investigating this issue, I also sent to them an e-mail with more detailed explanations and screenshots.

Also, please use Feedback - iPad - Apple to report about the issue!

Thank you ahdansky!

You said: "I am using a Sony HX80. The REC folder is 100MSDCF". But in which main folder this 100MSDCF is? Is it in DCIM folder or in MP_ROOT folder? As it's Sony camera I suppose you have these folders on your SD card?

• DCIM
• MP_ROOT

Is it correct?

Great, thank you ahdansky!

It confirms my result, that Apple's Photos Import module doesn't scan MP_ROOT folder anymore.

I suspect that you made a tiny typo on writing MP-ROOT and the actual name is MP_ROOT, as I haven't seen any Sony camera creating MP-ROOT folder, but they create MP_ROOT folder for MP4 videos.

Thank you! Your input was useful!

BORg529: "What if you use iTunes to transfer mp4 videos to your ipad pro? I know another inconvieniance, but only suggestion."

I don't understand what you are trying to suggest? I'm using Apple's Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader to view and copy selected files from SD Card (images and videos recorded by camera) to my iPad. Everything worked fine, but when I upgraded iOS to version 12, no videos shown anymore on Import screen. What it has to do with iTunes on iPad?