How can I import and edit HEVC x265 files in Premiere Pro smoothly? If you are trying to figure out how to use HEVC videos in Adobe Premiere, you are here in the right place.
Issues working with iPhone 8 HEVC footage in Premiere Pro CC 2018
“Hi guys, I’ve spent hours tonight trying to figure out how to use HEVC files taken with my iPhone 8 in Premiere Pro. I just upgraded my OS to High Sierra and upgraded my Premiere Pro 2017 to Premiere Pro CC 2018 (12.0.1) (not a trial version). When I opened Premiere and imported an HEVC file I got a message saying that the HEVC codec needed to be installed to view the file. Clicking OK will install the codec for immediate use. So I clicked OK and got a message saying the codec was missing. What else am I supposed to do after I upgrade to Premiere 12.0.1? I thought this was the last step of many frustrating hours spent technical troubleshooting. Any ideas? I would really appreciate any help. Thanks.”
Transcoding HEVC H.265 footage is actually a pretty normal pro workflow that I would highly recommend. HEVC H.265 footage is incredibly non-performant LongGOP footage that is notoriously difficult to edit with. The latest version does support the import of HEVC H.265 footage, but I do recommend transcoding all footage in that codec, especially if it’s 4K or larger and you don’t have a super top-flight system. Try it if you’d like a smoother editing experience.
How to transcode HEVC H.265 files for Premiere editing?
Here’s what you need
HD Video Converter
Step 1: Start up HD Video Converter as an HEVC H.265 to Premiere Pro Converter.
Step 2: Click ‘Add File’ to import your source media to the program.
Step 3: Select output format
* If you are on a Windows PC, from the “Profile” bar, choose ‘Avid DNxHD 1080p (*.mov)’ as output under ‘Avid Media Composer’ column. (See the screenshot above)
** If you are on a Mac computer, choose ‘Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)’ as target under ‘Final Cut Pro’ catalogue.
*** Note that this converter program can only output Apple ProRes and DNxHD video up to 1080p, if you want to preserve 4K quality of your source files, you need to select “4K Video” > “4K H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Video (*.mp4)” as target format. To export 4K files, please make sure your computer has enough power to process 4K. If not, simply select Apple ProRes or DNxHD as output format depending on your OS.
Step 4: Custom video and audio settings (for advanced users)
Click ‘Settings’ button, the ‘Profile Settings’ panel pops up, on which you are able to modify video and audio settings like resolution, bit rate, frame rate, sample rate and audio channel.
Step 5: When ready, click ‘Convert’ to start transcoding HEVC H.265 files to Premiere Pro supported format. As soon as the conversion is complete, click ‘Open Folder’ button to locate the generated files and now you are able to open them in Premiere Pro for further editing smoothly.
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