Details: By: Derek Moran; In: FAQs; Published: 28 January 2012; Last Updated: 02 September 2022

Q: Why can't I Import some .avi and .mp4 video files into Vegas Pro or Vegas Movie Studio ?

Answer: Not all .avi and .mp4 videos are the same and some use Video Codecs that are not supported by Vegas Pro and Vegas Movie Studio software.

A .avi or .mp4 video file is actually a generic Video Container for many possible Video Codecs.

.avi and .mp4 are two of the most generic video file extensions (video containers) used for saving videos to and are definitely not all the same.

There are a lot of different video codecs in use and Sony Vegas cannot decode them all. Software companies need to pay a licensing fee to the makers of some Video Codecs, if they are included as part of a program. If every video codec known was included in Sony Vegas and Movie Studio, it would add greatly to the cost of buying the program, so that is why some videos cannot be imported.

Examples of some formats/codecs that Sony Vegas and Movie Studio cannot read are DivX and Xvid. Flash Video which ends in .flv will also not work in Sony programs.

Solution - Using Handbrake to convert videos that won't open in Vegas

Convert your video files into a more common video codec that Vegas Pro and Vegas Movie Studio can read easily or record your original video files using a codec/format that Vegas already likes.

In 2021, I highly recommend the program Handbrake to convert any videos that don't work in Vegas Pro or Vegas Movie Studio.
Handbrake is a high quality video encoder, that will not degrade your video quality during transcoding.
I have a complete beginners guide tutorial for how to use Handbrake here:
How to use Handbrake 1.1.1 - Beginners Guide for Exporting Video

Apple Quicktime

Another important thing to do before you start using Sony Vegas or Movie Studio for the first time, is to install Apple Quicktime for Windows. Vegas Pro and Movie Studio need Quicktime so that they can read and write particular sub-sets of video codecs.

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

Important Update for Windows 10/8.1/8.0 users and Installing Apple Quicktime

Apple has decided to spoil the fun of upgrading to Windows 10 and have added some code to the latest Quicktime version, which makes it impossible to install on a Windows 10 or Windows 8/8.1 computer. This may change in the future, but for now you will have to install an older version of Quicktime.

My suggestion is that you download and install version 7.7.6 from this page on the Apple website.
https://support.apple.com/downloads/quicktime

File Formats/Codecs that Vegas Pro Likes

Imports: AAC, AA3, AVI, BMP, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV, HEVC, ProRes, AAC, AIFF, FLAC, LPEC, MP3, OGG, PCA, W64, WAV, WMA, BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, WDP, WMPhoto, DDS, DPX, EX, AAF, Premiere/After Effects (*.prproj), Final Cut Pro 7/ DaVinci Resolve (*.xml), Final Cut Pro X (*.fcpxml), EDL Text File (*.txt), Broadcast Wave Format, DVD Camcorder Disc, Closed Captioning

Exports: AAC, AA3, AVI, BMP, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV, HEVC, ProRes, AAC, AIFF, FLAC, LPEC, MP3, OGG, PCA, W64, WAV, WMA, BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, WDP, WMPhoto, DDS, DPX, EXR, VEGAS Project Archive (*.veg), Pro Tools AAF File (*.aaf), Media Composer AAF File (*.aaf), Premiere/After Effects (*.prproj), Final Cut Pro 7/DaVinci Resolve (*.xml), Final Cut Pro X (*.fcpxml), EDL Text File (*.txt), XDCAM Disc

File Formats/Codecs that Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Likes

Imports: AAC, AA3, AVI, BMP, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV, AIFF, FLAC, MP3, OGG, PCA, SND, W64, WAV, WMA, GIF, JPEG, PNG, WDP, CDA, SFA

Exports: AVC/AAC, AVI, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV, MOV, AVCHD, RM, MVC, XAVC S, AAC, AIFF, FLAC, LPEC, MP3, OGG, PCA, W64, WAV, WMA, BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, WDP, WMPhoto, DDS, DPX, EXR

Newest
- Best
- Popular
- Newest
- Oldest
Collapse All Expand All

You are a guest ( Sign Up ? )

or post as a guest

Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.

Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
ajason

Member
· 03:53 18/03/2021
No one can really answer the question "Why can't Vegas Pro accept .avi files?"

Yes, there is talk about the fact that there are many codecs, blah-blah. And the "codecs are only covers", etc. But VLC can play .avi files. MPC can play .avi files. These are both free programs so the "codecs are expensive" point is not valid.

Vegas Pro should be able to play any .avi or .mp4 file that can play in Windows.
- {"set":null,"list":[]}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 11:10 18/03/2021
  
  I hear exactly what you are saying and agree totally, however the developers would probably tell you something much more complicated as to why they don't support every codec known to mankind.
  When I stumble upon a video that Vegas cannot play, I normally use Handbrake to convert the video into an .mp4 and use high quality encoding settings, so that I don't loose quality when re-rendering again in Vegas.
  I will update this article to point towards my Handbrake tutorial here:
  https://www.moviestudiozen.com/free-tutorials/miscellaneous-help-tutorials/595-handbrake-v1-1-1-beginners-guide-for-best-video-export-settings
  Regards, Derek :)
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
  
  Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  
  ajason
  
  Member
  
  · 10:30 21/03/2021
  
  Derek,
  
  Your reply was the most intelligent I've seen when commenting on this problem. Yes, the developers probably have some valid objections to .avi and other codecs (perhaps they are difficult to use for editing because of the type of I frame structure?). But I still think Vegas Pro should be able to play them -- maybe include a warning about some limitations with such files -- but let them play.
  
  I really found your Handbrake tutorial valuable and very well done - thank you for producing that.
  
  Regards,
  
  Alex
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
Hml · 18:25 05/07/2019
Hello anyone Know Why sony Vegas turns Down everytime i try to import video files ? I just bought The New Vegas platinium ???
- {"set":null,"list":[]}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 19:26 05/07/2019
  
  What do you mean by "Vegas turns down" ?
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
  
  Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  
  HML · 08:56 08/07/2019
  
  that sony Vegas shuts down by itself...
  
  Every time I Try to import Video files...
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
  
  Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 11:00 08/07/2019
  
  If you would like help in fixing this problem, please copy and paste into the MSZ Forum.
  There is more room on the forum for bigger replies.
  https://www.moviestudiozen.com/forum/index
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
Niko · 02:58 09/06/2019
So I used to use Vegas Pro 10 a few years back. Now I have gotten Vegas Pro 15, and I open some of my unfinished projects from 10.
I still have the same videos used on said projects, which some of them 15 handles just fine, but others it can't read.

So question now is why is 15 unable to read those same videos that 10 used to read just fine?
- {"set":null,"list":[]}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 11:44 09/06/2019
  
  If you would like help with this, please post your question on the MSZ Forum.
  You need to tell us what type of video codec you are talking about.
  Use MediaInfo app to find data. I will explain more on the forum.
  https://www.moviestudiozen.com/forum/index
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
Prescott · 05:20 17/04/2019
So I spent $600 on a program that cant open a f*c*ing avi??????????? what a waste
- {"set":null,"list":{"2":2}}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 15:34 17/04/2019
  
  There is nothing unusual about this.
  .AVI is only a generic video container that could contain any Video Codec.
  All major Video Editing programs work the same with .avi videos.
  If Vegas cannot open it, all you have to do is convert it before you import.
  There is no problem.
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
BarefooterRob

Member
· 01:33 25/09/2018
I had something go wrong for me. I have been doing post production edits on our weekly church videos, in Movie Studio 14 Platinum, from files saved as MP4's, from a Blackmagic Design Studio's ATEM TV Studio. The OS (Windows 10) died on my laptop, at the same time a new update came in for the ATEM. Since that time, I haven't been able to open the MP4 files from the ATEM. I'm not sure if the Movie Studio 14 is missing a CODEC or if something changed in the ATEM software, but in anycase, I can no longer open the files on a machine that I never had previous issues with.

Any thoughts, or suggestions? I currently need to convert the file in VLC, which is an extra step, and a slow one at that, that I don't want to take.

Thanks!
- {"set":null,"list":[]}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 07:56 25/09/2018
  
  Please Copy and Paste your question into the MSZ Forum.
  The forum is a better place to ask technical questions like this.
  https://www.moviestudiozen.com/forum/index
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
  
  Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  
  BarefooterRob
  
  Member
  
  · 21:38 25/09/2018
  
  Done.
  
  Thanks Derek!
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
K · 00:05 13/08/2018
Very nice little article on avi containers.
- {"set":null,"list":[]}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 12:15 13/08/2018
  
  Cheers :)
  
  {"set":null,"list":{"2":1}}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
Keith · 09:10 26/04/2018
I cannot save on my hard drive in MP4 format. I get error 0x8066000A (missing Message). All other formats are fine. I have the latest Quick Time installed
- {"set":null,"list":[]}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  DoctorZen
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 14:30 27/04/2018
  
  Hi Keith
  I see you have also posted the same question in the MSZ Forum.
  I will answer you on the forum.
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
Tim · 12:23 20/09/2017
If MOVIE STUDIO is the entry level and MOVIE STUDIO PLATINUM is the next step up then why is it that the "FILE FORMATS/CODECS THAT MOVIE STUDIO PLATINUM LIKES" has less listed in the artificial above that the ones listed under "FILE FORMATS/CODECS THAT VEGAS PRO AND MOVIE STUDIO LIKES"?
- {"set":null,"list":[]}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 13:55 20/09/2017
  
  Hi Tim
  Thank you for your message.
  There was an error on this page which I have now fixed and I have also updated all formats for the latest versions of Vegas Pro and Vegas Movie Studio. The first group is for VEGAS PRO only and the second group is for VEGAS MOVIE STUDIO PLATINUM only.
  Sorry for the confusion.
  Regards
  Derek
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
ken · 23:50 07/04/2017
How do I get Movie Studio to open the many .mp4 files I have that use Apple Lossless Audio codec for audio. The video works but the audio does not.
- {"set":null,"list":[]}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 15:37 08/04/2017
  
  Do you have Apple Quicktime installed ?
  There are lots of problems with Apple Quicktime, so I recommend you read this FAQ on the topic.
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
Jan Schrander · 18:21 16/02/2017
My experience with Vegas 14 pro version (incl latest v201) was that I couldn't edit some avi files, including captured DV tapes for which I used an older Vegas version!
Only the Sony Vegas 13 versions allowed me to edit those files, really strange...
Even copying the aviplug files from vegas 13 to vegas 14 changed nothing. So Magix changed something in their vegas version.
Now I have sony vegas 13 AND magix vegas 14 installed, both 64bit versions, All installed plugins work with both versions.
Also, converting captured avi files to other formats made them look worse, probably something I didn't do right (?)
Hope this info helps
- {"set":null,"list":[]}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 18:49 16/02/2017
  
  Hi Jan
  I would actually recommend you post this problem on the official Vegas Pro Forum here:
  https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/vegas-pro-forum/
  This type of problem needs more people to view and offer suggestions.
  The users on this forum will probably ask you to upload a screen shot, showing the [b]media properties[/b] for video files that are not working properly. Download Media Info and then open problem files. Media Info is safe to use.
  https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo
  When you get an answer back from the official Vegas Pro forum, it would be great if you could post a link back here if you find a solution.
  Regards
  Derek
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply
  
  Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  
  Jan Schrander · 19:26 16/02/2017
  
  Derek, according to G-spot, the codec used was dvsd.
  I also installed the lagarith lossless codec in vegas 14, but to no avail.
  Also, i installed no codec packs whatsoever.
  For me, i can work with this option of having 2 versions of vegas installed, but i can understand that it's not the ideal situation.
  I will see if i can find a thread on the vegas forum and post my experience there.
  thankf for your reply!
  
  {"set":null,"list":[]}
  
  Reply

Q: Why can't I Import some .avi and .mp4 video files into Vegas Pro or Vegas Movie Studio ?

Answer: Not all .avi and .mp4 videos are the same and some use Video Codecs that are not supported by Vegas Pro and Vegas Movie Studio software.

Solution - Using Handbrake to convert videos that won't open in Vegas

Apple Quicktime

Important Update for Windows 10/8.1/8.0 users and Installing Apple Quicktime

File Formats/Codecs that Vegas Pro Likes

File Formats/Codecs that Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Likes

You are a guest ( Sign Up ? )

or post as a guest

Subscribe to Newsletter

Get VEGAS Pro tips straight to your Inbox, when you subscribe to my Newsletter.

About Me

Make a Donation