Open AVCHD files on Mac WITHOUT expensive third party software

[@thesmalldude]

This is the first tutorial for a camera problem I've had that quickly explains the perfect solution. Thanks so much.

[@conveyorofrandomness]

I'm glad the video helped

[@dudeyes100]

This works in 2024! Thanks for being so clear and concise. Thanks!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Glad you found the video helpful

[@AinsleyKmusic]

This works with ALL AVCHD files; it's not limited to Sony cams. I was thankfully able to do this with footage from a Canon. Thanks for sharing. I would remove the " from your Sony camera" from your heading to give your post more open appeal.

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thank you so much for the advice, much appreciated

[@arcadianearth]

Thank you SO much! I was having a full-on meltdown for about an hour before finding your video! I was astounded to find that the AVCHD format couldn’t be used for, apparently, anything! Who uses it? How? All I could find was converters, which just convert it down to MOV. Who is using it in its original format, and how do they import it in full quality without going to MOV?? But all I needed was to get my video from my Sony into iMovie, not caring what it converted it to. I immediately came up with your first method on my own, the “show package contents”, but your iMovie method saved me! Thank you so very much.❤️

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Glad the video helped. I was in the same position, being frustrated at the poor compatibility of AVCHD considering so many cameras used this format.

[@ocotesoul]

Thank you! I found a large mystery AVHD bundle on an SD card that I needed and was afraid to delete it before knowing what it was. This video was extremely helpful.

[@conveyorofrandomness]

You’re welcome. Glad the video helped you find your files

[@randyreynaldo8401]

Great, thanks for this! I was simply copying the AVCHD to my hard drive as a single huge file. When it default opened in QuickTime I could see the individual movies, play them, and convert/import them. However, the window always closed afterwards so I'd have to open it again to get to the next video, which was a hassle with a file that's nearly 20G. This is obviously a much easier and direct way to manage these files!!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks Randy, glad the video helped 👍🏾

[@mikespalding3622]

THANK YOU! The package trick is easy. Quicktime can play these directly. You saved me so much frustration.

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks Mike, glad the video helped

[@sabiancastalia3316]

Thank you for this!! I spent so much time trying to figure it out/read Apple support articles on it. After watching this through once I was finally able to figure it out!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Glad you found the video helpful 👍🏾

[@ultramaniac1290]

this was lifesaving thank you! love the quick and clear instructions :)!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks, glad you found the video helpful 👍🏾

[@DadoCalabresi]

In 2023 WORKS! Thank you!!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

👍🏾

[@ccloud8201]

Thanks so much! Confusing problem solved quickly, plus your delivery is so calming. Elevated my mood as well.

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks for the kind comment, glad you found the video helpful

[@DerBlauzahn]

Thanks, man! Perfect information for me!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Glad the video was helpful to you 👍🏾

[@bephrem]

thanks!!! used this to import AVCHD files onto mac (initially didnt show up in finder)

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks Benyam. Glad you found the video helpful

[@warrenryanlee]

Exactly what I needed. Thank you! Saved me $200 from taking the SD card to a shop.

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks Warren, glad the video helped.

[@dirkhofmans7522]

Thanks, that was interesting! Now I know that I can handle these files on the MacBook I intend to order!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Awesome

[@goldleafvintage]

Thank you! This is so helpful!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

You’re welcome 👍🏾

[@charliegallifrey]

This option isn't showing up for me

[@muhammadizzatmohdhayazi4706]

Dude..... I love how simple your tutorial is! thanks a bunch

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks Muhammad. 👍🏾

[@hurrudu]

Hi! Do you know if Apple has changed the way they handle MTS-files. I van import them but they are not converted to mov files. Any thoughts? Best, Hans

[@SnakesHaveLegsTV]

MY LIFE HAS BEEN SAVED. Thanks for this video.
Edit: This seems to be specific to the m1?

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Glad you enjoyed the video, yes it is specific to the m1. On my intel macbook, the files open normally within the folder

[@RickyBeton1]

Thanks Andre, your solution worked well.
Thanks, Eric

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks Eric, glad the solution worked for you 👍🏾

[@JeffyG]

I have a Sony a6000 with the 3.21 firmware upgrade, set to XAVC S. There are no mts files in the STREAM folder, and iMovie doesn't find any files either. There is an mp4 file inthe CLIPS folder, but it's only 1920x1080. Weird?

[@conveyorofrandomness]

AVCHD just seems like such as awkward file format

[@eda-7855]

thank you so much i could convert it to a mov file format but the most important thing for me still doesn’t work, i cant airdrop the videos to my iphone as a usual video file :((( im so confused because i can only airdrop it to my files on my phone but i wouldn’t show the video anyways

[@DueceDinero]

Hey did u ever find a fix

[@KlaasvanderVeer]

Thanks, great tip 👍

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks Klaas. 👍🏾

[@titojusstudios3927]

Thank you for this video!! Big help!!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

You're welcome. Glad the video helped

[@suzana_moreira]

Thank you so much!!!!! You saved me! 😀

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks Suzana, glad the video was helpful 👍🏾

[@Ignoramus1]

Thank you man

[@conveyorofrandomness]

You're welcome!

[@anthonyrothercom]

thank you

[@conveyorofrandomness]

You’re welcome Anthony 👍🏾

[@anthonyrothercom]

@@conveyorofrandomness 🙏🏽

[@Yozimbo]

thank you!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

👍🏾

[@musixtacion]

Thank you. It's work

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks Abraham, glad you found the solution in the video

[@gregurquhart1]

Thanks!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thank you so much Greg!! Glad you found the video helpful and thanks for the super thanks

[@SergeUnplugged]

Thanks a lot

[@conveyorofrandomness]

You're welcome Serge

[@jonmcmahon90292]

thanks

[@conveyorofrandomness]

👍

[@AnthonyPtak]

Will iOS version of iMovie import files from SD card the same way? Curious to know. Thanks

[@arccway]

Thanks bro!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

You’re welcome

[@lucycreatingmemories]

This still isn’t working for me 🥺

[@elizabethl5294]

youre a lifesaver.

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Glad you found the video helpful Elizabeth 😀

[@etiennewilson4177]

Thanks bruh

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks Etienne, glad you found the video helpful 👍🏾

[@wkl3553]

Thanks for this guide. I have a new related Q though: when I transferred the .MTS files they broke some of the longer videos into smaller files in rather random fashion. It would be a pain to stitch them back together. Have you come across this phenomena? Thanks.

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Unfortunately, the splitting of the .MTS files is normal, due to a AVCHD limitation, some Sony cameras split the files up into equal size smaller files

[@wkl3553]

@@conveyorofrandomness Ok, thanks for this information.

[@conveyorofrandomness]

👍🏾

[@raulcartagena763]

wonderful!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Thanks

[@AnthonyPtak]

I’m trying to import AVCHD into my iOS device, using card reader. How can I do this?

[@conveyorofrandomness]

Unfortunately iOS isn’t compatible with AVCHD, the file will have to be converted into MP4 H. 264, MOV, M4V first

[@AnthonyPtak]

@@conveyorofrandomness do you recommend a good conversion workflow? I have access to both Max OS and windows PC

[@conveyorofrandomness]

It’s frustrating that it’s not compatible, as a Mac user myself, a free method, would be to transfer the files on your mac and use a free video editor (something like iMovie) to convert the clip to a .MOV or .MP4 file that would be easier transferred back into iOS. With a windows pc the same but with a comparable free editor. Other then that, I think there are paid for converters online that would do the job

[@willianpaivaoficial]

Great!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

👍🏾

[@NikiFrancesca]

Thank you thank you thank you

[@conveyorofrandomness]

You’re welcome Niki

[@eianklock]

Why do they treat the files like that? Obviously people want to do more than just view their videos on their SD card. smh

[@conveyorofrandomness]

I know, it’s so frustrating, adding additional unnecessary steps

[@eianklock]

@@conveyorofrandomness Thank you very much for the video by the way. Couldn't be more concise!

[@conveyorofrandomness]

@eianklock you’re welcome, glad the video helped. Thanks for the kind words