Export settings reference for Media Encoder

The video preview shows the frame indicated by the playhead in the timeline. By default, Aspect Ratio Correction is enabled, so video with a non-square pixel aspect is shown without distortion on computer displays. To disable this setting, select the Aspect Ratio Correction toggle button to the right of the Zoom menu.

To zoom into and out of the preview image, select a zoom level from the Select Zoom Level menu above the timeline.

To trim the duration of the exported video, set an In point (first frame) and an Out point (last frame) in the timeline. You can set In and Out points in the following ways:

• Move the playhead to a frame on the timeline and select the Set In Point or Set Out Point buttons above the timeline.
• Drag the In point or Out point icons from the sides of the timeline to a frame on the timeline.
• Move the playhead to a frame on the timeline and use the I key to set an In point and the O key to set an Out point.

The Source Range menu lets you quickly set the duration of your exported video with the following options:

• Entire Sequence: Uses the entire duration of the source clip or sequence.
• Sequence/Clip/Session In/Out: Honors In and Out marks set on clips and sequences from Premiere, Audition, and other Adobe apps.
• Work Area: Honors the work area specified in Premiere sequences or After Effects compositions.
• Custom: Honors the In and Out points set in the Export Settings dialog box.

Use the Lumetri effect to apply various color grades to your exported video. 

To apply a Lumetri preset, do one of the following:

• Choose a Lumetri preset from the Applied dropdown menu. 
• Choose Select in the dropdown menu to apply a custom Look or LUT file of your own.

Use SDR Conform to convert your High Dynamic Range (HDR) video to Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) for playback on non-HDR devices (values set as a percentage).

The following options are available:

• Brightness: Controls the overall brightness of SDR-conformed media.
• Contrast: Controls the overall contrast of SDR-conformed media.
• Soft Knee: Controls the transition to full compression mode to avoid hard clipping.

Use Image Overlay to overlay an image on your exported video. 

The following options are available:

• Applied: Browse and choose the image to overlay.
• Position: Sets the relative position of the image overlay within the output frame. For example, Center, Top Left, Bottom Right.
• Offset: Specifies the horizontal and vertical offset from the relative position (in pixels) for the image overlay.
• Absolute Sizing: Enable this option to link the image overlay's size to the native size of the source image. When enabled, the image overlay appears smaller at higher output resolutions and larger at lower output resolutions.
• Size: Adjusts the size of the image. By default, the image overlay's size auto‐adjusts to the current output frame size. The image gets overlaid according to its relative size, regardless of the output resolution.
• Opacity: Specifies the opacity of the overlay image.

Use Name Overlay to add text to your exported video. 

The following options are available:

• Prefix: Text added to the beginning of the name overlay.
• Format: Display options for the overlay text:
  • Prefix and Suffix Only
  • Source File Name
  • Source File Name (Without Extension)
  • Output File Name
  • Output File Name (Without Extension)
• Suffix: Text added to the end of the name overlay.
• Position: Sets the relative position of the text within the output frame. For example, Center, Top Left, Bottom Right.
• Offset (X,Y): Specifies the horizontal and vertical offsets (in pixels) for the name overlay.
• Size: Adjusts the size of the text.
• Opacity: Specifies the opacity of the black background behind the text.

Use Timecode Overlay to add a timecode counter to your exported video.

The following options are available:

• Position: Sets the relative position of the timecode within the output frame. For example, Center, Top Left, Bottom Right.
• Offset (X,Y): Specifies the horizontal and vertical offsets (in pixels) of the timecode within the output frame.
• Size: Adjusts the size of the timecode display.
• Opacity: Specifies the opacity of the overlay timecode.
• Time Source: Specifies how timecode is generated.
  • Media File: Reads Timecode from the source media. If the source media is not detected, the timecode overlay starts at zero and matches the source's frame rate.
  • Generate Timecode: Generates custom timecode for the overlay.
    • Format: Select the timecode format in frames per second. For example, 25-fps Timecode.
    • Starts at: Sets a starting value for the timecode.
• Offset in Frames: Specifies the number of frames by which the timecode overlay is offset from the source’s timecode. You can enter positive or negative values for the offset.

Use Time Tuner to automatically extend or reduce the video’s length by duplicating or removing frames in certain sections so that the overall change in duration is imperceptible.  

For example, your video must be slightly shorter to fit a broadcast schedule, but you don’t have time to re-edit the entire sequence.

The following options are available:

• Current Duration: Duration of the source video.
• Target Duration: Duration of the exported video after the effect is applied.
• Duration Change: The amount by which the output duration differs from the source duration. Range can be set from -10% shorter to +10% longer.
• In Preset Use: Determines how duration is adjusted when the preset is applied to other sources:
  • Target Duration: Uses the Target Duration value regardless of the source's original duration.
  • Duration Change: Uses the Duration Change value based on the source's original duration.
• Skip Slates: Doesn’t include slates when adjusting duration. Enable this option to have Time Tuner ignore any series of still images longer than 10 seconds.

Video Limiter constrains the luminance and color values of source video so they fall within safe broadcasting limits.

• Clip Level: Specifies the output range in IRE units.
• Compression before clipping: Applies a “knee” that allows colors to be brought into range without hard clipping.

Refer to Automatic Loudness Correction for more information.

Many export formats in Adobe Media Encoder include a Match Source option that automatically matches export settings to the source’s settings.

Formats that support Match Source: 

• Animated GIF
• BMP
• DNxHD/DNxHD MXF OP1a – with “Match Source (Rewrap)” preset only
• DPX
• GIF
• H.264
• HEVC (H.265)
• JPEG
• JPEG 2000 MXF OP1a
• MPEG‑2
• MXF OP1a – with “Match Source (Rewrap)” preset only
• OpenEXR
• PNG
• QuickTime
• Targa
• TIFF

When set to Match Source, Adobe Media Encoder automatically sets this value to match the field order of the source. Learn more about interlaced versus non-interlaced video.

Match Source controls and presets

When exporting video files in H.264 or MPEG-2 format, Adobe Media Encoder lets you automatically match the video settings of the source file using Match Source presets. Selecting a Match Source preset automatically activates the appropriate options in the Video settings tab in the Export Settings dialog.

Adobe Media Encoder provides the following two Match Source presets for both H.264 and MPEG-2 exporters:

• Match Source - High bit rate: for High-Definition (HD) video sources. This preset is the default Match Source preset for both H.264 and MPEG-2 exporters.
• Match Source - Medium bit rate: for Standard-Definition (SD) video sources.

Match Source presets are useful when you want to pass a few video attributes from the source, and select specific values for the other attributes. You can save the Match Source setting as a new preset and apply them to any source in the Queue or Watch Folder panels.

For example, say, you have a Watch Folder containing assets with varying frame sizes and frame rates. You want to convert all the assets in the Watch Folder to a single format at 24 fps. To do so, create a preset with source-matching enabled for all properties except Frame Rate, which is set to 24 fps.

The following settings are common to most export formats in Media Encoder:

• Width: The width of the video frame.
• Height: The height of the video frame.

• Video Dimensions: Some formats, such as H.264 Blu-ray or Wraptor DCP, restrict the frame size to specific values. The Video Dimensions menu displays supported frame sizes for these formats.
• Frame Rate: Frames shown per second during video playback. In general, higher frame rates produce smoother motion, although choosing a frame rate that is different than the source media’s frame rate may produce unwanted motion artifacts. Keep in mind that some formats and codecs only support a specific set of frame rates.
• Field Order: Specifies whether the exported file has progressive frames or frames made up of interlaced fields.
  • Progressive is the preferred setting for digital television, online content, and film.
  • When exporting to interlaced formats such as NTSC or PAL, select Upper First or Lower First to set the display order of interlaced fields.
• Aspect: The pixel aspect ratio of the video. Pixel aspect ratio (PAR) describes the ratio of width to height of a single video pixel. Digital video formats like HD, 4 K UHD, and 8 K typically have square pixels (PAR 1.0) while analog formats like NTSC & PAL have rectangular pixels. Exporting at PAR different from the source media’s PAR may distort the video image.
• Render at Maximum Depth: Renders the video using higher color precision (32-bit) for smoother gradients and better color quality.

The following settings appear in H.264 and HEVC formats.  

You can prepare the video for output by specifying preferred formats.

• Performance: (H.264 and HEVC only) Hardware Accelerated is the default choice, which tells Media Encoder to use available hardware on your system to speed up encoding times. 
  • Hardware acceleration depends on your system’s configuration.
  • If your system does not support certain export settings, the Performance menu switches automatically to Software Only.
• Profile: Common H.264 profiles include:
  • Baseline: The simplest profile used by video conferencing and similar devices that require fast decoding speeds.
  • Main: A common profile used primarily in SD broadcasting.
  • High: A widely supported profile used by most HD devices.
  • High10: An extension of the High profile that supports 10 bit decoding.
    
• Level: Limits the range of choices available for Frame Size, Frame Rate, Field Order, Aspect, bit rate, chroma, and other compression settings. Generally speaking, higher-level settings support larger video resolutions.

• Rec. 2020 Primaries: Uses the Rec. 2020 color space supported by UHD formats like 4K and 8K. Available when Profile is set to High10.
• High Dynamic Range: Exports with High Dynamic Range, which retain detail in brighter whites and deeper blacks at higher bit depths. Available when Rec. 2020 Color Primaries is enabled.
• Include HDR10 Metadata: HDR10 uses the PQ transfer function and adds five pieces of metadata. The previous version of Media Encoder supported PQ but did not include metadata. These are user-entered values; no content analysis is performed. The purpose of this metadata is to provide the HDR playback device with details about your content so that it can be displayed properly and look its best.

Mastering Display Color Volume

• Color Primaries - This is the color gamut of the HDR monitor used while grading your content. Obtain this value by reading the technical specifications for your monitor. It has a drop-down list with three options. The possible values are: Rec.709, P3D65 (default), Rec. 2020.
• Luminance Min - This is the minimum capable luminance of the HDR monitor used while grading your content. Obtain this number by reading the technical specifications for your monitor. This is a numerical input with scrubbable hot-text. The default value is 0.0050. The range is 0.0005 - 0.05.
• Luminance Max - This is the maximum capable luminance of the HDR monitor used while grading your content. Obtain this number by reading the technical specifications for your monitor. This is a numerical input with scrubbable hot-text. The default value is 1000. The range is 100 - 4000.

Content Light Levels

• Maximum - This is the maximum luminance of the content in your program. Enter the luminance of the brightest part of your program. While the HDR10 standard accounts for luminance ranges all the way up to 10,000 nits, there are no consumer panels that can deliver this brightness. It is generally recommended to keep the luminance for HDR10 content at or below 4000 nits. The HDR display will use this value to tone map your program into the range of the display so no highlights are clipped. It is the maximum level of light. It is similar to Luminance Max. 
• Average - It is the maximum average level of light per frame. The HDR display will use this value to tone map your program into the range of the display so your program looks the same as when you were mastering it. This value can significantly alter the appearance of your content and it is recommended to test playback on the intended display to be sure everything looks as you intend.

Bitrate is the amount of data in a video or audio signal measured in bits per second. Generally speaking, higher bitrates produce better-quality video and audio, while lower bitrates produce media that is easier to play back over slow Internet connections.

Bitrate options vary by codec and format. Here are some common settings: 

• Bitrate Encoding: Specifies the encoding method used to compress the video/audio signal.
  • CBR (Constant Bit Rate): Sets a constant value for the data rate. This option can shorten export times but may impact quality for more complex frames.
  • VBR (Variable Bit Rate): Dynamically adjusts the data rate based on the complexity of the video/audio signal. This option produces higher overall quality at smaller file sizes but may increase export times.
    
  • VBR 1 Pass versus 2 Pass –1: Pass encoding analyzes the entire media file from beginning to end to calculate a variable bit rate. 2 Pass encoding makes two passes through the file, from beginning to end, and then from end to beginning. The second pass lengthens encoding times but ensures greater encoding efficiency and often produces higher-quality output. 
    

• Target Bitrate [Mbps]: Sets the overall bitrate for the encoded file. Video is measured in megabits per second [Mbps] while audio is measured in kilobits per second [kbps].
• Maximum Bitrate [Mbps]: Sets the minimum & maximum values allowed during VBR encoding.
• Adaptive bitrate presets: There are three adaptive bitrate presets available in the H.264 format:
  • Match Source: Adaptive Low Bitrate
  • Match Source: Adaptive Medium Bitrate
  • Match Source: Adaptive High Bitrate

These presets can help reduce file size and speed-up export times by considering the resolution and frame rate of source media when calculating the overall bitrate. For example, the same adaptive preset would use a lower bitrate when applied to SD media but a higher bitrate when applied to HD or 4-K media.

Using VR export settings, you can export 360-degree footage the same way as regular footage. VR 360 lets you edit in equirectangular and dual-spherical formats. The footage is monoscopic and stereoscopic. Exporting equirectangular video is like exporting any other type of video, with a few caveats. Learn more about working with immersive VR video.

Check the Video is VR checkbox and edit its options.

Horizontal and Vertical Field of View

The user can disable Auto VR Properties and manually configure the Frame Layout, Horizontal Fields of View and Vertical Fields of View. This option allows the effect to convert the Frame Layout between monoscopic, stereoscopic (over/under), and stereoscopic (side by side).

VR export settings

You can export 360-degree footage the same way as regular footage. VR 360 allows you to edit in equirectangular and dual spherical formats. The footage is monocular and stereoscopic. Exporting equirectangular video is like exporting any other type of video, with a few caveats.

For more information, refer to Working with immersive VR video.

• Chooses how your audio is saved and compressed in the exported file:
  • AAC
  • MPEG

You can prepare the audio for output by specifying preferred formats.

• Audio Codec: Specifies the audio compression codec. Some audio formats support only uncompressed audio, which has the highest quality but uses more disk space. Some formats provide only one codec, while others allow you to choose from a list of multiple codecs.
• Sample Rate: Frequency at which audio is converted into discrete digital values, measured in Hertz (Hz). Audio recorded at higher sample rates produces better quality but requires larger file sizes. For best results, you should export audio at the same sample rate as it was recorded. Exporting at a higher sample rate does not improve quality and requires resampling, which can increase export times.
• Channels: Specifies the number of audio channels included in the exported file. If you choose fewer channels than are in the master track of your sequence or media file, Adobe Media Encoder down-mixes the audio. Common channel settings include Mono (one channel), Stereo (two channels), and 5.1 (six-channel surround sound).

• Sample Size: Amount of audio data per sample (aka “bit depth”). Audio recorded at higher sample sizes typically results in better quality sound but requires larger file sizes.
  

The Bitrate [kbps] is the output bit rate of the audio. Generally, higher bit rates increase both quality and file size.

This option helps preserve details and avoid aliasing when scaling to a frame size different from your source media. For example, exporting from a high-resolution 4-K sequence to a lower resolution HD or SD format. Enabling this option can improve quality but keep the following in mind:

• Export times can increase significantly, especially on systems without a supported GPU.
• Systems with supported GPU hardware automatically use maximum render quality if Renderer is set to Metal, CUDA, or OpenCL. Leave this setting deselected in those scenarios.
• This option is only useful when exporting to a different frame size. If you’re exporting at the same frame size as your source media, leave this setting deselected.

When this option is enabled, Adobe Media Encoder exports using the preview files already generated for your Premiere sequence instead of rendering new media. This option can help speed up export times, but may impact quality depending on the preview format you’ve chosen.

Proxies are used to increase performance while editing and exporting. 

When this option is enabled, Adobe Media Encoder exports using the proxy files already generated for your sequence instead of rendering new media. This option can improve export performance. The checkbox will default to unchecked.

Enable this option to specify a starting timecode for your exported media that is different from the source’s timecode. Leave this option deselected to use the source’s timecode on export.

This option can be used for sources that contain an alpha channel. When enabled, only the alpha channel gets rendered in the output video and a grayscale preview of the alpha channel is shown in the Output tab. This setting is useful when exporting to formats such as MXF that don't support transparency information. You can use the alpha channel-only output to define transparent areas of your video in third-party applications.

Time Interpolation is used when the frame rate of your exported media differs from that of your source media. For example, if your source sequence is at 30 fps, but you want to export it at 60 fps. Time Interpolation generates or removes frames by the following methods:

• Frame Sampling: Duplicates or removes frames to achieve the desired frame rate. This option may produce stuttered or jittery playback on some footage.
• Frame Blending: Adds or removes frames by blending them with adjacent frames, which can result in smoother playback.
• Optical Flow: Adds or removes frames by interpolating the motion of pixels from surrounding frames. This option produces the smoothest playback, usually, although artifacts may be introduced if there is a significant difference between frames. Try using one of the other time interpolation settings if this error occurs.

Use the Export Options menu to choose how XMP metadata is saved with your exported file:

• Embed in Output File: XMP metadata is saved within the exported file itself.
• Create Sidecar File: XMP metadata is saved as a separate file in the same directory as the exported file.
  
• Embed in Output File and Create Sidecar File: XMP metadata is saved both inside the exported file and as a separate sidecar file.
• Minimum required: Only essential metadata needed for basic playback and identification is included.
• Off: No XMP metadata from the source is exported. However, basic metadata about the exported file, such as export settings and start timecode, is always exported, even when None is chosen.

An export template specifies what XMP metadata gets written to the output file. For example, you can create an export template that includes various XMP metadata from the source files and add your contact information and rights-management information to each output file. 

The export template filters out any fields that are not explicitly enabled by the current template. The only exceptions are internal properties automatically populated by the creator application, which are always included and not editable. 

To create your own export template, select New next to the Export Template menu. You can enable individual fields or categories by selecting them in the Export Template Editor dialog box. To find specific fields, use the search field near the top of the Export Template Editor dialog box. Be sure to give your export template a descriptive name. 

You can edit an existing custom export template by choosing it from the Export Template menu and selecting Edit. 

After you have applied an export template, you can also manually enter values to add specific XMP metadata to the current encoding queue items. 

Some fields are not editable and can’t be excluded from output, such as fields that are written automatically by the creator application. For example, the Format field in the Dublin Core schema and the Video Frame Rate field in the Dynamic Media schema are set by Adobe Media Encoder to accurately describe the output file, and these fields are not user-editable. Also, values specified by the current export template appear as uneditable and to change them, either change the template or apply a different one. 

Any field that doesn’t contain data, either from the template or manually entered, gets excluded from the exported XMP metadata. Empty fields are not written to the output file.