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macOS Ventura 13.4 H264 codec 120FPS not working [Fix]

In this guide, we will make you aware of a potential workaround to mitigate the issue of H264 codec 120FPS not working on macOS Ventura 13.4. The latest incremental update to the fourteenth iteration of the OS build has just been rolled out by the Cupertino giant and the changelog proudly spells out that it irons out. a few underlying bugs. But what it doesn’t state is the fact that it has paved the way for a much more infuriating issue to make its way.

macOS Ventura 13.4 H264 codec 120FPS not working

With the latest macOS 13.4 update, the H264 codec 120FPS is no longer working and users are instead greeted with the ‘Render job failed as the current clip could not be processed’ or ‘The clip could not be decoded correctly’ error message. We tried many different software including QuickTime/Final Cut/DaVinci Resolve and all exhibit the same behavior, so the issue is definitely on the OS end.

macOS Ventura 13.4 H264 codec 120FPS not working

Moroever, the affected clips are being shown with red ‘Media Offline’ indicators and as soon as the software comes across a XAVC-S or H264 codec clip, the software is unable to carry out its tasks any longer. In some cases though, we got the audio of the entire clip [even of the affected part] but the video was all black. So this begs the all-important question: is there a fix? Let’s check it out.

Fix macOS Ventura 13.4 H264 codec 120FPS not working

macOS Ventura 13.4 H264 codec 120FPS not working

As of now, the only workaround that is spelling out success for the users involves downgrading the OS to the earlier stable build. However, do note that this will wipe off all the data from your Mac, so please take a backup beforehand. Once done, you may start off with the below steps [proceed ahead at your own risk]:

  1. Restart your Mac.
  2. If you have an Intel Mac, then press and hold the Command + R until the Apple logo appears.
  3. If you have an M1 or M2 Mac then press and hold the power button until the Options menu appears.

    macOS Ventura 13.4 H264 codec 120FPS not working
    Credits: Apple
  4. Now select Restore From Time Machine Backup and click Continue.
  5. Then choose the macOS 13.3 [or older] backup and proceed with the on-screen instructions to complete the downgrade.

That’s it. These were the steps to fix the issue of H264 codec 120FPS not working on macOS Ventura 13.4. As far as the official stance on this matter is concerned, the developers are yet to acknowledge this issue, let alone give out any ETA for the rollout of a fix. As and when any of these two things happen, we will update this guide accordingly. In the meantime, the aforementioned workarounds are your best bet.


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