Final Cut Pro X: Troubleshooting basics

Resolution

Important note: First back up events, projects, and Final Cut Pro X
Prior to performing steps in this article, ensure that you have a current backup of your events, projects, and of Final Cut Pro X. Review the steps for backing up these items in Final Cut Pro X: Best practices for updating.

1. Review Final Cut Pro X documentation

In order to verify that Final Cut Pro X is working as expected, it's always a good idea to review the documentation to ensure that you clearly understand the expected behavior of what you're trying to do in Final Cut Pro X. Following this step thoroughly could save a lot of time by eliminating perceived issues.

For information on how to access Final Cut Pro X Help see Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5, Compressor 4: User manuals.

2. Verify that your computer meets the system requirements for Final Cut Pro X

See Final Cut Pro X - Technical Specifications.

Ensure that your computer meets the OpenCL-capable graphics card or Intel HD Graphics 3000 or later system requirement. For more information see:

• Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5, Compressor 4: Graphics card compatibility

3. Ensure Final Cut Pro X is up to date

Important note: If you are actively working on a project, avoid updating or upgrading Final Cut Pro X until you are finished with the project. Either complete the project in the version of Final Cut Pro X you are currently working in, or ensure that you have a current backup of your events, projects, and Final Cut Pro X. This is so you can revert to the previous state that your data and the application were in if updating or upgrading to the latest version of Final Cut Pro X does not address your issue.

Prior to updating, follow the steps in Final Cut Pro X: Best practices for updating to back up your Projects, Events, and your current version of Final Cut Pro X.

• Mac App Store: Update applications
• Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5, Compressor 4: Issues updating on the Mac App Store

4. Verify that the ProApps QuickTime Codecs are installed

For more information see Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5, Compressor 4: Run Software Update after installation to install Pro Apps QuickTime codecs.

5. Make sure you're using a media format or device supported for use with Final Cut Pro X

For more information see:

• Final Cut Pro X: Supported media formats
• Final Cut Pro X: Supported cameras and devices

6. Check third-party compatibility

If you use any third-party software (plug-ins, tools, or content) with Final Cut Pro X, contact the manufacturer to ensure that the version of third-party software you have installed is compatible with the version of Final Cut Pro X you're using.

7. Hide Events and Projects

You can isolate issues with events and projects by hiding your events and projects and then un-hiding a project or event. Do this one at a time until you are able to reproduce the issue and identify an affected event or project. For detailed information on hiding events and projects see Final Cut Pro X: Hiding events and projects.

8. Test with known-good media

Known-good media is media that is known to consistently work without issues. This can be a media file from a previous project that you confidently know works as expected. Alternately, you could add a generator and an audio file to a new Final Cut Pro X project (or a new Motion project) and export media using an Apple ProRes codec, like Apple ProRes 422, to create a known-good media file for troubleshooting.

Using known-good media can help you isolate an issue down to the media you're attempting to work with. If known-good media works as expected in Final Cut Pro X but other media you've imported into Final Cut Pro X does not, there may be an issue with the imported media. You may need to acquire it again from the original source, or it may be media that is not supported for use in Final Cut Pro X. For more information see Final Cut Pro X: Supported media formats.

9. Reset Final Cut Pro X preferences

Important note before you begin:
Before resetting user preferences, be sure to first review your Final Cut Pro X preferences as they are currently configured, and note any specific settings you've chosen. When resetting the Final Cut Pro X preferences, your editing, playback, and import preferences will be returned to default settings the next time you open Final Cut Pro X. For example, in your Import preferences you may have deselected the "Copy files to Final Cut Events folder" checkbox for a specific reason. If you reset the preferences and relaunch Final Cut Pro X, this check box will be enabled by default and may not be the setting you prefer for your workflow.

These articles are helpful for understanding the different preferences:

• Final Cut Pro X Help: Editing preferences
• Final Cut Pro X Help: Playback preferences
• Final Cut Pro X Help: Import preferences
• Final Cut Pro X Help: Destinations preferences

Upon opening Final Cut Pro X after you've reset the preferences to default, you can then set your preferences as they were configured previously. Do this before proceeding with tasks in Final Cut Pro X.

How to reset the Final Cut Pro X Preferences:
Follow the steps below for the version of Mac OS X that you are using.

OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

1. Create a new folder on the Desktop. Name the folder with a descriptive name you'll remember. For example, something like "Final Cut Pro X Preferences".
2. In Finder, hold down the Option key and choose Library from the Go menu.
3. In the Library folder that opens, open the Preferences folder. Move the following files to the folder you created in step 1:

com.apple.FinalCut.LSSharedFileList.plist
com.apple.FinalCut.LSSharedFileList.plist.lockfile 
com.apple.FinalCut.plist
com.apple.FinalCut.plist.lockfile
UserDestinations.plist

Note: The ".lockfile" items may not be present on your system.

OS X 10.7 Lion

1. Create a new folder on the Desktop. Name the folder with a descriptive name you'll remember. For example, something like "Final Cut Pro X Preferences").
2. In the Finder, hold down the Option key and choose Library from the Go menu.
3. In the Library folder that opens, open the Preferences folder and move the following files to the folder created in step 1:

com.apple.FinalCut.LSSharedFileList.plist
com.apple.FinalCut.LSSharedFileList.plist.lockfile
com.apple.FinalCut.plist
com.apple.FinalCut.plist.lockfile
UserDestinations.plist

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard

1. Create a new folder on the Desktop. Name the folder with a descriptive name you'll remember. For example, something like "Final Cut Pro X Preferences").
2. In the Finder, choose Home from the Go menu.
3. In the Home folder that opens, open the Library folder. Then, open the Preferences folder and move the following files to the folder created in step 1::

com.apple.FinalCut.LSSharedFileList.plist
com.apple.FinalCut.plist
UserDestinations.plist

After resetting preferences by moving the above file(s), perform the same steps that caused the issue to occur originally. If the issue no longer occurs, move the folder you created on the Desktop in the steps above, to the Trash. Empty the Trash to delete them from your computer.

10. Remove and reinstall Final Cut Pro X

For instructions on removing and reinstalling Final Cut Pro X see Final Cut Pro X: How to remove and reinstall Final Cut Pro X.