Final Cut Pro for Mac 11.2

Copy or move a library in Final Cut Pro for Mac

You can copy a library to back it up, to move it to an external storage device to save space on your Mac, or to edit your project on another Mac.

Copy a library

When you copy a Final Cut Pro library, you can include original, optimized, or proxy media, or you can copy the library database only (without media).

In the Libraries sidebar in Final Cut Pro, select the library you want to copy.
Set the Motion content storage location to In Library, then click Consolidate in the Motion Content section of the Library Properties inspector.
Note: You must manually track and move any third-party plug-ins and content, because they are not managed within the Final Cut Pro library. Confirm with the developers that the installer and the plug-ins are compatible with the macOS version and the Final Cut Pro version.
Make sure the library is still selected in the Libraries sidebar, then choose File > Copy to Library > New Library.
Enter a name for the new library and set a location for it.
In the window that appears, select options for copying the items.
To include all the media used in your project, select “Copy media stored in external locations.”
Click OK.
If you chose to include optimized or proxy media, and the optimized or proxy media isn’t available, you’re given the option to generate the media.
Final Cut Pro copies the selected library and the corresponding media to the new library storage location, generating optimized or proxy media at that location if needed.
Note: Library backups are not copied. Final Cut Pro automatically backs up the library at regular intervals. Backups include the database portion of libraries only, not the media files. See View and set library storage locations and Restore a library.

Move a library to another Mac

You can move a Final Cut Pro library to an external storage device to transfer your project to another Mac or to save storage space.

Connect an external storage device to your Mac.
The device should be formatted in the APFS format. See the Apple Support article Format storage devices for Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Compressor.
In the Libraries sidebar in Final Cut Pro, select the library you want to move.
If the library contains any effects, transitions, titles, or generators that were created or customized in Motion, set the Motion content storage location to In Library, then click Consolidate in the Motion Content section of the Library Properties inspector.
Note: You must manually track and move any third-party plug-ins and content, because they are not managed within the Final Cut Pro library. Confirm with the developers that the installer and the plug-ins are compatible with the macOS version and the Final Cut Pro version.
Make sure the library is still selected in the Libraries sidebar, then choose File > Copy to Library > New Library.
Enter a name for the new library and set a location for it on the connected external storage device.
In the window that appears, select options for copying the items.
To include all the media used in your project, select “Copy media stored in external locations.”
Tip: To reduce the file size of the library you’re moving, deselect “Optimized media” and “Proxy media.” (You can easily re-create these files after moving the library.)
Click Modify Settings in the Media Destination section, then choose In Library from the Media, Motion Content, and Cache pop-menus.
Note: Library backups are not copied. Final Cut Pro makes automatic library backups at regular intervals. Backups include the database portion of libraries only, not the media files. See View and set library storage locations and Restore a library.
Click OK.
If you chose to include optimized or proxy media, and the optimized or proxy media isn’t available, you’re given the option to generate the media during the copy process.
Final Cut Pro copies the selected library and the corresponding media to a new library on the external storage device, and the new library appears in the Libraries sidebar.
Select the new library in the Libraries sidebar, then choose File > Close Library.
Quit Final Cut Pro, then eject the external storage device and disconnect it from your Mac.
Connect the external storage device to the destination Mac.
Important: Use the same versions of macOS and Final Cut Pro on both the source Mac and the destination Mac.
Drag the library file to a folder on the destination Mac.
In the Finder on the destination Mac, double-click the library file to open the library in Final Cut Pro.

If you moved the library to save storage space on your Mac, check the new library on the destination Mac to make sure it contains all your media. Then you can drag the original library file and the associated media files on your original Mac to the Trash to free up space.

For more information about moving a library to an external storage device or another Mac, see the Apple Support article Move a Final Cut Pro library.

Note: You can’t store your Final Cut Pro library on a storage device that’s used for Time Machine backups.

Download this guide: PDF

Helpful?

Final Cut Pro User Guide for Mac

Copy or move a library in Final Cut Pro for Mac

Copy a library

Move a library to another Mac