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How do I prevent iMovie from duplicating files when I import them? I tried importing to photos but photos will not import my movie files. I tried importing from the SD card directly to iMovie but that takes hours. Seems I can either wait hours on end or be forced to store two copies of each file (which I don't have hard drive space for).
iMovie imports a full sized duplicate copy of your source files into the Original Media folder of the iMovie library. The Original Media folder is a Finder folder. So if you have your source files located in an additional place in the Finder, then you will have one full sized file in the additional Finder location plus one full sized file in the iMovie library. The only way to prevent that is to delete the files in the additional Finder location after you have imported them into iMovie. This is not advisable because you need the backup. You never want the sole location of your source files to be tied up in any one application, including iMovie. If the iMovie library gets corrupted, as sometimes happens, then your source files disappear. Also, your source files would be harder to access and manage than they would be if backed up in a Finder folder outside of iMovie.
If you find that you are waiting "hours" for your movies to import from an SD card, than you either have very large file size movies, or a slow SD card, or insufficient space for iMovie to function efficiently, or a slow Mac processor, or a low end graphics card, or possibly a corrupt iMovie preference. Check your free space and if all O.K. then delete preferences. To delete preferences, open iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and select to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new library. Reopen your old library to get back to your projects. Deleting preferences is a safe procedure that will not cause data loss or disruption to your project. Now see if you import speed is faster.
If still no luck, you might try resetting your System Management Controller. Here's a link that shows how:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295
Unless your movies are in an incompatible format, or unless you don't have enough free disk space, they should be able to be imported into the Photos app with no problem,. The movies will then be accessible in iMovie from the Photos item in the project Media sidebar, as long as the Photos app library is designated as the system photo library in the Photos app general preferences. What steps are you taking to import the movies and what happens when you try? Are you getting an error message and, if so, what does it say?
-- Rich
iMovie imports a full sized duplicate copy of your source files into the Original Media folder of the iMovie library. The Original Media folder is a Finder folder. So if you have your source files located in an additional place in the Finder, then you will have one full sized file in the additional Finder location plus one full sized file in the iMovie library. The only way to prevent that is to delete the files in the additional Finder location after you have imported them into iMovie. This is not advisable because you need the backup. You never want the sole location of your source files to be tied up in any one application, including iMovie. If the iMovie library gets corrupted, as sometimes happens, then your source files disappear. Also, your source files would be harder to access and manage than they would be if backed up in a Finder folder outside of iMovie.
If you find that you are waiting "hours" for your movies to import from an SD card, than you either have very large file size movies, or a slow SD card, or insufficient space for iMovie to function efficiently, or a slow Mac processor, or a low end graphics card, or possibly a corrupt iMovie preference. Check your free space and if all O.K. then delete preferences. To delete preferences, open iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and select to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new library. Reopen your old library to get back to your projects. Deleting preferences is a safe procedure that will not cause data loss or disruption to your project. Now see if you import speed is faster.
If still no luck, you might try resetting your System Management Controller. Here's a link that shows how:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295
Unless your movies are in an incompatible format, or unless you don't have enough free disk space, they should be able to be imported into the Photos app with no problem,. The movies will then be accessible in iMovie from the Photos item in the project Media sidebar, as long as the Photos app library is designated as the system photo library in the Photos app general preferences. What steps are you taking to import the movies and what happens when you try? Are you getting an error message and, if so, what does it say?
-- Rich
How to prevent iMovie from duplicating files?
