iMovie Library List pane will not resize as expected

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33 points

iMovie Library List pane will not resize as expected

I run iMovie 10.3.5 on Ventura 13.2.1 on a Mac mini M2 through an Apple Studio Display

When I launch iMovie the pane containing the library list on the left hand side is too narrow and all the names of my events are truncated. If I hover the cursor over the edge of the pane, the cursor changes to the icon implying I can resize the pane by dragging the edge right or left. However - when I drag, nothing happens.

By chance I happened to resize the whole iMovie window such that it fills my screen left to right, but only fills 2/3 of the screen top to bottom. i.e. a much narrower letter box size. And now the drag works and I can resize the libraries pane.

But if I make the iMovie window taller again, the libraries pane automatically gets narrower again, and I am left unable to see my event names in full

Surely this is a bug?

I spent a lot of money on an expensive Apple Studio 27 inch screen in the hope I could use iMovie over the full dimensions of the screen. But if I want to have a wider libraries pane, I am restricted to only using 2/3 of the height of the screen to view iMovie. That cannot be what Apple plan - surely?

Why can't they allow the user to choose the pane widths at any size of the iMovie window the user chooses?

Mac mini (M2, 2023)

Posted on Mar 11, 2023 4:41 AM

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Answer 1

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Rich839

Level 8

48,692 points

Mar 11, 2023 8:17 AM in response to jhrichmond

iMovie is not functioning properly, because you should be able to expand the library display pane by placing your cursor at the edge of the pane until it morphs into a drag icon, and then and dragging to the right.

Possibly an iMovie preference has gone awry. Try deleting 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 usually will open in a new empty library. If so, reopen your old library to get back to your projects. Possibly you may need to reboot to set the changes. Deleting preferences is a safe procedure that will not cause data loss or disruption to your project.

You can also try creating a new project and see if the library pane can be expanded.

Also, try shutting down your computer, waiting several seconds, and restarting.

-- Rich

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Answer 2

jhrichmond Author

Level 1

33 points

Mar 11, 2023 8:37 AM in response to Rich839

Thanks for your reply Rich.

But it is not any of the things you say because I CAN resize the pane IF the size of the window containing iMovie is shaped such that it only fills 2/3 of the height of the screen. The drag function to resize works in this scenario

But then if I resize the iMovie window downwards to try to fill more of the vertical screen, the panes within iMovie start to change their width with the libraries pane becoming narrower and narrower as I increase the height of the iMove window - and the function to drag to resize the pane with the mouse cursor just stops working

I am using a brand new Mac mini M2 out of the box today and this is how iMovie works on it

It is the same on my old iMac 27" - if the iMovie window is full height of the screen, the function to resize the library window does not work - but it does start to work once the iMove window height is reduced to about 2/3 of the screen. I had thought this was problem with my old iMac 27 and so have lived with it for ages. But now I realise it is an iMovie issue with all big screens.

iMove stops allowing he user to vary the pane widths once the dimensions of the iMovie window reach a certain point.

I have just been to my local Apple Store and tried it on all their large screen Macs on display in the store - and it happens on every one of them. This is definitely an iMovie problem - not specific to my settings / preferences or anything else

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Answer 3

Rich839

Level 8

48,692 points

Mar 11, 2023 8:59 AM in response to jhrichmond

Hmmm. Possibly it is a glitch with the current updates. However, since you have found that it works that way on all large screen Macs, then possibly that is the way it is designed to work.

I'm running an older iMovie version than you, but when I click on the green button at the top left corner of the iMovie screen, I can expand the library pane a considerable distance to the right. When I don't click the green button, I can still expand it but not as much.

You might want to contact Apple Support and talk to the techs there. They have the capability of remotely accessing your Mac, that we cannot do here. Click on the Support item at the top of this forum's screen and navigate to a place where you can enter your phone number.

-- Rich

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iMovie Library List pane will not resize as expected

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