how to delete factory fx in fcp

PS - I've never done this. I don't have the nerve. There may be an internal database used to check their presence on startup...

Let it be known that I do not recommend this course of action. However, since some people recommend installing their third party templates inside the App, other than upgrading Final Cut Pro (which will restore its default state and clear out any user added templates), this is how those would be removed.

You are playing with fire here. You should never modify the internals of an application.

Here is what you should do instead:

Select an effect that you use, apply it to a clip.

Save Effects Preset, and select a category of your liking - better yet, create your own, say " My Stuff" (with a space at the beginning, so it will appear first on the list).

Repeat for other effects. Then you need only select " My Stuff" and only see the effects you want.

For other occasional use, type into the search box, with "All" selected, and quickly locate.

First: ***back up*** your copy of Final Cut!!!!!

The built in templates are inside the app.

Right click on Final Cut Pro and Show Package Contents.

Double click on Contents.

Double click on Plugins.

Double click on MediaProviders.

Double click on MotionEffect.fxp

Double click on Contents.

Double click on Resources.

The built in templates will be in PETemplates and Templates folders. (I would leave the PETemplates and Templates folders intact and in place! As well as "Effects", "Generators", "Titles" and "Transitions". Only delete what's inside of these folders.)

Do not mess with iOSTemplates (none of them show up in FCP anyway except, probably, when an iMovie project is imported... for support...).

If deleting templates crashes FCP - restore your backup!

If you are successful - LET ME KNOW!!

How much third party stuff do you actually have installed? Just curious.