How to reset a wrongly setup 30p project to 25p?

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Level 1

64 points

How to reset a wrongly setup 30p project to 25p?

I’d like to reset a project mistakingly set to 30 fps to the original 25 fps of all the video clips I imported to?

My trouble is, I just found out now my mistake after I created masses of Compound clips all set to the wrong default project fps ie. 30.

I tried creating a new empty 25 fps project, then adding manually each Compound clips to it. As expected, these Compound keep their original 30 fps setup. That cannot be changed. My concern is some useless rendering from 25 to 30 and back to 25 to each of these compound…

In short, is there a way to bulk change all clips to 25 fps without walking through each of them?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 12.7

Posted on Jan 16, 2026 11:38 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 17, 2026 2:53 AM in response to claude_210

The safest way is just to select All (Command-A); Copy (Command-C); then make a new project with the desired settings and Paste (Command-V).

If you want to actually change the frame rate of an existing project, you can only do it while the timeline is empty. You could do select all, Cut, then change the frame rate and paste. It usually works fine but to play it safe, either do as above or at least make a snapshot before cutting it all away.

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Answer 2

BenB

Level 6

13,222 points

Jan 18, 2026 11:53 AM in response to claude_210

Edit what it's shot in.

Conform in Compressor for output (change frame rate).

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Answer 3

claude_210 Author

Level 1

64 points

Jan 17, 2026 4:07 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Well, yes, I tried that first, but the 25 fps project resets itself to 30, which the fps default of all Compounds clips of the timeline. In a way, I feel that I have to start checking/resetting all my clips from top down to the bottom videos, but I kind of hoped someone would have already met the problem...

I figured out that a lot of handwork is waiting for me anyway, but I can't decide where to start from. Basically copy/paste jobs?...

And, BTW, I made a snapshot AND and backup copy to some external disk...

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Answer 4

claude_210 Author

Level 1

64 points

Jan 17, 2026 5:28 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

My mistake, I just misread that value from the clip below in the timeline, which does not change its fps value of course. The project fps stays to the selected 25.

My concern is, do FCP loose efficiency in rendering from 25 fps video shots to 30 fps compound clips and back to 25 fps in the project... I have no idea if FCP takes that into its rendering process.

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Answer 5

BenB

Level 6

13,222 points

Jan 17, 2026 12:22 PM in response to claude_210

I have noticed that editing shots of the same frame size and rate as the Project timeline does gain you some more efficiency. How much depends on your hardware. On my M1 Max Pro MBP I edit 4K in 1080 timelines, no issues at all, no lag, nothing. But I'm getting footage that matches my Project, because I make strict and firm demands at the onset of the project with any and all shooters. So in a nutshell, I'd say matching frame rates helps, but how much depends on your hardware. It could be not noticeable, it could be dramatic.

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Answer 6

claude_210 Author

Level 1

64 points

Jan 18, 2026 12:47 AM in response to BenB

On my M2 pro 16 GB sequoia, editing a 30 fps project holding 25 fps clips starts to be difficult, as I need to access individual images on many clips. Of course, rendering solves the problem, provided I can wait about 45 min for a 2 min clip...

Switching to a 25 fps project made things much better. Nevertheless more powerful HW would certainly help, but... €€€

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Answer 7

Jan 17, 2026 5:11 AM in response to claude_210

Did you actually select 25fps, or did you set it to automatic?

If the project is manually set to 25fps it should stay that way…

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