Since updated my OS, FCP won’t let me import footage from my SD card.

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Since updated my OS, FCP won’t let me import footage from my SD card.

Since I updated my OS (now Tahoe 26.3) Final Cut Pro won’t recognise the footage on my sd cards. When I try to import, the card shows, but when I try to open the folder it sees the files but then freezes and won’t start again. I’m having to force quit to start again.

I've tried everything updated FCP and media players. I’ve granted full access to FCP. I’ve restarted. I’ve uninstalled FCP, then reinstalled it. The only way I can work around it is by saving the card to my desk top and dragging each individual file into my system. It’s taking 100x longer to do anything.

Is this happening to anyone else? Is there anything I can do? Or do I need to give in and sub to Premiere?

Any help will be appreciated.

Posted on Feb 23, 2026 6:50 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

terryb

Level 4

3,620 points

Feb 23, 2026 12:42 PM in response to AV Neil

Did you try resetting FCP preferences? Hold Option and Command while launching FCP and choose Delete Settings. It will open the default Untitled library. Re-open the library you were working on, configure the Settings back to the way you like them (disable Background rendering, etc.) and see if the issue has been resolved.

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Answer 2

Feb 23, 2026 10:26 AM in response to AV Neil

AV Neil wrote:

Yes, it has folders. I can find the footage in the clip folder and have been importing it by dragging it in from each separate clip folder, but like I say, it’s taking 100x longer to import.

If this is happening with the card, but imports from your internal drive or other disk work ok, I'd seriously consider the possibility that something is wrong with the card. Note that an SD card is typically significantly slower than an HD (and much much slower than an SSD), but if I understand correctly, imports from this same card used to work ok before.

Maybe the system update was just coincidental with the card going bad. You could try with different cards, and see how that goes, or maybe reformat the card in camera (after copying its contents elsewhere, of course!), record some clips and test again.

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Answer 3

Feb 23, 2026 2:41 PM in response to AV Neil

There was an Apple Video Codec update recently, did you apply it? Check in System settings.

Can you open your clips in QuickTime Player from your card?

Michel

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Answer 4

Feb 23, 2026 7:15 AM in response to AV Neil

How is the SD card formatted, and what media types does it contain? Does it contain mixed formats recorded in camera?

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Answer 5

Feb 23, 2026 7:42 AM in response to AV Neil

Hi(Bonjour),

Try to open the card from Finder and see if you can see folders in it.

Michel

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Answer 6

BenB

Level 6

13,630 points

Feb 25, 2026 5:32 AM in response to AV Neil

So can you open them into QTPlayer directly from the card?

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Answer 7

Feb 23, 2026 9:59 AM in response to AV Neil

Just for testing purpose, did you try to drag a bunch of clips at once?

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Answer 8

BenB

Level 6

13,630 points

Feb 24, 2026 9:37 AM in response to AV Neil

What camera is recording to this card, and in what codec, specifically?

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Answer 9

AV Neil Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 23, 2026 2:31 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks for taking the time to try to help.

If I save it to the hard drive and try to import through fcp’s media import it still won’t recognise the footage it just gives me the spinning wheel. So the only way I can do it is by going all the way into the folder to the clip and dragging it from the desktop.

Have tried reformatting the sd card and still no joy with new footage. Have tried other cards, no joy.

It’s definitely something to do with the update. I don’t know whether I need to delete a file of something from FCP or tick a box somewhere. Or just go to Premiere?

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Answer 10

AV Neil Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 23, 2026 9:51 AM in response to Michel Boissonneault

Yes, it has folders. I can find the footage in the clip folder and have been importing it by dragging it in from each separate clip folder, but like I say, it’s taking 100x longer to import.

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