Could you give some details about the "overheating"?
What temperatures does it reach and what is the ambient room temperature?
It is quite normal under intensive use for Macs to get close to the boiling point of water before the fans kick in unless you have something like MacsFanControl.
Even a simple HandBrake conversion can send the temperature rocketing.
Final Cut Pro X is heavily hardware-intensive, which often causes your Mac Mini's CPU and GPU to run extremely hot while rendering or exporting. To cool your system down and prevent thermal throttling, adjust Final Cut background settings, improve the physical airflow around the device, and use temperature-management utilities.
Optimize Final Cut Pro X Settings
Rendering, especially with 4K footage or heavy effects, can instantly max out your system's resources.
Turn off Background Rendering: FCP is infamous for trying to render clips the second you pause. Go to Final Cut Pro > Settings/Preferences > Playback, and uncheck Background render. This ensures the Mac only works when you actively command it to.
Use Proxy Media: If you are editing 4K footage, do not rely solely on raw files. Right-click your clips in the browser and select Transcode Media, then check Create proxy media. Switch your Viewer to "Proxy" mode to drastically decrease the processing load.
Update macOS and FCP: Always ensure you are running the latest version of macOS. Apple continuously rolls out efficiency patches that improve thermal and power management.
Hardware and Airflow
The Mac Mini has an internal cooling fan, but it requires a constant supply of fresh air.
Clear the Vents: Ensure the Mac Mini is not tucked into a closed, cramped entertainment/media cabinet. It needs several inches of clearance around the back exhaust and the bottom intake.
Check for Dust: If you've had your Mac Mini for more than a year, dust buildup inside the chassis may be blocking airflow. You can gently blow out the vents with compressed air or use a professional service if needed.
Elevate the Mini: Some users place the Mac Mini on a riser stand or point a small external USB fan at the bottom casing to aggressively force cooler air into the system.
Control Fan Speeds
Apple's default fan profiles prioritise quiet operation over extreme cooling. Many video editors manually adjust fan speeds to cool the Mac before a heavy render begins.
Use third-party software like TG Pro or Macs Fan Control to monitor core temperatures and set the fans to ramp up earlier or run at maximum during heavy Final Cut exports
