Final Cut Pro timeline playback freezing after edits

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Level 1

4 points

Final Cut Pro timeline playback freezing after edits

While editing in Final Cut Pro, I frequently encounter an issue where playback stops working after making a simple cut on the timeline.

I can still click around the timeline and move the playhead to different positions, but playback will not start when I press the spacebar.

The only workaround I’ve found is to click out of the current library and then click back into it. Once I do that, playback works normally again.

This happens repeatedly during editing and significantly interrupts my workflow. Has anyone else experienced this issue or found a permanent fix?

Posted on Nov 5, 2026 5:56 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

77,910 points

Nov 5, 2026 11:25 PM in response to Ausgod

In many cases, odd behavior can be related to corrupted preferences, so deleting preferences is worth a try.

To delete preferences, hold down command and option while starting the application and click Delete Custom Settings. The application will start with default settings and open an "Untitled" library. Adjust the settings, reopen the library you were working, and see how it works now.

If the problem persists, we are going to need to know more, starting with which version of FCP and of macOS.

Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.

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Answer 2

Nov 6, 2026 2:25 AM in response to Ausgod

This is a bug that goes back at least a few years now. No need to out of the Library. I find that just double-clicking on the Project file in the Browser does the trick.

Apple will never fix this because they either can't or don't want to. Otherwise it would've been long fixed.

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Answer 3

terryb

Level 4

3,850 points

Nov 6, 2026 10:19 AM in response to Ausgod

I don't recall ever experiencing this in the nearly 10 years of using modern FCP. I'd follow the advice from Luis to reset prefs and also post an etrecheck report.

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