Final Cut Pro X is running slow; How do I speed up Final Cut Pro X?

This is my pet checklist for questions regarding FCP X performance - you may have already addressed some of the items but it's worth checking.

Make sure you're using the latest version of the application - FCP X 10.0.5 runs very well on my 2009 MacPro 2 x 2.26 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon with 16 GB RAM and ATI Radeon HD 5870 1024 MB. I run it with Lion 10.7.5.

First, check that you have at least 20% free space on your system drive

If you have not already done so, move your Projects and Events to a fast (Firewire 800 or faster) external HD. Make sure the drive's formatted OS Extended (journalling's not required for video). You should always keep at least 20% free space on the Hard Drives that your Media, Projects and Events are on.

Check the spec of your Mac against the system requirements:

http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/specs/

Check the spec of your graphics card. If it's listed here, it's not suitable:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4664

If you are getting crashes, there is some conflict on the OS. Create a new (admin) user account on your system and use FCP X from there - if it runs a lot better, there's a conflict and a clean install would be recommended.

Keep projects to 20 mins or less. If you have a long project, work on 20 min sections then paste these into a final project for export.

If you ever experience dropped frames, I strongly recommend you use ProRes 422 Proxy - it edits and plays back like silk because the files are small but lightly compressed (not much packing and unpacking to do) - but remember to select 'Original or Optimised Media' (FCP X Preferences > Playback) just before you export your movie, otherwise it will be exported at low resolution.

If you have plenty of processor power, for the ultimate editing experience, create Optimised Media - most camera native files are highly compressed and need a great deal of processor power to play back - particularly if you add titles, filters or effects. ProRes 422 takes up much more hard drive space but is very lightly compressed. It edits and plays back superbly.

Hide Audio Waveforms at all times when you don't need them (both in Browser and Storyline / Timeline). They take up a lot of processor power. (Use the switch icon at the bottom-right of your timeline to select a format without waveforms if you don't need them at the moment, then switch back when you do).

Create folders in the Project and Events libraries and put any projects you are not working on currently, in those folders. This will help a lot. There's a great application for this, called Event Manager X - for the tiny cost it's an invaluable application.

http://assistedediting.intelligentassistance.com/EventManagerX/

Unless you cannot edit and playback without it, turn off Background Rendering in Preferences (under Playback) - this will help general performance and you can always render when you need to by selecting the clip (or clips) and pressing Ctrl+R.

The biggest single improvement I saw in performance was when I upgraded the RAM from 8 GB to 16.

Andy

I am also a novice user and had the same problem. Your answer gives a comprehensive and useful checklist. But I how do you combine projects?

I tried copying and pasting but found no way to do this.

Your help would be appreciated.

Select all the clips in a project (Cmd+A) and press Cmd+C to copy them.

Open a new project, and press Cmd+V to paste the clips into the new project.

Paste other projects into this 'master' as required.

Andy

This works perfectly. It even captures connected clips which is essential.

Many thanks for the tip and for the immediate response, Andy.

Francisco

I am trying to split a 50 minute video in the timeline into two shorter separate projects. I had already worked quite a bit on the timeline and there are many connected stills and videos.

To split the video into roughly 25 minute segments I used Cmd range and selected and copied the end of the clip. When I then created a new short project, it only copied the video on the timeline but not the connected clips.

Is there a simple way to copy an entire range in the timeline, including connected clips?

Use the cursor to draw a rectangle over the clips you want.

Don't use the range tool.

Andy

Fantastic and simple.

Thanks again, Andy

These are all good advice.

Now two years has passed, and Final Cut Pro X has become even better, stronger, faster.

But still I've got this feeling there's a memory leak or something, somewhere.

When I open it up, start editing, it's perfect, fast and snappy. Gradually the spinning beach ball appears every now and then. After a while the spinning beach ball appears when splitting, scrubbing, changing in and outs etc. Sometimes I have to wait for 10-15 seconds. And also there is an overall sluggishness that gradually increases. No dropped frames on playback, but rather when "working". And eventually it crashes.

Then after starting up Final Cut Pro X again, right after the crash, it's fine. Totally fine. Fast and snappy again. Long projects. Short projects. Doesn't seem to matter.

Anyone noticed this?

Take a look at this list ofpossible causes and fixes.

Russ