You’ve finished your edit, and now Final Cut Pro won’t export, the file is huge, or it looks wrong on YouTube. Here’s how to sort out the most common export problems.
Which export setting should I use?
For most uses, choose File › Share › Export File, set Format to “Video and Audio” and Video Codec to H.264 or HEVC. That gives a high-quality file at a reasonable size that uploads well to YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, and most other platforms. Choose Apple ProRes only when you’re handing the file to another editor or a post-production house.
The export fails or stops partway
Check for missing media first (red “missing” frames in the timeline) and relink it with File › Relink Files. Make sure the destination drive has plenty of free space. If the export still fails at the same point, a single damaged clip or effect is often to blame, and you can find it by exporting smaller ranges.
My video looks blurry, stretched, or has black bars
This usually comes from the project settings rather than the export. Select the project, open the Inspector, and check its resolution, frame rate, and aspect ratio. For vertical video, create a vertical project or use Duplicate Project As… to change the format, then adjust framing with Smart Conform.
Export is very slow
Rendering heavy effects, color corrections, and stabilization takes time. Rendering in the background before export, simplifying effects, or exporting from optimized media can speed things up considerably.
Get your export working, live
If you’re on a deadline and the file won’t come out right, book a one-to-one Zoom class. We’ll find the problem in your actual project and get your video delivered.
More Final Cut Pro help
Importing & organizing · The timeline · Titles, effects & color · Audio · Multicam · Captions & social formats · Troubleshooting · Keyboard shortcuts · Class FAQ