Help CenterDisclaimer
Due to changes Apple makes with each update of FCP and MAC OS, you may need to update your products after updating your system.
Because of this, we cannot guarantee that plugins will be indefinitely available in the same state that you originally purchased it in, or that work will not be lost when you update Final Cut Pro or MAC OS.
There are some cases where updates may render plugins obsolete, or the product may change greatly from the older version in a new update, which can affect past projects and cause a loss of work.
We are not able to offer legacy versions of products in the case that your system is no longer able to use the plugin.
We recommend to take precautions in order to prevent loss of work. Please review the guidance below for our advice on how to make a smoother transition to a new OS and FCP.
Things to Do Before you Update your OS or FCP
Check the System Requirements for the Plugins before updating
When MAC OS or FCP updates, we may need to make updates to a plugin to make it compatible.
Check if the system requirements for the plugins are compatible with your system before making updates on the product’s page.
System requirements are listed in the System Requirements section under the Video, description, and cart.
If you notice your system no longer meets the new requirements, you will not be able to use the product.
Save a copy of your version of FCPX
Saving a copy of your FCP before you update will allow you to revert to that version in the case that a plugin critical to your project is no longer compatible.
Right click on FCP and press “Compress” to create a .zip file of the application.
Move the file to a backup drive to preserve space on your HD or SSD.
When you want to restore this version, move the .zip to your applications, and open it to uncompress the file.
Back up all of your Projects
After making the transition to a new version of FCP, you may notice FCP will ask you to update the project for the new version. When you do this, you are no longer able to open this project on older versions of FCP.
Save a duplicate of your project and store on a separate drive to go back to in the case that you revert to an older version of FCP.
Make a Time Machine Backup of your System
A Time Machine backup will enable you to revert your system to the state of the Time Machine backup you have available in the case that you need to undo any MAC OS and/or FCPX changes.
Apple’s User Guide on Time Machines is located here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250
Plus their handy videos:
MAC OS Monterey or Earlier: https://youtu.be/x3eZSVsxMf4?si=Ea5RQaQNq0S_h7ca
MAC OS Ventura or Newer: https://youtu.be/UkT5GjtNCjc?si=HUgjqMzmCqLTHdhm
Check in with our Customer Support
You can always reach out to our Customer Support if you have any questions about possible issues with plugins before updating.
Tips
Have a Cloud and/or External Drive(s) to save backups to: Having additional storage can help you back up projects without sacrificing space on your MAC HD/SSD.
Consolidate FCP Project Libraries: Consolidating projects will allow you to more easily move Projects without causing issues with lost media. We have a guide on consolidating FCP Libraries on our FCP Tutorials playlist, here: https://youtu.be/xlyKXoQ8MT0?si=2YL3RofheIQQJJli
Turn off Auto Updates for FCP and Mac OS: Turning off Auto Updates will allow you to have more control over when the OS and FCP updates so that you can avoid sudden and irreversible loss of work.
How to turn off Auto Updates (Ventura and Newer OS):
- Launch the System Settings app.
- Tap on General.
- Click on Software Update.
- Tap the (i) button towards the top right corner.
- Disable Install macOS updates and/or Install application updates from the App Store