Why is your FCPX library so LARGE and how to fix it
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
- Hi Friends!
In this video I'm talking Final Cut Pro X library size, specifically why is your FCPX library so large, why is it taking up so much space on your harddrive and providing some tips on how you might be able to reduce the amount of space that your final cut lib uses. I cover importing, optimised media, proxy media, render files and long term storage of libraries in the hope of helping you understand what Final Cut needs to function and what you might be able to live without. Final cut pro is a vast piece of software designed to cater to many complex workflows so understanding your own video workflow is key in helping you reduce fcpx library size by only utilising features that you really need. how to reduce FCPX lib size will depend on how you use it but hopefully this video will help you get to gips with what you do and dont need and streamline your editing workflow.
As always, thanks for watching and feel free to ask me a question in the comments below.
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Hope that was helpful? hit me up with any questions you might have with a comment! 👍🙏
Yes, this was very helpful!
Hi Will, thank you for the helpful video! I am just getting started using Final Cut Pro X. When it comes to using the software, do you usually find it best to have the media stored on an external hard drive while you are editing or on your computer itself? If the former, do you recommend an SSD external hard drive that has either a Thunderbolt or USBC connection?
SUPER HELPFUL!
Thanks Will. Yes it has cleared up things for me. As i'm pretty sure you know more than what i do about FCPX. I have been using the software for editing for more years than i care to remember, but have never been taught by anyone, and i'm a 64 year old dinosaur, so thanks for your help. It's very much appreciated. I will look at getting more RAM Memory put into my Mac. Thanks again.
That delete generated files was a life saving tip thank you! took my project from 328GBs down to 35GBs
its almost magic right?! thanks for watching
I appreciate how you are the polar opposite of click bait. Your style, subjects and knowledge are your product. Thanks.
Thanks mark, very kind 👍🙏😎
Got a new MacBook pro M1Pro chip MacBook with 1tb ssd. Working on a 200 GB project. After a day of "exploring" I got a warning that I'm down to my last 2 GB of storage! I think Pro Res proxy also takes up tons more space than h.264. I was at ProRes 100%. Yup. As someone new to FCP, thank you for your informative video. Definitely helpful!
I think youll find the 100% is the main culprit in your case, reduce the resolution to 50% and it will take much less space, yes you will see a drop in quality whilst editing but well worth it for a speedy workflow
Massively helpful. I just rendered a live concert we shot last week on March 29, the FCP Library was 1.2 TB for 2.5 hrs of music. its now 400GB, still huge but nowhere near what it was.
Glad it helped! Happy editing! 👍🙏😎
This helped so much! I had a library file size that was 600+ GB and I got it down to just 8GB!!!! Thanks so much!
Glad it helped!
BEST VIDEO! Easy to understand, straight to the point and saved me tons of headache. Thank you so much!
"Deleting Generated Library Files" just emptied nearly half my hard drive. Thank you!
Glad it helped!
This helped me quite a bit as my storage space is filling quickly. I will save this video for future reference. I'm trying to refine my workflow in FCPX.........Take care, Bluefin.
Glad to help! Thanks for watching 👍🙏😎
Thanks so much my files immediately shrank 90% after using your tips.
Great to hear!
The delete generated files really worked! It made my library go from 472GB -> 46GB. Ridiculous how that works.
Thanks for this video! I'm working on a FCPX project with 100GB of source footage and the library file somehow ballooned up to almost 700GB and used up all the space on my drive! Deleting the render files alone got it back down to 140GB.
I was 3/4 way through a project that had almost 500G of data and by deleting the render the files I didn't use, you just saved me almost 400G of storage !! Thank you so much ! 🙏
That’s great! Glad I could help 👍🙏😎
This is great! I'm a FCP novice and Couldnt export my video because my HD was suddenly full! Realised that the Library for the video I was exporting was the issue but was paranoid I would mess up the edit. This has cleared loads of space and now I am clearing all render files now the file has exported to save another 109GB !
Awesome! Glad it was helpful! 👍🙏😎
I searched for this video cause I just had 6.5 GBs of footage turn into a 40+ GB library!! Thank you for the thorough explanation, I was really trippin for a second there.
Glad I could help!
Oh my god thank you so much, my library took about 800gb from my 1tb MacBook Pro, and it started lagging so much cause I only had a few mb left, I was panicking… thank you for your help❤️
At first I was thinking, great I just get to look at Will for 9 mins, however after watching and listening , my thinking changed to "this is the type of content that I need after watching a lot of "How To" vids that don't really tell you "Why" .This content allows me to understand a bit better what certain actions mean and decide if it fits my workflow or not. Thanks!
Thanks Richard 🙏😎👍
thank you thank you thank you
i was going absolutely insane over my 2tb mac filling up absurdly quickly
You’re welcome, you’re welcome, you’re welcome 🙏👍😎
super informative video, thanks very much.
My project is now push 5TB which is more than the hard drive i got for it, so had to go seaching for other solutions 🤙
This is very helpful!! I played some back and also took notes!! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for this video. Just turned a near 280GB project file to just over 18GB, was driving me nuts! Legend 👍
Glad it helped!
Thank you Will! This was super helpful and I loved how you helped us understand the reasons why and how to make choices...rather than just telling us all exactly which buttons to click. Truly grateful for your insight!
You're so welcome!
HOLY CRAP!!! I had all of my 2TB of storage full. Once i deleted my unused render files, I JUMPED TO HAVING 1.55TB OF SPACE FREE TO USE!!! Thank you for this tutorial!!!
Glad it helped!
The Generated Files tip was just what I needed. Brilliant. Cheers. 1.4tb freed up.
Awesome to hear! 👍🙏😎
Im relatively new FCPX and video editing in general . I always find your tutorials immensely helpful. Thank you for taking the time. Cheers
Thanks so much Scott, Glad to help! 👍🙏😎
As usual: straight to the point, helpful and still nice to watch - you cover so many topics that are useful or interesting for me - thanks so much for keeping up your channel
Thanks so much, glad you found it helpful 👍🙏😎
Thank you I cleared 3 TB just deleting old render files 😫
Awesome! 👍🙏😎
Thanks Will, very useful tips. All going towards improving my understanding of FCPX and why my Mac is filling up so quickly!
This has been so helpful. I was going crazy with my dwindling hard drive space but it is all good now. Thanks.
Awesome to hear! 👍🙏😎
I have watched many videos on FCPX and you will hit it right on the button. So well explained so informative. so useful you are a star. I went straight to the Subscribe button and found that I had already subscribed some time ago. Brilliant. keep up the good work Will.
Thanks Derek! Glad you found it useful 👍🙏😎
Than you so much for this! It's so important to understand why you're doing something and minimise fatal project mistakes and this video helps a lot :)
Awesome to hear, thanks for watching 👍🙏😎
Thanks for explaining Will! This helps a lot. My 5GB library grew to 99GB just by the render files generated by effects alone, without optimized media ... phew
You sir. Are a life saver. I was going insane
Stay sain! Happy to help 👍🙏😎
At least now i know that thats normal process! New to fcpx 🙋♀️
Glad to help Lana! 👍🙏😎
Why does my FCPX original media files show as aliases when I had selected "Copy to library storage location" on import?
Thanks Will for this information!! Very well educated!
Glad it was helpful!
Very Informative ! Keep uploading such Videos👌🏻
Thanks! I certainly will! 👍🙏😎
brilliant, very clear to the point. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
thank youuu, i went from 360 GB to 9GB :)
I've used up 3 Terra bytes for one project. I'm hoping your video can help me clean stuff up.
I hope it helps! Thanks for watching 👍🙏😎
Whoaaaa! As I switch from LumaFusion to FCPX this is amazing content. Thank you Will! Appreciate the information and examples.
Glad to help! 👍🙏😎
Great video! Thanks for breaking it down with the optimized media.
I usually work with 12GB video clips that are about a half-hour in length. After I drop my clip into the timeline, adjust the audio, and add an intro and outro, I send it to Compressor to bring it down to about 5-6GB usually, when its all said and done. I set my library at 1080p - 60FPS - 4444XQ. I recently decided I wanted to up it from 1080p to 4K while following the same process. Those 12GB videos are now making my library go to 800GB in size without even completing in Compressor and I am sort of lost at what to do.
Im not familiar with 4444XQ is that a codec? if so i suspect that might be causing the issue as i havent experienced similar myself. sorry i can be more help! 🙏👍😎
Bro! Thank you so much, this was really needed. You have my subscribe !
Awesome! glad it was helpful!
you explain things so well, this video was super helpful & informative !!
Had to give the 👍 for TWO reasons... One, thank you for this great video Will.! New subscriber and new to FCP so I look to your videos for guidance. Second was to change that thumbs up number to 667. 😆
Awesome, thank you! 👍🙏😎
Hi Will. How do i find and delete cache files in fcpx. My memory will not allow me to export any files now, and i have trashed lots of libraries since i've had my Mac. But cannot find how to delete cache files from libraries that i've deleted. Any help would be very much appreciated.
Hi Bob, cache files in FCPX are called render files, by default these are stored within the library so if you’ve deleted the library then the render files should be deleted automatically. That is unless you have specifically told FCPX to save them elsewhere. If you are having memory issues it might be that your machine just hasn’t got enough memory for what you’re doing? Hope that helps
Thanks Will! I have both optmized and proxy media deactivated on Import, but the files goes 100gb (for a 1gb footage). And my mac has only 500gb! Is there any way to reduce the size in on going project? I already delete generated files for finished project, but the ongoing project is too big :/
Thanks for the tips my friend. I wondered how I lost 1k GB so fast
Happy to help! 👍🙏😎
Thank you Will! This is really super helpful
Glad it was helpful!
Very clear and informative information. Thank you for the help.
very helpful and informative. i'm new to FCPX and teaching myself, this info was much needed!
Great to hear!
For some reason, I am not seeing the "delete render files" option. I only see the other two. Any advice on why? Final Cut 10.6.5
Make sure you click on the library in the browser window then file>delete generated. You only get the render option when the lib is selected vs an event. Hope that helps
I made a 5-min video in which all the original footage added together was just about 2GB - not your 100GB example - and I ended up with a 500GB "Personal" (whatever it means) Library!! All I did was just add subtitles to every scene - there were hundreds of them - but they were nothing more than black and white English subtitles. It took hours to render. That made me wonder: has Apple made a real bad product with FCPX?! They should have known these potential issues (of mega file sizes) and most people would have no chance of dealing with it effectively (1-2TB storage for most people).
I wouldnt say its a bad piece of software, just a lot of variable that can effect file sizes. Adding lots of captions will certainly ramp up size due to the amount of rendering needed. If you are editing regularly Id suggest getting an external drive to edit from as all video projects no matter the software will always outgrow modern laptops storage options.
Top video Will. That helped me out big time
thank you so much for all the explenations!
You are very welcome!
Thanks for clarifying
Thank you for this video,its helping😊
You're welcome 😊
Very easy to understand video for a newbie like me. Thanks!
I went and bought a 400TB hard drive for FCP. I'm new at this. Im looking to make 2 UA-cam shorts. Is 400TB enough room to make two short 60-second videos?
Hi I’m assuming you mean 400gb not tb as that would be massive! 400gb should be fine for a few shorts. I generally use a 2TB (2000gb) drive as my active editing drive and that is enough for some prettt hefty projects. Once I’m done I move the files onto a slower drive for long term storage. Hope that helps
@@WillChidlow I was being facetious. Thanks for the reply it was def helpful.
@@electricalron some of the comments I get I find it hard to tell what’s serious and what’s not 😂
Thank you so much Will! Your videos are so helpful to me!
Awesome to hear, thanks Jessica 👍🙏😎
Epically helpful! Thank you!!!
Thanks Kate 👍🙏😎
Regarding 1:45 >>> I wasn't aware that this is the default setting ("Copy to library storage location"). That's why my library size is huge now. I actually didn't want Final Cut Pro to duplicate the files. Is there a way to delete all copied video files from the library location? And if so, will Final Cut Pro still find the original files?
Thats a tricky one, im not sure there is a way to "undo" the links to library media
Excellent video. Very clear. In my situation, I have an ongoing promo reel that needs occasional updating. There are about a dozen original files, about one GB each in the library - not duplicate elsewhere on the computer as I import direct to the PCPX library from the camera memory card. I do select optimize and proxy however. So anyway, when I look at the files in total they are less than 100 GB. Yet the library is taking up 500 GB on the hard drive. I suppose I need to leave it as is since I want to be able to easily add or remove clips.?
This scenario is exactly when I would “delete generated media” when not using the library. That will delete your optimised, proxy, and render files and shrink the library down whilst keeping the original media safe. That should reduce the lib to near the 100gb of footage roughly speaking. When you open the library next time you want to make edits the lib will generate what it needs again. Rinse and repeat. If you are making g changes regularly or if you can “afford” the space then don’t delete proxy and optimised and just delete the render files, this alone can be a worthwhile space saving but reduces transcoding time when you re open the lib in future. Hope that helps
Big help, man. Thanks!
Thank you so much mate!!!
Great advice! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Great channel, this video was so helpful, this was driving me CRAZY!
Glad I could help! 👍🙏😎
This was super helpful, thank you!!
That was indeed very helpful, thank you very much for the effort, clarity and tips!
Cheers Marcel 👍🙏😎
Hello, thank you for such a helpful tip! Especially if it comes to "Deleting the generated media". I went from 330 GB down to 30 GB ;)
Glad it was helpful 👍🙏😎
wow thanks this is very pivotal wish i had known better
Thanks a lot! Great explanation!!
Thanks for watching! cheers Pat! 🙏👍😎
Giant files, ahhhh, WTF/over?
Bloated libraries begone! Thanks Will.
Awesome to hear! Glad it helped 👍🙏😎
Thanks super helpful.
I’m glad to see you again. 😊
Thanks Louise! Glad to be back 👍🙏
Wow this was very helpful!! thanks!
Glad it helped!
Thank you so much!
whats the next best software where i don't need to worry about all this. When I edit on my phone with PowerDirector Pro its pretty easypeasy. I want something a little more pro on MacBook but this is annoying. The PowerDirector Pro version for MacBook is awkward. I used to love Vegas pro. I wonder if thats still around or if there is something better since pips don't seem to use FCP. What upsets me most is my MacBook Pro with intel couldn't play Go Pro footage unless I converted it and when I uploaded to UA-cam it wasn't that good looking.
it tricky i know. if you want something a bit more pro then any option will require a bit more thought about media management especially if you are creating regular projects which all take up space!
very helpful! thanks alot!
You're welcome! 🙏👍😎
I'm so stuck. Considering going back to Resolve. I have the background render turned off. I have leave files in place, yet my project is sitting at over 100GB even though I did the delete optimized media and proxy media thing too.
How much footage did you start with?
great help ! thanks.
You're welcome! 🙏👍😎
Thank you.
You're welcome!
Really like the title effects you have at various points in the video (e.g. at 06:17) to share your tips. Is that custom, part of some pack (maybe motionVFX? I bought the mTutorial based on a video you did) or built in? Thx for any pointers.
Thanks man! That's really useful!
Glad to help! 👍🙏😎
Hey mate thanks for this! Do you think 1tb is enough for a new MacBook Pro? I use external drives. Im just thinking I should have gone with 2tb but am not sure. I still have time to return my MacBook Pro and get another if need be.
I’d say 1tb is enough as long as you are happy to work predominantly from external drives when editing. For me the cost of adding more internal storage outweighs the convenience of not using external drives. Essentially buy what you can afford and it will be fine either way but just adapt your workflow accordingly. Hope that helps 👍🙏😎
@@WillChidlow I ended up returning it on Monday and will order a 4TB one to be safe. Mine was also 32GB and I was maxing it out with the stuff I do! So I have to get the 64GB. Thanks for the reply.
Very informative. Assuming you are using the option of leaving your video files in place is there a way easily delete all the UNUSED clips / media to free up space?
Thank you for sharing! you saved my assssss
👍🙏😎
Thanks
Welcome!
tysm!!!
Great info, thanks Will!
Thanks Dan! 👍🙏😎
Very helpful , thanks.👍
Thanks Rune, glad you got some value 👍🙏😎
Well explained! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful 👍🙏😎 thanks for watching
New skills Will! How are you doing the speed change zoom crops???
Haha thanks for noticing! It’s a cool free plug-in called MCamRig by MotionVFX. Allows lots of cool animated crops and zooms that would be a keyframe nightmare without it. 👍👍🙏😎
Very useful video! Just not sure if I got the answer regarding leaving files in place vs import. Does that really reduce the file size, leaving files in place? I prefer using that option because I sometimes use the same footage for different projects, or I prefer keeping the footage rather than the project, once the final video is done.I still find my project files huge, but I think it's the proxy media as you explained. I just want to be sure that's all. It still feels like there's a copy of the files instead of a "lighter" version.
hey, thanks for watching! maybe this video might help you: ua-cam.com/video/nzgEVsdyD88/v-deo.html
Great video Will. Just one question. You can also disable render from the get go right? The render “only” serves one purpose right? allows you to see in full quality what you’re doing, but even if it’s disabled it’s still possible to see the playback really nicely and it saves a lot of space. Since the final export always is done in the full quality possible, the render only serves the purpose of letting you see the full quality as you go. But if you trust the full quality in the end you don’t need the render, right?
Great question! Honestly I’m not 100% on this, personally I always like to review my work in full quality as I go but I guess your approach could work 🤔 I always thought that rendering was required all the time and thought the option was just to disable background render leaving the HQ render until you decide to export. Perhaps I need to dig into this theory a bit more and do some experiments for my own clarity. Sorry I can’t definitively give you an answer for this but you’ve definitely got me thinking too now! Thanks for watching! 👍🙏😎
Thanx. I’ve done some research and tested this week with some 4k-10bit-422 footage from my c300iii. I’ve done the export with all the renders from the beginning. Then i started the library again from scratch with render off. Made exactly the same effects. Exported and compared in a 5k screen. Exactly the same. Library 8 times lighter LOL
Ah that’s great to know! Thanks for sharing, I’ll definitely look into this 👍🙏👌
Thanks Will!
Thanks Charlie 👍🙏😎
Great thumbail :)
my 60 gb videos are turning to over 500 GB...... wtf
its bound to be a combination of optimised, proxy, and render files that are taking the space. hope you get it sorted
What is proxy media and render files?
Hey, hopefully this will help: Edit faster in Final Cut using proxy media
ua-cam.com/video/fBlwZ3jVEOI/v-deo.html
@@WillChidlow Thank you so much!
You’re very welcome! 👍🙏😎