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54Final Cut Pro User Guide
Import from other apps
Import into Final Cut Pro from iMovie for macOS
You can send an iMovie for macOS project to Final Cut Pro. You initiate the process
from within iMovie. The project file and the media used in the project are copied to your
Final Cut Pro library.
If you want to send an iMovie trailer project, you first need to convert it to a movie project.
For information about sending an iMovie project to Final Cut Pro or converting a trailer
project to a movie project, see the iMovie User Guide.
Note:
If you send a movie project from iMovie to Final Cut Pro and it contains a clip with the
“Lower volume of other clips” audio adjustment, that adjustment appears in Final Cut Pro
as the Gain filter. For information about adjusting audio effects in Final Cut Pro, see Adjust
audio effects in Final Cut Pro.
Import into Final Cut Pro from iMovie for iOS or iPadOS
You can import projects created in iMovie for iOS or iPadOS into Final Cut Pro.
Note: Some iMovie themes, filters, and titles are either not available or cannot be modified
in Final Cut Pro. You can re-create most of these effects in Final Cut Pro. See Intro to
effects in Final Cut Pro and Intro to titles in Final Cut Pro.
1. Open iMovie on your iOS or iPadOS device.
2. Scroll projects in the Projects browser, then tap one to see project details.
3. Tap the Share button
,
then tap one of the following options:
• AirDrop: Share wirelessly to a nearby Mac using AirDrop.
• iTunes: Transfer the file to a Mac using iTunes and a USB cable connection.
• iCloud Drive: Save the file to iCloud Drive and retrieve it with your Mac.
For more information about these methods of sharing projects to other devices, see the
iMovie User Guide for iPhone or the iMovie User Guide for iPad.
4. When prompted, choose the iMovie Project option (not the Video File option).
5. When the project file has finished copying, locate it on your Mac.
Note: By default, AirDrop transfers appear in your Downloads folder. Projects sent to
iCloud Drive appear in the iMovie folder in iCloud Drive.
6. In Final Cut Pro, choose File > Import > iMovie iOS Projects.
Note: This is the only way to import projects created in iMovie for iOS or iPadOS. You
can’t open an iMovie for iOS or iPadOS project in Final Cut Pro by double-clicking the
project icon or dragging it to Final Cut Pro.
7. In the window that appears, navigate to the location where you stored the iMovie for iOS
or iPadOS project file, select it, and click Import.
The imported project appears in the current event in the browser.
Note: Trailer projects are automatically converted to movie projects for use in
Final Cut Pro. Any empty image wells in the trailer are replaced by placeholder clips.