How to export your data from Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro does not have a cloud 'account data export' like a SaaS app — your data lives locally as Library files on your Mac. To move your work elsewhere you export FCPXML files (project/event/clip structure and metadata) for other NLEs, and/or export finished sequences as master video files (ProRes, H.264, etc.) via the Export File share destination.

Formats: FCPXML (XML), ProRes (all versions), H.264/HEVC via MOV or MXF, AVC-Intra, DV/DVCPRO/DVCPRO HDPlan: None — Final Cut Pro is a one-time purchase app (no subscription tiers), so export is available to every license holder.Role: None — single-user macOS desktop app, no team/workspace roles. Requires local access to the Mac holding the Library.

✓ Verified against Final Cut Pro's official documentation, October 2026

Step by step

1To export project structure/metadata: in Final Cut Pro, select a library, or select one or more events, projects, or clips you want to export. To export the project open in the timeline, click in the timeline to make it active.
2Choose File, then use the Export XML command for the selected item(s).
3In the export dialog, choose a Metadata View from the pop-up menu — this determines what information is included in the XML file and how it's organized.
4Select the XML version: Current or Previous (Apple recommends Current in most cases), then save the FCPXML file.
5To export a finished video instead of/alongside project data: select a range in the project timeline (use the I and O keys to set start/end points — a clip selection alone is not enough to share a portion of a project).
6If the project uses proxy media for playback, open it in the timeline and set the Viewer's View pop-up to Optimized/Original to ensure full quality in the export.
7Open the Share window for the Export File destination, review/edit the project or clip title and description in the Info pane, then start the export to a ProRes/MOV/MXF master file.
8To move a project to another Mac/editor entirely, you can also copy the whole Library package (which contains the events, projects, clips and references) rather than exporting XML.

What the export includes

✓Library, event, project and clip structure and hierarchy (via FCPXML)
✓Clip and project metadata, according to the Metadata View chosen at export time
✓Timeline edits, when exporting the active project as XML
✓Final rendered video/audio when using the Export File (Master File) destination, in formats like Apple ProRes, AVC-Intra, DV/DVCPRO HD, packaged as MOV or MXF
✓Project/clip title and description fields, editable in the Share window before export

What it doesn't include

✗FCPXML is a text/metadata interchange file — it does not embed the actual media; it references media files, so third-party apps need access to the original media to reconstruct the timeline
✗Final Cut Pro-specific effects, titles, generators and plugins generally do not translate through FCPXML into non-Apple NLEs unless the receiving app has matching support
✗Render files and proxy/optimized media caches are not part of an XML export
✗No single 'export all my data' button — there is no account-level or workspace-level bulk export since Final Cut Pro has no cloud account/workspace concept

Before you start

⚠FCPXML export options (what's included, metadata layout) depend on the Metadata View you pick at export time — the wrong view can leave out fields you need downstream.
⚠You must choose an XML version (Current vs. Previous) at export; using Previous is only for compatibility with apps that haven't adopted the latest FCPXML schema.
⚠To export only part of a project as a master file you must make an explicit range selection with I/O points — just selecting a clip is not sufficient.
⚠If your project was edited with proxy or optimized media, exporting without switching the Viewer to Optimized/Original can produce a lower-quality master file.
⚠The full developer-level FCPXML spec (what each element supports) is documented separately in Apple's FCPXML developer reference, not in the end-user guide.

Where to take your data

Free and cheaper tools that can take a Final Cut Pro export. See all Final Cut Pro alternatives →

DaVinci Resolve

Alternatives Final Cut Pro vs DaVinci Resolve

Resolve can import FCPXML project files to rebuild timelines, clips and basic metadata; re-link the original media afterward since XML only references media, it doesn't contain it.

Kdenlive

Kdenlive has partial/limited FCPXML interoperability through its MLT-based project model; complex effects and titles from Final Cut Pro typically need to be rebuilt manually.

HitFilm Express

HitFilm does not natively read FCPXML, so the practical path is exporting finished sequences as master files (ProRes/H.264) from Final Cut Pro and re-importing the media/clips directly into HitFilm.

Exporting from Final Cut Pro: common questions

Can I export all my Final Cut Pro projects at once, like a full account backup?+

There's no single bulk-export command. You export XML per selected library/event/project/clip, or you back up by copying the Library package(s) in Finder — Final Cut Pro has no cloud account to pull a complete export from.

Does exporting FCPXML include my video/audio media files?+

No. FCPXML describes libraries, events, projects and clips as text/metadata and references the media — the receiving app needs access to the original media files to actually play back the timeline.

What format should I use to move a finished edit to another editor?+

If you just need the final cut (not an editable timeline), export a master file via the Export File destination in formats like Apple ProRes or H.264, packaged as MOV or MXF. If you need an editable timeline, export FCPXML instead.

Why did my exported XML lose some effects or titles when opened in another app?+

FCPXML is an interchange format; many Final Cut Pro–specific effects, titles and generators don't have equivalents in other NLEs and won't translate even though the clip structure and basic edits do.

Do I need a specific Final Cut Pro plan to export XML or master files?+

No. Final Cut Pro is sold as a one-time purchase with no subscription tiers, so XML export and master file export are both available to any license holder.

Can I choose which XML version to export for compatibility with older tools?+

Yes — the export dialog lets you pick Current or Previous XML version; Apple recommends Current in most cases, but Previous exists for third-party tools that haven't updated to the latest FCPXML schema.