Opening libraries in FCPX 11.1 that were created in FCPX 10.6.5

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Opening libraries in FCPX 11.1 that were created in FCPX 10.6.5

I have FCPX 11.1 on a recent MacBook purchase running Sequoia. How can I get it to recognise libraries created on an external hard drive which were created in FCPX 10.6.5?

The old Macbook can't take Sequoia and I'm not sure if freeing up space to make room for it is a sensible route anyway.

My current workaround is to copy each library into the new MacBook one at a time. I'm hoping there's other options. I have a lot of libraries.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 14.3

Posted on May 23, 2025 8:59 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,555 points

May 25, 2025 6:26 AM in response to glyn104

ExFAT drives are not supported by FCP. The application documentation says to use only APFS or HFS+.

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Answer 2

May 23, 2025 9:33 AM in response to glyn104

This is pretty straightforward.

Note that once a library is updated to be used in 11.1 it will no longer open in the older version.

If you have concerns about it, duplicate the library before updating.

Make sure that FCP has Full Disk Access in System Settings->Privacy & Security.

To update, just bring the drive that has your libraries to the new mac, and open the libraries with the new version. You will be warned that the library needs to be updated. Confirm, give a bit of time (depending on the library size and probably the drive speed), and use it in the new version. That's it.

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,555 points

May 23, 2025 9:34 AM in response to glyn104

Connect the external drive to your new computer. The current version can update 10.6.5 libraries. The only problem might be how the external drive is formatted. If it's APFS everything should work fine.

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Answer 4

BenB

Level 6

12,908 points

May 26, 2025 7:54 AM in response to glyn104

You can NOT use ExFat with FCP, PERIOD!

Move it all to APFS, period.

If you get an FCP project Library that states it is zero bytes, you have other issues. Tell me, are these Libraries once copies over, do they look like regular folders, or like FCP libraries?

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Answer 5

May 24, 2025 8:52 AM in response to glyn104

glyn104 wrote:

I gave it a whirl but although it's an APFS external drive the Mac indicates that the various folders containing the libraries are empty.

However if I copy an 'empty' folder across to the Mac it shows its true file size whilst doing so and then opens perfectly with 11.1 (although the media files need re-linking)

As I told you already: FCP needs to have "Full Disk Access" in System Settings->Privacy & Security.

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Answer 6

glyn104 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 24, 2025 6:15 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

I gave it a whirl but although it's an APFS external drive the Mac indicates that the various folders containing the libraries are empty.

However if I copy an 'empty' folder across to the Mac it shows its true file size whilst doing so and then opens perfectly with 11.1 (although the media files need re-linking)

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Answer 7

glyn104 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 25, 2025 6:09 AM in response to terryb

By following all the advice on this thread I have partly solved the problem whilst on my learning curve. (I'm a lay person end user, although I've been using various software on various platforms since the 1990s).

The permissions and access suggestions have all been implemented.

My original libraries were on an ExFAT external drive and the backups - and some new work - was on an APFS drive. I now see that fcp really requires APFS.

But the libraries that it now recognises are those on the ExFat drive and those on the APFS still show as zero bytes.

Do unforeseen issues lurk if I continue using the versions on the ExFAT drive??

Copying libraries from the APFS drive into the MacBook and backing up again from there is a workaround, but a very long process given the amount of libraries involved.

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Answer 8

glyn104 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 25, 2025 7:19 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

When I first started with fcp several iterations and quite a few years ago I used an ExFAT external drive without noticing the small print in the documentation.

Clearly this is an issue that has surfaced to bite me with my current upgrades both of OS and of fcp.

My quest is to choose the best way forward in a situation where fcp is recognising the libraries on ExFAT and not the backups on the APFS.

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Answer 9

glyn104 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 26, 2025 9:39 AM in response to BenB

Well basically I've been using ExFat with FCP for several years. Ignorance is bliss. I've had no issues with the libraries.

With the migrate to a new MacBook and the FCP upgrade I understand that issues I now have should have occurred earlier.

The zero byte folders I copy into the MacBook are recognised by FCP 11.1 which then does its thing about opening them in the current version. Project media files have to be re-linked, but hey.

After copying back to an APFS drive they open appropriately. As I have a lot of libraries I'll just have to allocate a lot of time.

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Answer 10

glyn104 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 24, 2025 9:21 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I did this. It did not solve the issue.

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Answer 11

terryb

Level 4

2,940 points

May 24, 2025 4:02 PM in response to glyn104

Strange. If you Get Info on the drive, is "Ignore ownership on this drive" not enabled?

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