… for Apple Final Cut Pro X

Tip #306: Archive Active Versions of FCP X

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Archives allow future access to earlier versions.

It is often necessary, especially if you are working with different clients, to have earlier versions of Final Cut Pro X available to you. However, only one version of FCP X can be active on your system at a time. Recently, I read an Apple KnowledgeBase article that explained how to create archives.

NOTE: While this won’t get you access to earlier versions of Final Cut Pro X, it does mean that you’ll have access to all versions going forward.

To back up the currently installed Final Cut Pro X application:

1. Create a new folder in the Applications folder, and name it after the application (for example, “Final Cut Pro X 10.4.8”). To check your version of Final Cut Pro X, open the application and choose About Final Cut Pro X from the Final Cut Pro X menu.
2. Select the Final Cut Pro X application in the Applications folder. Choose File > Compress “Final Cut Pro X.” It will take a few minutes to compress.
3. Move the resulting “Final Cut Pro X.zip” file into the folder you created in step 1.
4. Move the folder containing the .zip file to a backup drive.

EXTRA CREDIT

These ZIP files can be stored anywhere, but I generally try to keep all my program archives in the same place. Remember, before you revert back to an earlier version, archive or delete the version of Final Cut Pro X currently stored in your Applications folder.

Also, if you revert to an earlier version of Final Cut Pro X, it may also require an earlier version of the macOS, so keep a note of which version of Final Cut Pro X uses which version of the macOS.

[Thanks, and a tip of the hat to Mark Spencer for telling me about this.]