What it is
Final Cut Pro is Apple's professional non-linear video editor, available only on macOS. Its magnetic timeline keeps clips connected as you trim and move them, which avoids gaps and accidental overwrites. It organises footage with libraries, events, keywords and smart collections. Clips can be tagged by role, such as dialogue, music or effects, to keep large projects tidy.
It is built for Apple silicon and uses the Mac's media engines for fast playback and export, including high-resolution and HDR footage. It is sold as a one-time purchase on the Mac App Store, with companion apps Motion for motion graphics and Compressor for export settings. It reads footage from most professional cameras and phones.
How I use it
- Part of the in-house video side of my work, next to the Adobe apps.
- Promo cuts and highlight reels for client websites, edited by the same person who builds the page.
- Suited to the drone footage I shoot and cut myself for site surveys and fly-overs.
Final Cut Pro is the right tool for fast editing on a Mac, especially on long footage where playback speed matters. I keep it in the toolkit because my work is Mac-based and the video side is done in-house, so a quick cut does not have to wait on a heavier pipeline.
Questions
Is Final Cut Pro available on Windows?
No. Final Cut Pro is Apple software and runs only on macOS, with a separate version for iPad.
Can you shoot and edit drone footage of our site?
Yes. I fly drone surveys and inspections and cut the footage myself, so a site survey or a yard fly-over comes back edited and ready to use.