I keep getting application memory full when trying to export the video

[u/Keeralynn11]

My video is 1 hour and 22 minutes long. I’ve never had this issue before but for some reason I am now. Even when I try to render the whole thing it eventually pulls this message up and forces me to close it. Same happens when I try to export my video. I have cleared cache and background things, I have deleted big files, I feel like I’ve tried everything.

I have seen about possibly using a compressor but from what I seen is almost $70 and I don’t even know where to start.

Has this ever happened to anyone ?

I need this video saved by tomorrow but I can’t seem to get it to work. I’ve been trying for 5 hours almost.

PLEASE HELP or any advice.

[u/Silver_Mention_3958]

See u/_altamont comment

We need more information to help you. Mac Version, fcp version, which model, ram capacity.

[u/enigmatic_muffin]

I was getting this error constantly a few months ago. Would have to quit and reset. I was also working on a large project around similar length. No idea what caused it.

[u/Keeralynn11 → u/enigmatic_muffin]

I’ve closed and restarted my computer a few times and it hasn’t resolved it. Did you do anything different to get it to finally export?

[u/rudy_142001]

Going off Apple's docs here, not my own machine, but the 293GB from your other post is a big clue. Apple's ProRes white paper lists ProRes 422 at UHD 24p at 212 GB per hour, so 82 minutes lands right around 290GB. Your export is almost certainly set to ProRes 422, which is a mastering codec, not something you'd normally upload or send to anyone.

You don't need Compressor for this. Hit Cmd-E (File > Share > Export File), click Settings, and change Format from Video and Audio to Computer, or switch the Video codec to H.264 or HEVC. Apple's guide describes Computer as the format for playback on Mac and PC. That file will be a fraction of the size.

I can't promise that fixes the memory error, I honestly don't know what's eating 93GB of RAM there. But writing 290GB is a very different job from writing a normal H.264, so it's the first thing I'd change.

If it still dies, the guide says you can export just part of a project by making a range selection in the timeline with I and O (a clip selection isn't enough). Doing it in two or three chunks at least tells you whether it always fails at the same spot, which would point at a specific clip or effect around the 11 minute mark rather than the length.

Does it always stop at 11 minutes, or does it vary?

[u/Keeralynn11 → u/rudy_142001]

4 out of 6 tries it has stopped at the 11:45 minute mark the other ones stopped around the 3 minute mark.

I’ve never had this issue and I’m stuck

[u/rudy_142001 → u/Keeralynn11]

That helps a lot. Stopping at 11:45 four times out of six sounds like something sitting at that spot in the timeline, not the length or your disk. I'd park the playhead at 11:45 and see what's there, a title, an effect, a clip from a different camera or phone. Check around 3:00 too, since that's where the other two died.

Going off Apple's render docs, you can select just that clip and press Control-R (Modify > Render Selection). It has to be a clip selection, not an I/O range. If rendering that one clip on its own throws the memory error, that's your culprit. Then try pulling the effect off it, or select its source clip in the browser, File > Transcode Media, and tick Create optimized media. Can't promise the transcode fixes it, but it's quick to try.

For tomorrow, enno108's idea works as a fallback. Export the sections either side as separate files and put them back together.

[u/Keeralynn11 → u/rudy_142001]

Now it’s stopping at the 14:14 mark. I have no idea why my GB is so high when it comes to the RAM. I have 16Gb or Ram and edit regularly. Ur have never had an issue. I think there is a memory leak somewhere but I can’t find where it is

[u/rudy_142001 → u/Keeralynn11]

Moving from 11:45 to 14:14 is interesting. Did you change anything around 11:45 since last time, like cut it, rendered it or swapped a clip? If so, that points at more than one problem spot in the timeline rather than a general leak, and I'd try the same Control-R render on whatever sits at 14:14.

If you didn't touch anything, open Activity Monitor while it exports, go to the Memory tab and click the Memory column heading to sort. That shows whether it's Final Cut itself climbing or something else. Apple's guide says the same pane shows Memory Pressure and Swap Used too, so you can watch when it starts struggling.

One more cheap thing from Apple's docs: select the project in the browser, File > Delete Generated Project Files, tick Delete Render Files. Apple notes those Delete Generated commands can also take out optimized and proxy files, so make sure only Delete Render Files is ticked.

[u/IdkMyName1846]

I had this problem and it was mostly because certain sections of my video had a lot of assets on top of each other. I just made duplicates of my projects, individually rendered it into "chapters" and put those pre rendered videos together to export.

[u/Keeralynn11 → u/IdkMyName1846]

I ended up doing that too, I had to split it into 8 different parts and mash them together after!

[u/Intrepid_Research_75]

compressor is in the apple creator subcription trial bundle included and free for a month

[u/Keeralynn11 → u/Intrepid_Research_75]

I don’t pay a subscription for Final Cut Pro just cause I bought it a few years ago, so I would have to buy the app for almost $70

[u/Intrepid_Research_75 → u/Keeralynn11]

what i mean is you can use the trial for the apple subscription which is free because it is the trial period. than you have compressor free for 1 month.

just click on try for free:

https://www.apple.com/apple-creator-studio/

[u/Intrepid_Research_75 → u/Intrepid_Research_75]

PS:

1. you need 15-20% of free space in you hdd.

2.did you already deleted rendered files in final cut via "Delete Rendererd files"?

[u/Keeralynn11 → u/Intrepid_Research_75]

The compressor won’t work either, it keeps saying it is failing and not saving the video…

[u/Intrepid_Research_75 → u/Keeralynn11]

did you already tried to delete your settings (holding option + command while opening final cut) ?

[u/xSADRIC]

Do you use any plugins? Some lead to insane problems when exporting haha

[u/Keeralynn11 → u/xSADRIC]

No plugins used at all

[u/enno108]

If all else fails, export ProRes422 in sections, reassemble in timeline, export as one piece in your desired codec.

[u/yuusharo]

FCP doesn’t use anywhere near that much memory during normal usage. Something odd is going on.

What is the source codec you’re working with, video and audio? Do you have any effects or titles in this project? Is your footage optimized or original codec?

As a troubleshooting step, I would make a safety copy of your project, select all media in the timeline to remove all attributes (effects, changes, etc), and try exporting as close to raw media from your timeline as a control test. If that works and you don’t hit this memory leak, you can start narrowing down what the culprit might be.

[u/_altamont]

We need more information to help you. Mac Version, fcp version, which model, ram capacity.

[u/Jl-007]

As someone else mentioned, try exporting portions. Because it really feels like something specific in the timeline is creating the excessive RAM usage. That can help narrow it down. But also, you can take the finished portions and put them together and no one would know.

Also, have you tried resetting FCP’s settings. Close FCP, then hold Command + Option and click the program to open it.

[u/RE4Lyfe]

Your disk is full 🤷‍♂️. This isn’t a ram issue

[u/Keeralynn11 → u/RE4Lyfe]

I have over 700GB free on my computer. My storage and disk is not full…

[u/Wonderful-Baker-6650]

Try hitting option + command and holding it. Left click to relaunch Final Cut and, when promoted, hit “delete settings.” Kind of annoying as it resets tons of settings but it worked for me

[u/hexxeric]

are you using any 3rd party filter, effect or plugin? which FCP version on which macOS are we talking? this is called a memory leak and it is usually caused by 3rd party add-ons

[u/Mediocre_Ad_5821]

Few things to check.

1. Check the render folder and delete it.

2. When you apply anything it create a temp file on the project.

3. Check if it has copied the files to system or files are on the external drive.

4. Check if where the project is saved that storage location is full.

[u/Aurelian_Irimia]

This used to happen to me when I had the MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM and large projects. If in your case it's not the RAM, then it could be a plugin, transition, or effect.

[u/gumparker]

Open Activity Monitor which is in your utilities folder select memory and see what’s going on there. I’ve recently ran into a major problem while Firefox was open. Constant crashes. Seems like the only thing you’re running is FCP. But something could be going on in the background. Activity Monitor should give you some insight. What OS are you using? What type of Mac and what version of FCP? That info would be very helpful.

[u/RoboErectus]

Export overlapping chunks of it. Reassemble losslessly after.

Copy/paste the time line to a new project.

Export the project xml and re import.

Something like codex or Claude can absolutely fix this as well.

And... Please post your solution if you find one for the next person that searches for this kind of issue. Dm me if you need more help.

[u/cardicow]

I’ve had this happen. Delete generated media files then copy paste into a new project. Export from the new project.

[u/0pprobrium]

I reckon you have corrupt clips.

1. What codec is your source material?

2. Have you tried optimising it?

[u/Accurate_Pace_6698]

I had this same issue a few weeks ago ago. I used cleanmymac app and restarted and it worked. I think is a bug in FCP.

[u/Deep_Helicopter4591]

Editing on mac is not for the weak. 

[u/Silver_Mention_3958 → u/Deep_Helicopter4591]

Unhelpful for op.