With its biggest update to Final Cut Pro (FCP) in years, Apple may be re-embracing the group of professional video creators it has neglected since the launch of FCP Final Cut Pro 11 (FCP 11), an update that relies heavily on artificial intelligence tools. At the same time, it introduced spatial video editing to produce content for the Vision Pro headset.
The key ai feature is Magnetic Mask, which allows you to crop out people and other moving subjects, then stylize them or place them in another location. “This powerful and accurate automatic analysis provides additional flexibility to customize backgrounds and environments,” Apple wrote. “Editors can also combine Magnetic Masking with color correction and video effects, allowing them to precisely control and stylize each project.”
The other key new ai feature is Transcribe to Captions, which automatically analyzes interviews and other audio from the timeline, transcribes them, and places the captions directly into the timeline, effectively automating the entire process. That feature uses an Apple-trained large language model (LLM) designed to transcribe spoken audio, the company said.
Final Cut Pro 11 also joins other professional editing apps like Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve to offer VR/AR video editing. “Spatial Video Editing” allows users to import and edit AR/VR videos directly in the app, while adding effects, color correction, and more. Images can be captured from an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 model, along with Canon's R7 mirrorless camera paired with the new RF-S 7.8mm F/4 lens. Users can choose between different viewing modes to preview left and right eye angles, or bring their edit directly to Apple Vision Pro for a 3D preview.
Apple also introduced Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.1, further optimizing it for Apple Silicon. The app also offers “light and color” feature enhancements that allow you to quickly improve the color, contrast, and overall look of your video. And finally, the company released a new version of Final Cut Camera, which includes the ability to record to compact but high-quality HEVC files with Apple Log, instead of using storage-hungry ProRes.
As a professional tool, Final Cut Pro 11 is still missing features found in Resolve and Premiere Pro, such as text-based editing and certain advanced color correction tools. Still, the new version and features will certainly be welcomed by FCP fans. It's now available to download for $299 for new users (after a 90-day free trial) and is free for existing Final Cut Pro owners.
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