Help & Documentation

Here you'll find guides, tips, and answers about FCP Cleaner.

Deletion Process & Safety

Safety is the top priority in FCP Cleaner. This page explains how the app protects your data and how the deletion process works.

1. Protection of your Original Media

The most important rule of FCP Cleaner is: Originals are off-limits.

The app analyzes the structure of your Final Cut Pro library (.fcpbundle) and identifies only folders generated by Final Cut Pro.

These include:

  • Render Files
  • Proxy Media
  • High Quality Media (Optimized)
  • Analysis Files

Your source files, Original Media, project files and library databases are ignored during the scan and remain untouched.

2. The "FCP Running" Check

Deleting files while Final Cut Pro is open can lead to conflicts with open libraries.

The protection mechanism

  • Before deletion starts, FCP Cleaner checks whether the com.apple.FinalCut process is active.
  • If Final Cut Pro is open, the app blocks the process and shows a warning.
  • You must quit Final Cut Pro (⌘ + Q) before you can free up space.

3. The Deletion Process

When you click "Free Up", the following happens:

  1. FCP Cleaner goes through the list of selected categories, for example Render Files or Proxy Media.
  2. The corresponding generated folders are removed from the storage medium.
  3. The app refreshes the library sizes afterwards.
Attention: FCP Cleaner does not move files to the Trash. Selected generated files are deleted directly so the space can become available immediately. This process cannot be undone, except through a backup or by recreating the generated files in Final Cut Pro.