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ianevetts
User level: Level 1 (14 points)

accessing Cloud Drive from Final Cut Pro

Just installed Final Cut Pro and unable to load any media files from icloud.

Loading is fine with both Pixelmator Pro and Logic Pro which were installed at the same time.


Media import does not show icloud, but does show old archive versions of icloud, google drive and dropbox.

Shows 'Macintosh HD' as device, and 'Desktop' and 'Username' as fouvourites.

I have been through the standard suggestions for resolving this, apart from signing out of iCloud, restarting and signing back in again. The main reason for NOT doing this is that I do not want to delete the many photos off my iMac to get there - presumably this would take a long time to resync?


Surely I should just be able to add icloud to my favourites? But how?


ios 27.2

Posted on Nov 4, 2026 6:45 AM

2 replies

tillu_code
User level: Level 4 (2,112 points)

Nov 4, 2026 3:34 PM in response to ianevetts

Final Cut Pro is sandboxed, so it doesn't always see everything the other apps do. A few things to check:


In the import window, look for iCloud Drive under Locations in the sidebar. If you only see old archive folders, open Finder > Settings > Sidebar and make sure iCloud Drive is ticked, and confirm System Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Drive is on.


In System Settings > Privacy & Security > Files and Folders (and Full Disk Access), see whether Final Cut Pro is listed and switched on for the locations you need.


Media that only lives in the cloud (with the download-cloud icon) can't be imported until it's downloaded. Right-click the files in Finder and choose Download Now, and turn off Optimise Mac Storage if space allows.


You can also avoid signing out of iCloud: just drag the media from iCloud Drive in Finder onto the Final Cut browser, or copy it to a local folder first.

ianevetts Author
User level: Level 1 (14 points)

Nov 5, 2026 12:46 AM in response to tillu_code

Thank you for taking the time to reply. Much appreciated.


In the import window, look for iCloud Drive under Locations in the sidebar. If you only see old archive folders, open Finder > Settings > Sidebar and make sure iCloud Drive is ticked, and confirm System Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Drive is on. The old archive folders show up

Yes, it is. My ref to 'old iCloud archive folders', referred to the Media Import window in Final Cut Pro, I arrived there by clicking on my user name in Favourites.


In System Settings > Privacy & Security > Files and Folders (and Full Disk Access), see whether Final Cut Pro is listed and switched on for the locations you need.

Yes, Final Cut Pro is listed and switched on, Locations are Full DIsk Access and DropBox


Media that only lives in the cloud (with the download-cloud icon) can't be imported until it's downloaded. Right-click the files in Finder and choose Download Now, and turn off Optimise Mac Storage if space allows.

Yes, the files I am trying to import from iCloud are all downloaded


You can also avoid signing out of iCloud: just drag the media from iCloud Drive in Finder onto the Final Cut browser, or copy it to a local folder first.

No, I can't drag and drop any files from iCloud, but can with local files. I am currently copying to a local HD folder and importing from there, but as one of the attractions of Final Cut Pro was the integration across the Apple architecture this is less than ideal.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256388726