FCP X: Change the Interface

Unlike Final Cut Pro 7, the interface in Final Cut Pro X is not particularly customizable. However, there are several things you can do to modify the interface to fit your working style.

These fall into three groups: Toggles, which turn things on or off; Drags, which allow you to change the size of something by dragging, and Layouts, which change the overall interface display.

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To get us started, this is the default, single window layout for Final Cut Pro X, with the Browser, Viewer, Inspector and Timeline all visible.

TOGGLES

Toggles make different elements of the interface appear or disappear. While some are menu items and others are on-screen buttons, all of these are keyboard shortcuts.

Click this button, in the lower left corner of the Browser, to Show/Hide the Library list. (Shortcut: Shift+ Command + 1)

Control + Command + 1: Show/Hide both the Library List and the Browser. (This is one of my three favorite interface shortcuts.)

Command + 7: Show/Hide video scopes. (This is my second favorite interface shortcut.)

Shift + Z: Changes the display size of whatever is in the Timeline, Viewer or Browser to fit into the window. (This is my third favorite interface shortcut.)

Command + 4: Show/Hide the Inspector

Control + Command + 2: Show/Hide the Timeline Index.

Control + Command + 3: Show/Hide the Event Viewer (this displays whatever you have selected in the Browser.)

Control + Command + F: Displays interface full-screen, hiding the menu bar at the top. To exit full screen mode, press ESC.

Shift + Command + 7: Show multicam angles.

Shift + Command + 8: Show/Hide the audio meters.

Command + 9: Show/Hide the Background Task window

Command + I: Open the Media Import window.

DRAGS

Drag the vertical edge between the Library List and the Browser to change the size of the Library List.

Drag the vertical edge between Browser and the Viewer to change the size of these two windows.

NOTE: You can’t change the size of the Inspector, even if you drag a border.

Drag the horizontal edge at the top of the Toolbar (not the bottom) to increase or decrease the size of the Timeline.

Drag the vertical edge between the Timeline and the audio meters to increase the width of the audio scopes.

Drag the vertical edge between the Timeline Index and the Timeline to change the size of the Timeline Index.

LAYOUTS

There are three interface layouts, plus an option. All are controlled from the Window menu.

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This is the default single-window layout. As an option, type Control + Command + F to expand the interface full screen and hide the menu bar at the top. To access the menu bar, roll your mouse into it. To exit full-screen mode, press the ESC key.

If you have a dual computer monitor setup you have two more options. Option 1: choose Window > Show Events on Second Display.

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This becomes the main monitor interface, shown in Full Screen mode.

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And this is the second monitor interface.

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Or, choose Window > Show Viewers on Second Display and this becomes the main monitor interface; again, shown in Full Screen mode.

[Click to see larger image.]

And this becomes the second monitor interface. This screen shot illustrates both the main Viewer (right) and the Event Viewer.

Final Cut will remember your interface settings when you quit and restart FCP X.

RESETTING THE LAYOUT

If you need to reset Final Cut’s layout back to its default settings, choose Window > Revert to Original Layout.

SUMMARY

There are hundreds of keyboard shortcuts in Final Cut that, in some manner, show or hide something. For example, Control + Command + W to show the Waveform Monitor, Command+R to show the Retiming Bar, or Command + [plus/minus] to zoom into or out of something.

However, while these enhance the interface, they don’t really “change” the interface. And illustrating how to change the interface is what this article is all about.

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