FCP X: Problems Uploading to YouTube

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Larry

Recently, I’ve had a lot of emails from editors with problems uploading (Sharing) files to YouTube directly from Final Cut Pro X.

So, I did some checking and discovered that the problems were caused by Google.

In early April, Google changed the APIs that control uploading to YouTube. These changes broke all automated upload systems – meaning uploads originating anywhere except a Browser – including Final Cut Pro X.

Then, on April 19, Google changed these APIs back to their original settings. This meant that YouTube exporting works again inside FCP X.

Hopefully, Google will leave things alone for a while.

On a related note, I’m getting periodic reports of problems with Vimeo uploading and DVD burning. These settings have not changed in FCP X 10.0.8, so they should still work.

However, my general preference and recommendation is to handle Sharing in three steps:

Export a Master File ( File > Share > Master file). This provides the fastest export with the highest quality.
Review that master file to make sure it looks and plays OK.
Compress, or transfer, that master file as needed using Compressor.

Yes, this process takes a couple of extra steps, but I have found the results to be consistently higher quality and most reliable. It is also the fastest way to export.

BIG NOTE: As FCP X shares (exports) a file, it creates a file name with the word “TEMP” at the end. This means that the export is continuing and, for some projects, that export can take a long time as FCP both renders and exports a project. Do not do anything with a file that has TEMP at the end of the file name. Wait until the export is complete, and the word TEMP disappears before moving, renaming, or compressing the exported file.

Bookmark the permalink.

26 Responses to FCP X: Problems Uploading to YouTube

Newer Comments →

Dave says:

July 26, 2013 at 5:04 pm

“Recenly, I’ve had …”

We would have some idea of the relevance of this article if it had a date on it! How about on all your articles? How about every article on the web! OK, that’s asking too much.

Information becomes false so fast these days, especially information about things like using YouTube.
Dave says:

July 26, 2013 at 5:06 pm

I have a YouTube business account and can’t upload from FCPX. This is an 80 minute 1020p show, so encoding takes a long time. I wish I knew the settings to use to export it to a file in the shortest time without sacrificing eventual YouTube quality.
Umut says:

November 14, 2013 at 7:39 am

My problem is that after the youtube-upload my video is not sync anymore. But the original file on my computer is sync. I exported the file as H264.
I also contacted apple’s final cut support and they told me that I should update FCPX and that they never heard of a problem like this. I exported the file as H264.
Abosede says:

April 2, 2014 at 1:04 pm

Is there a reason why whenever I upload to Youtube from Final Cut Pro x, it takes a really long time even though the video/movie I am uploading is only either half an hour or less than half a hour?
Larry Jordan says:

April 2, 2014 at 9:12 pm

Abosede:

Remember that uploading to YouTube involves three processes:

* Rendering any unrendered files
* Exporting the completed project
* Compressing the completed project to meet YouTube’s specs
* Transferring the file to YouTube via the Internet.

The time-consuming parts of this are: rendering, compressing and transferring.

Larry
CH Drake says:

June 29, 2014 at 10:12 am

This is probably something very basic….however….

When I attempt to Share my TimeLine it shows in FCP X as “grayed” out….not available.
When I attempt to Share any other file FCP X allows that action.

Do you have a plausible reason? The time line file is a edited video, with titles an opening and closing and a combination of downloaded and covered files and camera files.

Any thoughts….Understanding why is the beginning of curing future occurrences.
CH Drake says:

June 29, 2014 at 10:14 am

This is probably something very basic….however….
When I attempt to Share my TimeLine it shows in FCP X as “grayed” out….not available.
When I attempt to Share any other file FCP X allows that action.
Do you have a plausible reason? The time line file is a edited video, with titles an opening and closing and a combination of downloaded and converted files and camera files.
Any thoughts….Understanding why is the beginning of curing future occurrences.

(God bless spell checker)
Larry Jordan says:

June 29, 2014 at 10:30 am

CH:

Try selecting the project in the Browser, rather than the Timeilne, and see if that works.

Larry
Dan says:

July 4, 2014 at 7:50 am

I have one youtube account, with a ‘personal’ and ‘business’ version of the account. How do I adjust it so that when I upload a video through FCP X that it goes to the ‘business’ account? Currently I upload it, and it automatically goes to the personal account. Both accounts are tied in with the same email/password. I cannot locate a ‘default’ for the videos to upload to.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Larry Jordan says:

July 4, 2014 at 8:38 am

Dan:

You really only have one YouTube account, which has different sections. FCP only recognizes individual accounts. The easiest way to fix this – if YouTube allows it – is to create two separate log-ins: one for personal and one for business.

Then, the automated YouTube settings will work properly.

Larry