Why do my VoiceOver files disappear in Final Cut Pro?

When I use the Record Voiceover tool it record in the project timeline but when I click stop it disappears. I can locate the file in my Media location, however it's just an alias. I can find the original file located /Users/Library/Containers/com.apple.FinalCut/Data/tmp/TemporaryItems/NSIRD_Final Cut Pro_KGbswJ

Why is this file not staying in my media location? Its an external SSD



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Posted on May 14, 2025 11:59 AM

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May 18, 2025 12:33 PM in response to klao2108

I have observed that if I keep the Media Location inside the Library it works as it should. When I set to an external drive is when it stopped working. I have had the same external drive for my Media for 2 years now and it was never a problem. So it's not the drive r how's it formatted. It literally stopped working when the new update came out.


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Jun 30, 2025 1:48 PM in response to terryb

My wife has been experiencing this issue and i'm the geek of the family so have been trying to figure this out for her. We have identical Macs and on mine, with no external drive, i have no problem. On hers, I've tried various configurations and all the troubleshooting steps and it seems clear that if I modify the Libary Media storage location to the System drive, it works but if the Media storage location is on an external drive, it does not.


Answers to your questions:


FCP version? 11.1.1

MacOS version? Sequoia 15.5

Which Mac? MBP 16 inch Nov 24 M4 Max

Does FCP have Full Disk Access enabled in System Settings? yes

Are you using external storage for the library? If so, how is it formatted? APFS, MacOS Extended or other? Yes, APFS

How much free space on the System drive? 560GB

How much free space on the external drive if one is being used? 1.47TB

Have you tried resetting FCP preferences? Hold option+command while launching. Yes

Have you tried with the built-in mic while the external mic and interface are disconnected? Yes

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May 14, 2025 5:46 PM in response to oldsoulsound

There was a discussion about this where some are not experiencing any Voiceover problems in 11.1. Voiceover is not working on Final Cut pro… - Apple Community


Post the output of an Etrecheck report by clicking the "Additional text" button and pasting. Perhaps there's a new software conflict with 11.1.


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Jun 30, 2025 2:52 PM in response to cruzoirtron17

Thank you for the additional sleuthing. You can check other discussions here to see the anonymized etrecheck report output.


I would also suggest sending your findings to the FCP team via Final Cut Pro->Provide Final Cut Pro Feedback...  or use this link Feedback - Final Cut Pro - Apple


Edit: I just confirmed that a VO disappears after setting Media to the System drive while leaving the library on the NAS. I will also send Apple feedback.

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Jul 3, 2025 3:39 PM in response to cruzoirtron17

Alternatively, with the library on the external drive you can set the media storage location outside of the library, most commonly in the directory that contains the library.


Reminder, send the FCP dev team your feedback on this via Final Cut Pro->Provide Final Cut Pro Feedback...  or use this link Feedback - Final Cut Pro - Apple

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Jun 28, 2025 3:16 AM in response to oldsoulsound

Replying to emphasize I ** having the same issue in case a solution is found.


Added detail:

  1. I *** the FCP trial
  2. Voiceover was working fine
  3. Then there would be ~3 seconds of 'spikes' I would have to wait for until a normal VO would start recording (I chalked this up to an external mic issue)
  4. Now, when I try to record a VO, no waves appear in the timeline, and then when I click stop, it disappears completely.


Going to record in quicktime for now, but it is wildly inconvenient. Is this what everyone else is experiencing?

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May 19, 2025 2:21 AM in response to oldsoulsound

oldsoulsound wrote:

I have observed that if I keep the Media Location inside the Library it works as it should. When I set to an external drive is when it stopped working. I have had the same external drive for my Media for 2 years now and it was never a problem. So it's not the drive r how's it formatted. It literally stopped working when the new update came out.

Just to make sure: check that FCP has Full Disk Access granted in System Settings->Privacy & Security

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Jun 28, 2025 11:48 AM in response to TwosJoe

@TwosJoe -


Post the output of an https://etrecheck.com report after giving it Full Disk Access in System Settings.


FCP version?

MacOS version?

Which Mac?

Does FCP have Full Disk Access enabled in System Settings?

Are you using external storage for the library? If so, how is it formatted? APFS, MacOS Extended or other?

How much free space on the System drive?

How much free space on the external drive if one is being used?

Have you tried resetting FCP preferences? Hold option+command while launching.

Have you tried with the built-in mic while the external mic and interface are disconnected?


There have been several reports of this behavior but no one to my knowledge no one has provided the detailed system info that might point to what's causing it. Lots of people are not experiencing it, so it seems like it's some interaction between FCP and other software, hardware or a specific configuration.

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Jun 30, 2025 2:14 PM in response to cruzoirtron17

Thank you for the details @cruzoirtron17.

When you attach an external drive to your machine you also experience the same problem?

Please post an https://etrecheck.com report of both your machines.


We have a couple M4 Pro MacMinis running MacOS 15.5 with libraries on an external drive (Network Attached Storage) and Media set to the external NAS folder. Voiceovers record normally and remain in the timeline. A NAS is not the same as a USB connected drive though.

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Jun 30, 2025 2:38 PM in response to terryb

I no longer have both machines in front of me but set my computer to use an external drive (USB3 stick on a hub) (wife's computer is using a TB4 NVME enclosure) and reproduced the problem -- no voiceover if libary media is set to that drive. I also set the media storage to an SMB share (on a windows server) and, again, no voiceover if libary media is set to that share.


I had another idea after reviewing your comments on your setup and created a new library on the USB stick and set the media storage to In Library. Voiceover worked. I went back to the Library on the System Drive and set the media storage to another folder on the System Drive. Voiceover worked. So, i think the issue occurs when the Library is on the System Drive and the Media storage is on an external drive.


I have the etrecheck report but would prefer to not post that to a public forum. Happy to send via DM or other non-public method.

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Why do my VoiceOver files disappear in Final Cut Pro?

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