Customizing Window Layouts
If none of the existing layouts meet your needs, you can create and save additional
window layouts that you’ve arranged yourself. There are two types of window layouts
you can create:
 Custom layouts: You can create up to two layouts that are available in the Arrange
menu as Custom Layout 1 and Custom Layout 2.
 Saved layouts: You can create numerous window layouts that you name and then
save to your hard disk. Once you’ve saved a new window layout, it appears at the
bottom of the Arrange submenu of the Window menu. If you’ve saved multiple
custom window layouts, the first five appear in alphabetical order at the bottom
of this menu.
Chapter 10
Customizing the Interface
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II
Creating Custom Layouts
Two custom layouts are presented at the top of the Arrange menu and cannot
be renamed.
To create a custom layout:
1
Choose Apple > System Preferences, click Displays, then set the desired resolution of
your computer monitor.
The resolution you choose will become the minimum resolution for that particular
window layout.
2
In Final Cut Pro, arrange any combination of the four main windows, custom Tool
Bench windows with tool tabs, the Tool palette, and audio meters as you want them.
3
Hold down the Option key and choose Window > Arrange, then choose one of the Set
Custom Layout options.
To use a custom layout:
m
Choose Window > Arrange, then choose Custom Layout 1 or Custom Layout 2.
Saving Additional Window Layouts
If you want to save a layout for use on another computer, or name a layout yourself,
you can save layouts to your hard disk. Keep in mind the following about saving
window layouts:
 When you save a window layout, you save the state of each currently open window
in Final Cut Pro, including the number and order of all tool tabs in all open Tool
Bench windows.
 If you have two monitors connected to your computer, when you save a window
layout, the state of all Final Cut Pro windows appearing on both monitors is saved.
 The screen resolution that’s selected at the time a window layout is saved becomes
the minimum resolution at which that layout can be used.
To save a layout:
1
Arrange any combination of the four main windows, custom Tool Bench windows with
tool tabs, the Tool palette, and audio meters as you want them.
If you’re using two monitors, you can arrange Final Cut Pro windows on both screens.
2
Choose Window > Arrange > Save Window Layout.
3
In the Save dialog, choose a location where you want to save the layout, enter another
name for the layout, then click Save.
Final Cut Pro defaults to the following folder location:
/Users/username/Library/Preferences/Final Cut Pro User Data/Window Layouts/
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Part II
Learning About the Final Cut Pro Interface
To use a saved layout, do one of the following:
m
Choose Window > Arrange, then choose a saved layout from the submenu.
m
The first five saved layouts in the Window Layouts folders can be selected using
keyboard shortcuts. By default, they are Control-Shift-(6, 7, 8, 9, 0).
To load a saved layout from your hard disk:
1
Choose Window > Arrange > Load Window Layout.
2
In the Open dialog, navigate to the location where the window layout is located, select
it, then click Open.