Final Cut Pro 12 is one of the central planks in Apple's new Creator Studio subscription offering, but its major version status seems more about integration with that than any radical new features.
Final Cut Pro 12 represents the second major version release for Apple's NLE in just over a year — FCP 11 was released in November 2024. Before that, Apple famously kept building on FCP 10 / FCP X for more than a decade. But while yes, it includes new features designed to speed workflows and enhance search and editing capabilities, it doesn't feel like a major release on its own.
As with Pages, Numbers, and Keynote 15 that were all updated yesterday (29 Jan), this release seems to be more about integration with the new Creator Studio ecosystem than anything else. You now have two versions available on the App Store, one for a one-time purchase license and the other offering in-app purchases. They're pitched quite differently too.
So, what do you get? On the desktop you get some new AI-powered features as long as you're running a M1 Mac or later. Transcript Search lets you quickly find spoken words or phrases in footage by searching for exact matches or using natural language descriptions. Discover Visual Search, meanwhile, is a fast and easy way to locate moments in footage, including objects and actions, using natural language.
And the non-AI Beat Detection lets you analyse any music track to reveal its bars and beats, enabling you to easily align your video edits to the music's rhythm
There's also a new demo project available featuring singer-songwriter Allie Sherlock that looks to flatten FCP's learning curves and works as an introduction to the new features. This sits alongside also new in-app guides on how to create a new library, import media, and add clips to a new timeline.
If there is any difference between the two versions, it is that the Creator Studio entry also lists dynamic titles, customisable graphic elements, and offers countdowns and timers for easing workflow issues.
It adds all of the above, as well as a batch of workflow enhancements. Here are Apple's notes:
Streamline your workflow with multiple selection support in the inspector, allowing you to make batch adjustments and changes to several clips at once
Keep your projects moving with background exports and track their progress in Live Activities, perfect for multitasking across apps (Requires iPad models with M3 or later and iPadOS 26)
Extend your workspace by connecting an external monitor to view and play back your edits with ease
These are also all apparently available to existing users on the $4.99 subscription as these users are gaining access to a uniquely standalone Apple Creator Studio version for the same monthly price. We say uniquely, but the same applies to Logic Pro updates as well, which follow the same frankly confusing update path.
For the record, these are confirmed by Apple's new app listings as including the following:
With or without an Apple Creator Studio subscription:
• Transform your tracks with the all-new Synth Player, and create keyboard and bass performances with intuitive controls
• Generate dynamic synth performances that play notes and manipulate instruments
• Use Simple Pad to add lush harmonic layers to your song, or add movement and dynamics with Modulated Pad and Rhythmic Chords
• Explore popular synth bass styles including 808 Bass, Pump Bass, and Sequenced Bass to dial in the low end
• Use Chord ID to identify chords from any part of your song and Session Players will automatically follow along
• Explore a free, expanding collection of premium sound packs with the brand new Sound Library
• Listen to audio previews of any sound packs and install your favorites
• Free up storage space by easily deleting packs you are no longer using
Now only available with an Apple Creator Studio subscription for new customers
As per the Mac entry.
• Assemble the perfect performance by selecting the best moments from several takes
• Organize takes using Take Folders and quickly compare different comps
• Use Apple Pencil for even more precision when editing and selecting your best takes
• Quickly and intuitively search for loops in the Browser using natural language phrases, like “dreamy electric piano”
• Pick a loop, and the Browser uses machine learning to help you quickly discover similar loops from the Sound Library