How to Get Final Cut Pro for Free

Hi! This is Dylan from Stupid Raisins. In this video I’m going to show you how to get Final Cut Pro for free. Now, I know what you’re thinking – “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” or you’re just going to show me a pirated version. But trust me, this is a legitimate way to get your hands on the best video editing software out there without spending a penny.

In this video I’ll show you where to score a free and legal copy of Final Cut Pro. I’ll also show you what you need to run Final Cut and I’ll share 3 reasons why you shouldn’t download a pirated version. Then I’ll point out great places to learn Final Cut Pro and show you how to extend Final Cut Pro’s power with some free plugins.

Let’s get started!

Go to the link in the description to get the free trial directly from Apple. Then click on the download button. Once that’s downloaded, double click on the dmg file and then double click on pkg installer file. Follow the on screen instructions to finish installation. 

The trial is the same as the full version with no restrictions other than the paid version comes with over 1,300 sound effects. This trial ends 90 days after you open Final Cut for the first time. 

Check out this note on the download page. If you’re using a previous trial version you’ll be able to use the most recent trial version for an additional 90 days. Sounds like you can keep using trial after trial as long as it’s an update. A downside is you may have to wait a while before the next trial comes out. 

This page on Apple’s website answers frequently asked questions about the free trial and I’ll link to it in the description.

Final Cut Pro is video software and does some heavy lifting so it has some minimum system requirements. You need macOS 11.5.1 or later, 4.5 GB of disk space and at least 4 GB of RAM but get as much as you can. My computer has 16 GB of RAM and works well. You also need a metal-capable graphics card with at least 1 GB of Video RAM. Check out Apple’s list of compatible video cards.

Are you ready to download Final Cut Pro? Has this video been helpful? If so, hit that like button so others can see this video. Thanks!

Some of you may be tempted to download and use a cracked or pirated version of Final Cut Pro. Don’t do it!

First of all, it’s stealing. Your grandma would be disappointed.

It’s illegal and if you’re caught, you could be fined up to $250,000 or thrown in jail. Stealing software is simply unfair to the people who worked hard to create it. When you steal software, you’re taking something away from the person who created it, and that’s just not right. How would you feel if someone took your video and made a commercial with it and got paid? You’d be ticked, right?

Second, a pirated version goes out of date quickly. When a new macOS or Final Cut version comes out, the cracked version is obsolete and often breaks. Then you have to jump through all those hoops again to get a working version.

Third, you open your computer up to viruses, malware and infections. To get a “free” version you have to visit sketchy websites. Websites that distribute pirated software are shady and love to harm their users with malware, popups and redirects that send your browser into dangerous territory! Not only that, the installer could come with some nasty malware infecting your sweet, sweet Macbook Pro.

So next time you’re tempted to steal software, remember your grandma and all of the reasons why you shouldn’t do it. It’s not worth the risk!

Now that you’ve got Final Cut Pro installed it’s time to get cracking. Final Cut is pretty easy to use but for first timers it can be a bit overwhelming. Luckily there are a ton of tutorials and resources to get you started. I’ve made hundreds of Final Cut Pro tutorials on YouTube and you can see them all in this playlist. I’ll drop a link in the description. Another great place to learn is Ripple Training. They make the best in depth tutorials and this is how I learned to use Final Cut Pro. Link is in the description.

Final Cut comes with over 300 built in effects, titles and transitions. These are great to play around and experiment with but can get a little stale and overused. Luckily, I made some free plugins that look unique and make Final Cut Pro more powerful. I made some animated icons, social media lower thirds and some effects and a transition. They’re easy to install and even easier to use. Just drag, drop and customize. Back in Final Cut I just drag and drop this Facebook lower third to my timeline. I can adjust the length of it and then customize the colors and text. Just like that, I’ve got a good looking title. These plugins are worth $138 but it’s all yours for free. Just click the link in the description. Happy editing!