Final Cut Pro X 10.4.4, Compressor 4.4.2, and Motion 5.4.2

Apple has released Final Cut Pro X 10.4.4, Compressor 4.4.2, and Motion 5.4.2, with all three apps now requiring a minimum of macOS 10.13.6 High Sierra. Before updating, Apple recommends backing up the currently installed versions and any custom settings you may have created.

Final Cut Pro X 10.4.4 introduces the option of using third-party workflow extensions within the app interface, such as for dragging clips, controlling timeline playback, and purchasing media. Workflow extensions such as Frame.io and Shutterstock can be downloaded now for free from the Mac App Store, and Apple says additional third-party extensions will become available on an ongoing basis.

The Final Cut Pro update also brings batch sharing capabilities that enable you to export and transcode multiple clips in the browser for fast turnaround of dailies, adds a Comparison Viewer to reference other frames for consistent color grading across your project, introduces a high-quality, drag-and-drop noise reduction effect for reducing grain and video noise, and adds the Tiny Planet mapping option when adding 360-degree video to a non-360-degree project to create interesting spherical looks. Version 10.4.4 also includes additional improvements and bug fixes relating to 360-degree video, audio, closed captions, and color correction.

Compressor 4.4.2 moves to a new 64-bit architecture to take advantage of all memory in your Mac to support high-resolution images and projects, while still offering backward compatibility to support legacy 32-bit formats. The encoding app also automatically configures audio properties when using the QuickTime format to transcode audio files, enables editing and delivery of closed captions in the SRT format, and fixes an issue where metadata did not appear when transcoding to Apple Devices.

Motion 5.4.2 adds a comprehensive set of color grading tools including color wheels, color curves, hue/saturation curves, and custom LUTs. The special effects tool also adds a Comic filter to turn any photo or video into a comic book illustration; improves the Core Text engine to ensure correct rendering and animation of emoji, thin glyphs, and capital letters in various point sizes; and adds the same Tiny Planet filter found in Final Cut Pro X 10.4.4. (Free updates. Final Cut Pro X, $299.99 new, 3.00 GB, release notes, 10.13.6+; Compressor, $49.99 new, 401.2 MB, release notes, 10.13.6+; Motion, $49.99 new, 2.3 GB, release notes, 10.13.6+)