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Knowledge Base

Knowledge Base

Answers to frequently asked questions, compiled from real support cases.

Licensing & Activation

Where is my license key?

All your licenses, downloads, and invoices are available at the License Manager: lm.colortrix.cloud. Log in with the email address you used when purchasing.

“Activation limit exceeded” error

This happens when the license has been activated or deactivated too many times — typically after hardware changes, OS reinstalls, or machine swaps.

You can reset your own activations via the License Manager at lm.colortrix.cloud. If self-service reset doesn’t resolve it, contact support@colorfinale.com.

How do I transfer my license to a new Mac?

  1. On your old Mac: open Color Finale Preferences → License tab → Deactivate.
  2. On your new Mac: install Color Finale and activate with the same license key.

If the old machine is no longer accessible, reset your activations at lm.colortrix.cloud.

How do updates and support work?

Your Color Finale license is permanent — it never expires. You can use the last version released during your support period indefinitely.

Access to newer versions requires an active annual support plan. This model was introduced due to Apple’s repeated changes to the FxPlug plugin API, which require ongoing development work.

To renew and get access to the latest version, visit colorfinale.com/renew.

I renewed support but still see “renew” message

After renewal, your existing activation code remains valid — no new code is issued. The support period is extended on your existing license.

If the message persists, make sure you renewed the correct product (e.g., “Color Finale Pro” not “Color Finale Standard”) at colorfinale.com/renew.

I see both “Color Finale” and “Color Finale Pro” in Effects

The non-Pro “Color Finale” effect is kept for backward compatibility with older projects. You can safely remove it if you only use Pro and have no older projects that depend on it.

Student / educational discounts

Educational discounts are available on a case-by-case basis for new licenses. Contact support@colorfinale.com before purchasing.

Invoices and receipts

Invoices are available through the License Manager at lm.colortrix.cloud — look for the invoice link at the bottom of your license page.

Installation & Downloads

Where do I download Color Finale?

Download the latest version you’re eligible for from the License Manager: lm.colortrix.cloud.

Installation steps

  1. Download the installer from lm.colortrix.cloud.
  2. Run the installer — it places the plugin into your FxPlug plugins folder.
  3. Restart Final Cut Pro.
  4. Color Finale appears in the FCP Effects browser.

Troubleshooting

Color Finale shows a warning sign / controls don’t respond

The most common cause is running an outdated Color Finale version with a newer Final Cut Pro. Update to the latest version (may require an active support plan).

Also: if Color Finale.app (the standalone application) is running alongside FCP, quit it — newer macOS versions cause conflicts when both are active.

Mask tools don’t appear on the viewer

Color Finale must be selected in the Inspector (yellow outline) for FCP to display its on-screen controls. This is standard FCP behavior for all effects — click on Color Finale in the Inspector to select it.

If Color Finale.app is running alongside FCP, close it — it can interfere with on-screen controls.

See also: Masks video tutorial

Color picker shows “Picker Unavailable” or samples wrong frame

On FCP 12+ with macOS Tahoe, Apple changed how plugins read frame data. Update to the latest Color Finale version to resolve this.

If you’re using the Comparison Viewer: FCP may present the reference frame to the plugin instead of the current frame. Disable the Comparison Viewer while using the eyedropper.

Controls are grayed out / panel disappears

  • Close Color Finale.app if it’s running alongside FCP.
  • Make sure Color Finale is selected in the Inspector (yellow outline).
  • If switching between LUTs and Edit Layers causes the panel to disappear, re-select the effect in the Inspector.

Final Cut Pro Compatibility

Color Finale broke after updating FCP or macOS

Apple made breaking changes to the FxPlug4 SDK in FCP 12 that affected on-screen controls — color pickers, tracker, LUT previews, and isolate.

The fix is to update to the latest Color Finale version, which may require an active support plan at colorfinale.com/renew.

If you don’t want to renew, you can continue using your current version with FCP 12, but features that rely on frame data reading (pickers, tracker) will not work.

Which versions of FCP and macOS are supported?

Always use the latest Color Finale version with your current FCP and macOS. We recommend keeping all three up to date. Before troubleshooting any issue, verify your exact versions of:

  1. Final Cut Pro (e.g., FCP 12.0)
  2. Color Finale (e.g., 2.15.0 Build 610)
  3. macOS (e.g., macOS 16.0 Tahoe)

Performance

Timeline is slow or choppy with Color Finale

Color grading plugins are computationally intensive, especially with high-resolution footage (4K+, ProRes RAW, N-RAW).

  • Use Better Performance proxy mode in FCP for editing, then switch to Better Quality for final output.
  • Enable GPU-rendered transforms in the CMS settings for faster ACES processing.
  • Reduce the number of active layers if possible.

Getting Help

If your question isn’t answered here:

When contacting support about a technical issue, please include:

  1. Your exact Final Cut Pro version
  2. Your exact Color Finale version
  3. A screenshot of your Mac specs (About This Mac)
  4. Steps to reproduce the issue
  5. A short screen recording showing the problem