Recently we produced an article looking into an announcement from Apple following an update of Final Cut Pro that the Avid DNx family of codecs, as well as other codecs like Cineform, which GoPro cameras often use would no longer be supported natively in future releases of the macOS operating system. We can now reveal details of exactly which codecs, both audio and video, Apple plans to support natively in the future as well as those which will not be supported in future macOS releases.

Codecs Apple Plans to Support

These video, audio, still-image, and container formats don't rely on the QuickTime 7 framework, and will be compatible with Final Cut Pro and Motion on versions of macOS after macOS Mojave:

Video Formats

• Apple Animation codec

• Apple Intermediate codec

• Apple ProRes

• Apple ProRes RAW

• AVCHD (including AVCCAM, AVCHD Lite, and NXCAM)

• AVC-ULTRA (including AVC-LongG, AVC-Intra Class 50/100/200/4:4:4, and AVC-Intra LT)

• Canon Cinema RAW Light*

• DV (including DVCAM, DVCPRO, and DVCPRO50)

• DVCPRO HD

• H.264

• HDV

• HEVC (H.265)

• iFrame

• Motion JPEG (OpenDML only)

• MPEG-4 SP

• MPEG IMX (D-10)

• REDCODE RAW*

• Uncompressed 8-bit 4:2:2

• Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2

• Uncompressed 10-bit "R10k"

• XAVC (including XAVC-S)

• XDCAM HD/EX/HD422

• XF-AVC

Audio Formats

• AAC

• AIFF

• BWF

• CAF

• MP3

• MP4

• RF64

• WAV

Still-image formats

• BMP

• GIF

• HEIF

• JPEG

• PNG

• PSD

• RAW

• TGA

• TIFF

Container formats

• 3GP

• AVI

• MOV (QuickTime)

• MP4

• MTS/M2TS

• MXF

* These formats are supported in Final Cut Pro and require additional software from the camera manufacturers. 

In the first half of 2019, Apple say that an updated version of Final Cut Pro will include a feature to help users to identify and convert legacy media files.

To ensure that any new media you create now remains compatible with versions of macOS after macOS Mojave, Apple recommend that users stick to cameras and media formats supported by Final Cut Pro, and use media formats supported by Motion listed above.

Codecs Apple Plan To No Longer Support

These are all legacy media formats that are affected by the transition to 64-bit technology

In versions of the macOS after macOS Mojave, the QuickTime 7 framework will no longer be available. This means that these legacy formats listed below will not be supported natively in future macOS OS releases or in Final Cut Pro and Motion.

Third-party developers like Avid and Adobe can choose to continue to offer compatibility with some formats by building support directly into their apps. Avid has stated that they will continue to support the Avid DNx family of codecs in Pro Tools and Media Composer.

Here are examples of media formats affected by this transition and will not be supported natively after macOS Mojave…

• 3ivx MPEG-4

• AV1 / VP9

• AVC0 Media AVA0 Media

• Avid DNxHD / DNxHR

• Avid DV / DV100 / JFIF / Motion JPEG

• Avid Meridien / 1:1x / Packed / RGBPacked

• BitJazz SheerVideo

• CineForm

• Cinepak

• DivX

• Flash Video

• FlashPix

• FLC

• GlueTools codecs for Cineon/DPX, Phantom Cine, ARRIRAW, Uncompressed RGB

• H.261

• Implode

• Indeo video 5.1

• Intel Video 4:3

• JPEG 2000

• Microsoft Video 1

• Motion JPEG A

• Motion JPEG B

• On2 VP3, VP5, VP6, VP6-E, VP6-S, VP7, VP8, VP9

• Perian collection of codecs (such as Microsoft MPEG-4, DivX, 3ivx, VP6, and VP3)

• Pixlet

• Planar RGB

• RealVideo

• REDCODE QuickTime Decoder (.mov)

• SGI

• Sony HDCAM-SR (SStP)

• Sorenson 3

• Sorenson Spark

• Sorenson Video / Video 3 / YUV9

• Streambox ACT-L2

• Windows Media Video 7, 8, 9

• Xiph.org’s Theora Video

• ZyGoVideo

Which ones are you not going to miss and which ones are you going to struggle without?