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I have a 2011 MacBook Pro and I am getting in video creation. I’m currently using my iPhone X and GoPro Hero 6 black to record video, and using iMovie to edit. When I export my videos I only have the option to choose up to 1080p. I’ve read about iMovie using the first clip to set the format (why???), and have made sure to put a 4K video as the first clip but still no option to export as 4K? Is my iMovie hosed, or my MacBook just to old?
MacBook Pro
According to Apple, with iMovie for macOS you can edit and share 4K video on Mac computers from 2011 or later with at least 4GB of memory.
However, Macs only support 4K at 30 fps. 4K at 60 fps probably will only give the share option of 1080p at 60 fps. Is that possibly your situation?
You are correct that iMovie sets the resolution of a project at the resolution of the first clip added to a newly created project. It has to be a newly created project. You can then delete the clip later if you want, without changing the resolution of the project. I don't think that there is any "why" to it. It's just the way the software was designed, for whatever reasons that the Apple software engineers had.
-- Rich
My MBP has 16gb DDR3 RAM, 1tb SSD, and the Radeon HD 6750m 1gb video card., running OS 10.13.6. I shoot at 4k 24 or 30 fps, and not 60 fps so that isn't the issue. I've tried starting new projects with 4k clips and still no option for 4k. Even though Apple says thry support 2011 is there any chance they really dont and my computer is just too old (its a late 2011)?
All I can say is that a 2011 MacBook Pro should work with 4K 30 fps. I’m not sure that it, or later Macs, work with 4K 24fps. If you can upgrade to current iMovie and Mojave then do that.
Also, sometimes deleting preferences cures export problems. Try opening iMovie. while holding down the Option and Command keys and selecting to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new library. Reopen your old library to get back to you projects. Now see if you can get a 4K option on a 4k project.
Rich
I think this worked! I did this, opened a new project, imported a 4k 30 video but still only had the 1080 option. So I restarted tried the same steps and it worked. Thank you!
Glad we were able to get to the bottom of it. Have fun!
-- Rich
MacBook Pro 2011 cannot create 4K video
