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IMOVIES keep on CRASHING

How do i fix imovie app that keeps on crashing on my MacOs Catalina version 10.15? Everytime i use it, it crashes after 2-3 minutes of using it.

MacBook Air 11″, macOS 10.15

Posted on May 6, 2021 11:33 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 7, 2021 9:24 AM

Hi,


Crashing can be caused by a number of things. Sometimes it can be as simple as not having enough free space on your drive for iMovie to function. Or possibly there is some conflict in your primary user account, or you need a system management controller reset. Or maybe a software update or redownload of iMovie will solve it. Nothing to do but try some diagnostic procedures to isolate the cause. Try working through the procedures listed below and see if one of them solves it:


Deleting Preferences


Open iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and select to delete

preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new library. Reopen

your old library to get back to your projects.  Now see if you can use iMovie with it crashing.

Deleting preferences is a safe procedure that will not cause data loss or disruption to your project.

Opening iMovie in a new library


Try opening iMovie in a new library.  To do that, open iMovie while holding down the Option key and then selecting to

create a new library in the box that appears.


Opening iMovie in a new user account


Create a new user account from System Preferences/Users and Groups and try to open and

use iMovie in the new account. You can use the Guest account on your Mac for this purpose.


New Project


Another thing you can try is to copy your media into a newly created project and see if

that cures the problem. To do that, do an Edit/Select All, Edit/Copy, of the

media in your project and then Edit/Paste it into the newly created project.


Safe Mode


You could also try booting up in Safe Mode (see Finder menu for instructions) and,

after everything loads, immediately shut down and reboot in normal mode. Then

see if iMovie works properly.


Updating iMovie


To update/redownload iMovie 10, drag your iMovie 10 app from the Applications

folder into the trash, but do not empty the trash. Sign in to the app

store and open your purchases folder by clicking on your name at the bottom of

the app store side bar. You will see your purchases displayed, including iMovie 10. Redownload/update

iMovie from there. If not successful, drag your present iMovie app out of the trash and

return it to the Applications folder.


Resetting the System Management Controller


Try resetting the System Management Controller (but no longer available for the new M1 computers):


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295


Resetting the NVRAM or PRAM


Try resetting the NVRAM or PRAM, although this issue would be fairly rare:


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063


Contact Apple Support


If none of the above resolve your issue, contact Apple Support.  The techs there have the capability of

remotely accessing your computer that we cannot do here.  To contact apple support click on the Contact

Support item in the upper right hand corner of this forum’s screen.  Navigate to a place where you can enter your

phone number.


-- Rich

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 7, 2021 9:24 AM in response to jlaw1992

Hi,


Crashing can be caused by a number of things. Sometimes it can be as simple as not having enough free space on your drive for iMovie to function. Or possibly there is some conflict in your primary user account, or you need a system management controller reset. Or maybe a software update or redownload of iMovie will solve it. Nothing to do but try some diagnostic procedures to isolate the cause. Try working through the procedures listed below and see if one of them solves it:


Deleting Preferences


Open iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and select to delete

preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new library. Reopen

your old library to get back to your projects.  Now see if you can use iMovie with it crashing.

Deleting preferences is a safe procedure that will not cause data loss or disruption to your project.

Opening iMovie in a new library


Try opening iMovie in a new library.  To do that, open iMovie while holding down the Option key and then selecting to

create a new library in the box that appears.


Opening iMovie in a new user account


Create a new user account from System Preferences/Users and Groups and try to open and

use iMovie in the new account. You can use the Guest account on your Mac for this purpose.


New Project


Another thing you can try is to copy your media into a newly created project and see if

that cures the problem. To do that, do an Edit/Select All, Edit/Copy, of the

media in your project and then Edit/Paste it into the newly created project.


Safe Mode


You could also try booting up in Safe Mode (see Finder menu for instructions) and,

after everything loads, immediately shut down and reboot in normal mode. Then

see if iMovie works properly.


Updating iMovie


To update/redownload iMovie 10, drag your iMovie 10 app from the Applications

folder into the trash, but do not empty the trash. Sign in to the app

store and open your purchases folder by clicking on your name at the bottom of

the app store side bar. You will see your purchases displayed, including iMovie 10. Redownload/update

iMovie from there. If not successful, drag your present iMovie app out of the trash and

return it to the Applications folder.


Resetting the System Management Controller


Try resetting the System Management Controller (but no longer available for the new M1 computers):


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295


Resetting the NVRAM or PRAM


Try resetting the NVRAM or PRAM, although this issue would be fairly rare:


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063


Contact Apple Support


If none of the above resolve your issue, contact Apple Support.  The techs there have the capability of

remotely accessing your computer that we cannot do here.  To contact apple support click on the Contact

Support item in the upper right hand corner of this forum’s screen.  Navigate to a place where you can enter your

phone number.


-- Rich

IMOVIES keep on CRASHING

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