FCP X: Remove Saved Custom Text Styles and Formats

Posted on by Larry

Logo-FCPX.jpg[ Updated with new info regarding FCP X 10.3.]

Final Cut Pro X provides the ability to save text formats and styles. (Though this option tends to be “hidden in plain sight.”)

While we can’t remove styles supplied by Apple, we can remove custom settings, as this article explains.

Style001

Here, for example, I’ve created a title for my latest documentary on Giraffe’s. (OK, so my project only has one shot, but it makes a great-looking title.)

Style002

Because I want to reuse this text style multiple times in my project, I’m saving both Format and Style attributes.

Style003

In this dialog, give the Style a name so you know what it is. I’m picking something obvious.

Style004

Final Cut saves the setting, then displays it, in alphabetical order, in the Styles list.

REMOVING THE STYLE

Quit Final Cut.

NOTE: Deleting items that appear in Final Cut menus is always done most reliably by first quitting Final Cut.

Style005

Make the Finder active. Then, press the Option key when opening the Go menu. Select Library.

NOTE: The Library option only appears when the Option key is pressed while accessing the Go menu.

Style006

In the Library, twirl open Application Support.

Style007

Scroll down till you find the Motion folder. Then, open Motion > Library > Text Styles.

Delete both the .molo and .png files of the text style you want to remove.

When you restart Final Cut, the option will be removed from the Style menu.

UPDATE – Nov. 15, 2016

style101

With the release of FCP X 10.3, creating text styles now creates three files, rather than two, in the Motion > Library > Text Styles folder. Also, with the initial release of 10.3, as a reader points out below, deleting these styles does not remove the Style name from the Style menu.

EXTRA CREDIT

Deleting a style from the style menu does not delete any styles applied to clips in the Timeline. Styles are presets, once applied, they are disconnected from the text.


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15 Responses to FCP X: Remove Saved Custom Text Styles and Formats

  1. Leif Henningsson says:

    Larry,

    thanks for text info and smiling giraffes.

    leif in lapland

  2. Mattia says:

    THANKS!

  3. Marc Miller says:

    It seems that there are 3 associated files created and on my system there were no file extensions visible so I had to guess because I had inadvertently hit save several times which created multiple preset files with the same name except it added a 1 and 2 to the dupes. However these did not show up in the finder window so some stealth detective work helped to figure it out.

    Why don’t file extensions show up for me as they do in your description of the process?

  4. Andrew says:

    it helps a lot, thank u

  5. Benjamin says:

    Larry, I tried this on the new update 10.3. I deleted my custom settings in the text styles folder, but they still show up even after restarting final cut. The custom settings don’t work when applied but they still show in the list. Any clue why?

    Sincerely
    Benjamin

    • Larry says:

      Benjamin:

      I agree, delete the three files created by FCP X 10.3 does not remove the style from the list. I’ll check into this.

      Larry

      • Flemming Eiberg says:

        Any update on why styles are NOT removed from the menu in FCPX 10.3?

        • Larry says:

          Flemming:

          We can now delete custom text styles, but it is a two step process.

          As indicated in the article above, FCP X 10.3.x creates three files – menu.png, .molo, and .png for each style format.

          * Quit FCP X.
          * As described above, go into Library > Application Support > Motion > Text styles and delete all three files associated with the text style you want to remove.
          * Next, press and hold Option + Command and restart FCP X from the Dock. Click the blue button to Delete FCP X Preference files.

          The styles and its listing in the menu are now deleted.

          Larry

          Go into the Library and get

  6. Brian says:

    Hi Larry.
    2D styles seem to be pre-empting my fonts. When I use a font, it changes depending on what 2d styles is set to. How can I just get the font I select without 2d styles affecting it? The 2d styles menu is always set to something.

    Thanks
    Brian

  7. tiffy says:

    I like that font. What is it?

  8. SD Yoon says:

    it is very useful!! Thanks

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