This article explains how you can fix iMovie exporting problems. You can easily export your videos or movies so that you can use and share your project outside of iMovie. iMovie offers a lot of sharing options:
- Email,
- YouTube,
- Vimeo,
- File,
- FaceBook.
Sometimes, however, iMovie may not work properly. More specifically you might not be able to share your videos from iMovie. You may get an error when trying to export videos from iMovie. For example, you may get the following error message:
Exporting “macreports” has failed. The operation couldn’t be completed. (com.apple.Compressor.CompressorKit.ErrorDomain Error -1.)
Please try the following tips in order until you have fixed your iMovie sharing problem.
1. Restart your Mac.
Simply restarting your Mac may solve your problem. This is really easy. Choose Restart from the Apple menu
2. Check your Internet connection.
Your iMovie sharing problem may be caused by a poor Internet connection. Make sure you have a strong internet connection. Please see the following article to troubleshoot your problem:
3. Isolate the problem.
The problem may be with your library and project. These files may be corrupted these files can become inoperable or unusable causing various issues. Please follow the steps below to isolate the cause of your export problem. In the steps below, we will create a new library and video to see if we can export this new project. If we can, then the problem is your original files. Here is how:
- Quit iMovie (iMovie > Quit iMovie).
- Open iMovie.
- In iMovie, click File (menu bar) then click Open Library and then New.
- Name this library as a “macReports Test” and then save it to your desktop.
- Now create a test video. First, open this new Library (you can do so by double-clicking or you can select it in iMovie).
- Click the Projects tab.
- Click Create New.
- And create a simple video. (you can record a new video).
- Choose File > Share now try to export. Does it work?
4. Update your Mac.
Make sure that your Mac has the latest version of the macOS software so that it can keep running smoothly and securely. Here is how you can update your Mac:
- If your current version is macOS Mojave or later: Click the Apple menu, System Preferences, and Software Update. This will check for available updates. If there is an update available, click the Update Now button.
- If you are running an earlier version of the macOS software (High Sierra etc.), open the App Store on your Mac and click the Updates tab.
5. Update iMovie.
Updating your Mac will not update iMovie. It is possible that you are using an old version of iMovie. It is important to keep iMovie up to date. Updating is really simple. Go to the Apple Store on your Mac and click Updates. If you see iMovie, click the Update button to download and install the update.
6. Safe Mode.
Load your Mac in Safe Mode may help you fix your problem. Here is how:
- Turn off your Mac (Apple menu > Shut Down).
- Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold the Shift key while it boots.
- Keep holding the Shift key until you see an Apple logo and progress bar.
- You may have to log in a few times.
- Now your Mac is started in Safe Mode.
- In Safe Mode, open iMovie and then try to export your project. Does it work now?
- Now exit Safe Mode, and restart your Mac normally (do not press the Shift or any other key).
- Now test iMovie again. Do you experience any problem?
7. Reset NVRAM or PRAM.
This may help you. Here is how:
- Turn off your Mac.
- Disconnect everything except your keyboard and mouse.
- Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold the Option, Command, P, and R keys together.
- Keep holding the keys for about 20 seconds.
- Then you may release the keys.
If you are still having issues, you may want to contact Apple.
I’m having this exact problem. Currently running OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 on a 2014 MacBook Air.
I made a movie in iMovie with no problems about 3 weeks ago. Just one week ago I updated my OS, and now it’s not working (getting the exact error message you wrote about here). Have now tried solutions 1-5 on this list and none work. I’ll try the other two as well, but I’m thinking this might be a bug having to do with my operating system changes?
Would appreciate any follow up if you know what this error message is all about. Again, the ONLY thing I’ve changed is my OS, since iMovie was already up to date.
I have exactly the same issue. Besides the solutions described above, I also reset the SMC, uninstall iTunes, remove QuickTime components and it failed. FCPX also fails to export, it just crashes before showing the export settings window.
Excatly i have same configuration as you stated.
And same issue, went all good for a couple of weeks.
Tried 6 as well and didn’t work either.
Same thing here, iMovie and FCPX. Hope someone’s comes up with a fix. Thanks.
i have the same problem. tried all steps. still not working.
this is clearly a very recent problem, and i have only found one thread (this one) on any forum that includes the same popup that i have been getting. think ill have to just contact apple.
i tried fixing it and i accidentally deleted the compressor zip file completely… how do i get it back
Omg, the exact same thing happened to me. I’m not sure hot to get it back. Can anyone help?
I am also having the same issue, just made a good video last week. Now all of a sudden I cannot share. I have tried many of the offered solutions and spent time with Apple support. To no avail. Considering these issues seem to date so far back, you think there would have been a for sure solution by now.
Exact same issue here with El Capitan.. Had no issues with iMovie few weeks ago, didn’t change anything, didn’t upgrade anything..
Could be a date related issue where the compressor kit or any other component has reached it’s expiry/end-date, already tried adjusting the system date, but no luck.
Seems a very recent issue, guess only pops up in El Capitan.
Perhaps time for a long postponed OS upgrade 😉
Thanks for posting this – after trying all of these recommendations I am still having an issue exporting to File, Vimeo, FB, YT, etc. This only started happening this week. If someone finds a solution I look forward to your recommendations on how to address such a big bug!
Update -my issue had to do with the following message after trying to share/export: “Error: This is null!” – After being on the phone with Apple Support they narrowed it down to needing to start a new library as the original one was corrupted. By clicking File->Open Library->New we addressed the challenge and I can now export again.
I am also having these issues and surprised that it has not been fixed more quickly. I can`t export any imovies and just a few weeks ago I was having no problems.
I’m having the exact same issue and this is the only link that addressed it! I need to submit this video for my university assessment and it really got me in a pickle at the last hour of submission! I tried all options mentioned here but none of them work! Please tell me there is a solution to this? 🙏🏻
Also having this issue for the first time. Sigh.
I started to have the same issue on 5/15/2020. I made a video on 5/8, exported without an issue. Now I’m trying to re-export the project I made on 5/8, it failed exporting. Nothing has changed. I don’t use my MacBook Air much (it is a mid 2011 model, so I cannot update to Catalina and newest iMovie), I don’t think any software change/update has occur during the past week. It just failed exporting.
I copied my project to a friend, and he, without changing anything, was able to export. So what do I do?
my niece was having the same issue, if you download and install SoundFlower ( this allows you to record internal audio in quicktime) then change your sound settings output AND Input to Soundflower (2ch) open QT, select New Screen Record, next to the record button there is an arrow, click and select SoundFlower(2ch) record full screen, and then open imovie, and playback at full screen. be sure to set the volume to only 30% or so otherwise you will get an Echo.
after the record, change you system sound setting back to Internal ( otherwise you wont hear anything) and the in QuickTime go to Edit>Trim and trim off the top and end that you dont want of the set up. this was the work around I got to work for her.
hope this helps