How to Upscale Video in Final Cut Pro (2 Methods)

Brenda Peng  Updated on  September 15, 2026

Approved by Abby Poole  

Many creators and editors want to upscale videos in Final Cut Pro, especially when working on projects that combine different resolutions. For example, you might have some 1080p footage that needs to fit into a 4K timeline. Instead of reshooting, Final Cut Pro gives you a couple of ways to scale up your videos.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to upscale video in Final Cut Pro using both its built-in tool and third-party plugin. Then, we’ll also look at an alternative option for those who want even cleaner, sharper results.

Method 1: Using Final Cut Pro’s Built-in Upscaling

Final Cut Pro can automatically upscale your footage when you place it in a higher-resolution timeline. This built-in method is quick and works well for simple upscaling, but it won’t restore missing details — it simply enlarges the existing pixels to match the new resolution.

If you’re still interested in this method, here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Create a new project

Open Final Cut Pro, go to File > New > Project. Name your project and click the small “Modify” button next to the video properties.

Step 2: Set the project resolution

In the Video dropdown, choose 4K (or any higher resolution you want). Make sure the frame rate matches your original footage — for example, 24 fps or 30 fps — to maintain smooth motion.

Step 3: Import and place your footage

Import your 1080p or lower-resolution video clips into the library. Then, drag them onto your new 4K timeline. Final Cut Pro will automatically scale the video to fit the frame.

Step 4: Check the scaling quality

If the clip looks cropped or doesn’t fill the frame properly, right-click the clip in the timeline, choose Transform > Fit, or manually adjust the scale in the Inspector panel.

Step 5: Render and export

Once everything looks right, Final Cut Pro will render the upscaled version during playback or export. Go to File > Share > Master File, choose your preferred codec and resolution, and export the final upscaled video.

Method 2: Using Third-Party Plugins for Final Cut Pro

If Final Cut Pro’s built-in scaling does not provide enough detail, a third-party plugin can add more advanced upscaling and enhancement options directly to your editing workflow. Two options worth considering are the Topaz Video plugin and FidelityFuze.

Option 1: Use the Topaz Video Plugin

The Topaz Video plugin lets you use Topaz enhancement models directly inside Final Cut Pro instead of processing the footage in a separate application. This can be useful if you want AI-powered enhancement while keeping your editing workflow in FCP. Topaz Video supports Final Cut Pro, and the plugin can be accessed from the Effects menu after installation.

Step 1: Install the Topaz Video plugin

Open Topaz Video and make sure you are signed in. Go to Plugins and select Install After Effects/OpenFX/FCP Plugin. If the plugin was not installed during the initial setup, you can also install it from the Plugins tab in Topaz Video.

Step 2: Open your project in Final Cut Pro

Launch Final Cut Pro and open the project containing the video you want to upscale. Set the project or timeline to your desired output resolution, such as 4K.

Step 3: Add Topaz Enhancement

Open the Effects browser in Final Cut Pro and search for Topaz.

Select Topaz Enhancement and drag it onto the video clip you want to enhance.

Step 4: Choose an AI model and adjust the settings

The Topaz Enhancement effect provides model and enhancement controls directly within Final Cut Pro. These parameters correspond to the manual mode in the standalone Topaz Video application, allowing you to adjust the enhancement based on your footage.

For example, you can choose an appropriate model and adjust the available enhancement settings to balance detail recovery and a natural-looking result.

Step 5: Preview and export

Preview the enhanced clip in Final Cut Pro. Once you are satisfied with the result, render the project and export it at your desired resolution.

Note: When using Topaz Video as a plugin, a 2x or larger upscale is applied according to the selected scale rather than simply following the project or timeline resolution. Topaz also notes that performance and UI responsiveness may decrease when upscaling by 3x or 4x. Because the plugin runs inside a third-party application, processing may also differ slightly from the standalone Topaz Video desktop app.

Option 2: Use FidelityFuze

FidelityFuze is another third-party option for upscaling video directly in Final Cut Pro. Unlike Topaz Video, it uses a deterministic, non-AI algorithm rather than AI-based detail reconstruction.

Step 1: Install FidelityFuze plugin

Download the installer from the developer's website. Crucially, make sure Final Cut Pro is completely closed before running the installer. Once done, double-click the downloaded file and follow the standard macOS installation process.

Next, relaunch Final Cut Pro. The plugin will now appear in the Effects Browser.

Step 1: Create a new timeline

Set up a new project or timeline with your desired output resolution (e.g., 4K or higher).

Step 2: Place your clip

Drag your lower-resolution clip onto the timeline as usual.

Step 3: Create a compound clip or adjustment layer

For best results, select your clip and press Option + G to create a compound clip, or apply the plugin to an adjustment layer above the footage. This ensures the plugin processes at the timeline’s full resolution.

Step 4: Apply the plugin

Find FidelityFuze (or your preferred upscaling plugin) in the Effects Browser and drag it onto the compound clip or adjustment layer.

Step 5: Fine-tune the settings

• Source Width: Set this to match your original clip’s width (e.g., 1920 for 1080p footage).
• Detail Recovery & Sensitivity: Adjust these sliders to bring back texture and edge sharpness.
• Supersampling: Enable 2× Supersampling for smoother gradients and motion (note: this increases render time).
• Noise Reduction: If the upscaled footage looks grainy, apply mild noise reduction to smooth it out.

Step 6: Preview and export

Play back the result in real time to check the improvement, then export the final project in 4K or your chosen resolution.

When to Use a Dedicated Video Upscaler

Final Cut Pro gives you several ways to upscale video, from its built-in scaling to third-party plugins such as Topaz Video and FidelityFuze.

If you want to keep everything inside Final Cut Pro, a plugin such as Topaz Video can add AI-powered enhancement without requiring a separate workflow. This is convenient when you want to upscale and edit your footage in the same application.

However, a dedicated video upscaler can be useful when you want to process footage separately from your editing timeline, compare different AI models, or enhance your clips before bringing them into Final Cut Pro.

Popular dedicated video upscalers include Topaz Video and alternatives such as Aiarty Video Enhancer. Aiarty is worth considering as a more affordable option with a lifetime license and AI-powered video enhancement.

Here’s what makes it stand out:

• AI Upscaling up to 4K or higher: Choose your target resolution (such as 4K) or upscale by multiples (2×, 3×, 4×).
• Automatic enhancement: Sharpens edges, removes compression artifacts, and restores natural detail.
• Multiple AI models: Pick different models depending on your footage type.
• Fast and GPU-accelerated: Optimized for both speed and quality so you can upscale videos quickly without lag.
• All-in-one workflow: Besides upscaling, it also offers color correction, SDR to HDR conversion, frame interpolation, and audio enhancement.

For users who want Topaz-style AI video enhancement without committing to a subscription, Aiarty's lifetime license can make it an appealing alternative.

You can click the download button below to try Aiarty Video Enhancer for free and see the difference for yourself.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed the software, follow these simple steps to upscale your videos:

Step 1: Open Aiarty and import your video.

Launch the program and drag your clip into the workspace, or click + to import it manually.

Step 2: Select an AI model.

Choose from three available models based on your video type: moDetail-HQ v3, Smooth-HQ v3, superVideo vHQ.

Step 3: Set the upscale level or target resolution.

Click the Upscale drop-down menu and choose your desired scale factor (2×, 3×, or 4×) or select a specific resolution such as 4K or 8K.

Step 4: Generate a preview.

Click Preview to see how the upscaled version looks before exporting. This helps you compare the original and enhanced results side by side.

Step 5: Export your video.

Once you’re satisfied with the preview, click Export Current for a single clip or Batch Export to process multiple videos at once.

If you’d like to see what Aiarty Video Enhancer can do before trying it yourself, check out the showcase video below for real examples of its upscaling results.