Where Is the iMovie Library Stored?
Where iMovie keeps its library bundle in Movies, what lives inside it, and how to run multiple libraries.
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iMovie stores everything in one bundle at ~/Movies/iMovie Library.imovielibrary: projects, events, imported media and render files packed together. Copying that bundle copies your entire editing life.
The bundle rule mirrors Photos: never rearrange files inside it by hand. Manage media through iMovie, where moving clips between events keeps the database consistent. Hold Option while launching iMovie to create or switch libraries instead of piling years of footage into one.
Where iMovie stores this, by platform
~/Movies/iMovie Library.imovielibrary
A bundle, not a file: right-click > Show Package Contents to peek, but manage through the app. Original Events hold imports, Projects hold timelines. Option launch switches between multiple libraries.
Frequently asked questions
How do I move my iMovie library to an external drive?
Quit iMovie, copy the .imovielibrary bundle to the new drive, double-click it once to register, and delete the original after confirming. External drives should be Mac formatted; network and ExFAT volumes corrupt libraries under active editing.
Where are my finished videos? I only see the library file.
Use File > Share to export finished videos out of the library: the bundle only holds project data and originals. Originals inside the bundle are your camera imports; deleting source files from elsewhere never affects them, but nothing leaves the Mac until you export.
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