iMovie Must Complete Other Tasks Before This Operation

Apple’s native video editing app, iMovie, supports all the tools you need to edit your videos like a pro. You can enhance video quality, stabilize shaky videos, fix blurry images, add transitions, and more. Unfortunately, the app may sometimes throw up an error message that says “iMovie must complete other tasks before performing this operation“. The error often pops up when you try to save the latest changes, exit the app or share a video file. Let’s talk about what you can do to get rid of this annoying error message.

Fix: iMovie Must Complete Other Tasks Before Performing This Operation

Try Again Later

This alert indicates iMovies needs more time to prepare the project for rendering. The app may be doing some clean-up, so wait patiently until it completes the process. Wait for two or three minutes and try again.

As a quick reminder, iMovie automatically converts and stabilizes imported videos in the background. However, when you issue a new command, the app puts these tasks on hold to avoid any lag issues. If you try to quit iMovie or share a video while the background tasks are still active, the app will let you know it needs to complete other tasks first.

Update the App

Check if there’s a newer iMovie version available for download. Launch the App Store, select your profile icon and go to pending updates. Install the latest iMovie version and restart your device. Or simply use the search field to check for updates.

Skim Through Your Project

Skim through your project starting from the very first clip. Repeatedly press the Down key, and then pause for a second or two on each clip. The cursor will quickly jump to the next break. You may sometimes get a stabilization-related alert that will quickly disappear.

However, if the message doesn’t disappear after a few seconds, this usually indicates the respective clip is not stabilized. To bypass this issue, turn on the stabilization option for the clip, and then turn it off again. Or click again on the clip. Many users confirmed this workaround worked like a charm for them.

Reinstall iMovie

If the issue persists, uninstall iMovie and restart your device. Go back to the App Store, search for iMovie and download a fresh copy of the app. Check if you’re still getting the same alert.

Conclusion

If iMovie says it must complete other tasks before performing the command you just issued, wait for one or two minutes and try again. Make sure to update the app. Reinstall it if the problem persists. You can also try to skim through your project clips to force the app to complete any ongoing tasks. Did these tips help you fix the problem? Let us know in the comments below.

Madalina Dinita

Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer. She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies — AI and DNA computing in particular.