Getting Started

Install AIVE ONE Beta, create your first project, and learn the basics in under 10 minutes.

System Requirements

AIVE ONE Beta is optimized for Apple Silicon and modern Intel Macs. Refer to the table below for minimum and recommended specifications.

Installation

AIVE ONE Beta ships as a universal binary for macOS. Choose one of the methods below.

Option A: Homebrew (recommended)

If you have Homebrew installed, run the following in Terminal:

# Tap the AIVE cask repository
brew tap aiveone/tap

# Install AIVE ONE Beta
brew install --cask aive-one

# Verify installation
aive --version

Homebrew handles updates automatically. Run brew upgrade aive-one when a new version is available.

Option B: DMG installer

Option C: Windows installer

Download the .exe installer from the download page and follow the setup wizard. The installer adds AIVE ONE Beta to your Start Menu and optionally creates a desktop shortcut.

Creating Your First Project

Importing Media

There are three ways to bring media into your project:

1. Drag and drop — Drag files from Finder or Explorer directly onto the Media Browser panel or the timeline.
2. Import button — Click the + button in the Media Browser toolbar to open a file picker. Select multiple files with Cmd+Click.
3. Paste — Copy a file in your OS and press Cmd+V (Mac) or Ctrl+V (Windows) in the editor.

Supported formats

Organising media

Use Smart Collections to automatically group imported clips by date, camera, resolution, or duration. Right-click in the Media Browser and choose New Smart Collection. You can also apply color labels and star ratings to clips for manual organization.

Your First Edit

Follow these steps to assemble a simple edit from imported footage.

Keyboard Shortcuts Quick Reference

These are the most commonly used shortcuts to get you started. For the full list, see Keyboard Shortcuts.

Troubleshooting

App will not launch on macOS

If macOS blocks the app with a message about unidentified developers:

1. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security.
2. Scroll down to find the message about AIVE ONE Beta being blocked.
3. Click Open Anyway and enter your password.

GPU acceleration not working

Ensure your GPU drivers are up to date. On macOS, GPU acceleration requires Metal support (all Macs from 2012 onwards). On Windows, update to the latest NVIDIA or AMD driver from the manufacturer's website. You can check GPU status in AIVE ONE Beta > Settings > Performance.

Media import fails or shows a red badge

• Check that the file format is supported (see the formats table above).
• Ensure the file is not corrupted — try playing it in VLC or QuickTime first.
• For MXF or R3D files, install the corresponding codec pack from the camera manufacturer.
• If importing from an external drive, make sure the drive is mounted and accessible.

Playback is stuttering

• Lower the playback resolution: click the resolution indicator in the Viewer toolbar and select Half or Quarter.
• Close other resource-heavy applications.
• If editing 4K or higher footage, enable Proxy Media in Project Settings > Playback. AIVE ONE Beta will create lower-resolution proxy files for smooth editing and use the originals on export.
• Ensure your project is stored on an SSD, not a mechanical hard drive.

AI features show "Offline" badge

Some AI features require an internet connection for cloud processing. Check your network connection and ensure AIVE ONE Beta is allowed through your firewall. Local AI features (Smart Trim, Pacing Coach) work offline on Apple Silicon Macs with 16 GB+ RAM.

Audio is out of sync after import

This can happen with variable frame rate (VFR) recordings from phones. To fix:

1. Right-click the clip in the Media Browser.
2. Select Conform to Constant Frame Rate.
3. AIVE ONE Beta will re-wrap the file to constant frame rate, preserving audio sync.