Blurry video during...
 
Notifications
Clear all

Blurry video during editing and export in CapCut Desktop 7.3.0

4 Posts
2 Users
0 Reactions
18 Views
Avatar of Rob
Posts: 3
 Rob
Topic starter
(@rob)
Active Member
Joined: 5 months ago

While working in CapCut Desktop (version 7.3.0) on my laptop, I use only 4K video material.
Even though the source files are sharp, the exported video appears blurry and lacks detail, even when exporting in 4K resolution with the highest quality settings.

The image quality is also low during editing, even when proxy is disabled.
When checking the project settings, I noticed that the resolution under the “Details” tab is set to “Custom”, and it cannot be changed — the only available option is again “Custom.”

probleem capcut

3 Replies
CapCut Edit
Posts: 826
Admin
(@admin)
Member
Joined: 2 years ago

Hi,

You are running into a known issue in CapCut Desktop version 7.3.0 that causes 4K video projects to appear blurry both in preview and export, even if:

  • You are using 4K source footage

  • Proxies are disabled

  • Export settings are set to “4K Highest Quality”

The Root cause

In CapCut 7.3.0 (and 7.2.x), a bug in the project settings dialog causes:

  1. The project resolution to default to “Custom” instead of the source or desired export resolution.

  2. The render pipeline to downscale playback and export internally, even though export settings show “4K.”

This makes the entire video look soft or pixelated — both in the preview and the final render.

Step-by-Step Fixes

Option 1: Manually Reset Resolution via New Project

  1. Create a new project.

  2. Before importing media, go to Project Settings → Resolution.

  3. You will likely still see “Custom” — that’s the bug.

  4. Import one of your 4K clips first.

  5. Then reopen Project Settings → the resolution should now show “3840×2160” (4K).

    • If it still says “Custom,” click the dropdown and reselect the “Original” aspect ratio. Sometimes that reinitializes the resolution.

Now reimport the rest of your clips and continue editing.

Option 2: Force 4K Output on Export

  1. Go to Export → Advanced Settings.

  2. Set:

    • Resolution: 3840×2160

    • Bitrate: High (or manually set around 50–80 Mbps for 4K)

    • Frame Rate: Match your footage (usually 25/30/60 fps)

  3. Disable Hardware Acceleration (sometimes causes render scaling bugs).

  4. Export again — this often restores the sharpness.

Option 3: Clear Cache & Disable Proxies

Even if “proxy” is off in settings, CapCut sometimes caches lower-quality preview files.

  1. Go to Settings → Cache → “Delete Cache Files.”

  2. Ensure Proxy Editing is off.

  3. Restart CapCut and reopen the project.

Option 4: Update or Roll Back

  • Check if a new version is available and update the same (CapCut is fixing this issue in current releases).

  • If not, roll back to version 7.1.0 or 7.0.0, which had stable 4K editing and exports.

Checking the Real Resolution

To confirm CapCut is actually processing in 4K:

  1. After export, open the file in VLC → Tools → Codec Information.

  2. Check the “Decoded Resolution.”

    • If it says 1920×1080, CapCut downscaled it.

    • If it says 3840×2160, export is correctly 4K (blur is likely compression or preview scaling).

Below is the optimal export configuration for CapCut Desktop especially for 4K projects using high-quality source footage.

Below are two sets of settings — one for YouTube/content uploads and another for professional/cinematic projects (like presentations or corporate films).

1. BEST EXPORT SETTINGS FOR YOUTUBE / ONLINE VIDEOS

Export Settings (CapCut → Export → Advanced Settings):

Setting Recommended Value Notes
Resolution 3840 × 2160 (4K UHD) Never “Custom” — always manually choose this if available.
Frame Rate (FPS) Match your source (usually 25 / 30 / 60) Example: 25 fps for cinematic, 60 fps for gaming or vlogs.
Bitrate 45 – 80 Mbps Higher = more detail. Use ~60 Mbps for 4K YouTube.
Codec / Format H.264 (MP4) Widely compatible and efficient.
Hardware Acceleration OFF (if exports are soft or glitchy) Prevents downscaling/render bugs in 7.3.0.
Color Space Default (Rec.709) Avoid custom unless your footage is log.
Audio 48 kHz, 320 kbps Keeps sound crisp.

After export, upload to YouTube as is — YouTube will re-encode, but starting with a 4K 60 Mbps file ensures minimal compression.

2. BEST EXPORT SETTINGS FOR PROFESSIONAL / CINEMATIC PROJECTS

Setting Recommended Value Notes
Resolution 3840 × 2160 (4K UHD) Or 4096 × 2160 for DCI 4K workflows.
Frame Rate Native of source (often 25 fps or 24 fps) Keeps natural motion.
Bitrate 80 – 120 Mbps (VBR preferred) Maximizes clarity, especially for nature or detailed shots.
Codec H.265 (HEVC) if available Better compression efficiency and sharper gradients.
Color Space Rec.709 (standard) or DCI-P3 if your monitor supports it Prevents washed-out colors.
Audio 48 kHz, 24-bit Studio-grade.
Render Engine CPU rendering (if GPU causes blurring) More consistent color fidelity.

For cinematic 4K exports, you can even go higher (up to 150 Mbps) for grading or large-screen display.

If “Resolution” still shows as “Custom”

In CapCut Desktop 7.3.0:

  1. Start a new project.

  2. Drag in a 4K clip first.

  3. Go to Project Settings → Aspect Ratio: Original.
    CapCut usually detects the clip’s native 4K resolution at this point.

  4. Then go to Export → Advanced Settings and manually override to 4K if still needed.

Quality verification after export

After exporting:

  1. Open your video in VLC → Tools → Codec Information.

  2. Look for:

    • Decoded resolution: 3840 × 2160

    • Bit rate: ~60 000–100 000 kb/s

    • Codec: H.264 or H.265

If these match — your export is a true 4K high-bitrate file.


Reply
Avatar of Rob
Posts: 3
 Rob
Topic starter
(@rob)
Active Member
Joined: 5 months ago

Nothing seems to work. Even when I download the old version, I can't open the project because I get a message saying I need to update the version. Is there anything that can be done about this? Will there be an update for this soon?

fout capcut

Reply
1 Reply
CapCut Edit
Admin
(@admin)
Joined: 2 years ago

Member
Posts: 826

@rob You are getting the message: 

Update required – This project was created with a newer version of CapCut. Update CapCut to open this project.

  • You created (or at least opened/saved) the project in version 7.3.0 or later of CapCut Desktop.

  • Then you tried to open it in an older version (or a version that’s behind) — the software detects that the project file’s version metadata is higher/newer than what your installed version supports.

  • Because of that mismatch you are blocked from opening the project: the app prevents older versions from loading projects made with newer versions. This is a compatibility / version-lock safeguard.

Users face the exact same “project was created by a newer version” error.

  • The error appears after downgrading the software or switching machines with different installed versions.

  • There is a workaround by editing JSON project files to alter version metadata. (more on it below)

Can you open it anyway / any workarounds?

Yes but they have caveats. Here are possible approaches:

  1. Update CapCut Desktop to the latest version

    • The simplest and safest route: install the newest version so that it matches or exceeds the version used to create the project.

    • Once you open the project in the matching or newer version, you should be able to continue editing/exporting.

  2. If you must use an older version — and you know exactly what version the project was saved with:

    • Identify the version number (from “About” in CapCut or from the project’s metadata).

    • Install that exact version.

    • If the version you install is still older than the one the project expects → you’ll still get the “newer version required” message.

  3. Advanced hack (not officially supported)

    • Navigate to the project folder (in Windows: something like C:\Users\<YourUser>\AppData\Local\CapCut\…\Projects\…) and find draft_content.json (or in some builds draft_info.json).

    • Open it with a text editor → locate fields "app_version" and "new_version". Change them to values matching your installed CapCut version.

    • Save the file and then attempt opening the project.

    • Warning: This can break things (features used in project may not exist in older version), may cause instability or data loss, and is not officially supported. However, you can try this if your project is absolutely urgent.

Will there be an update “soon”?

  • It’s likely yes: CapCut updates frequently, and version-compatibility issues are fairly common in CapCut.

  • However, we do not have information about specific date or patch-note for version 7.3.0.

  • Your best bet is to check for updates within the app and install them.

  • Meanwhile, treat this as a version mismatch issue rather than a bug per se (although the blur issue + version issue may be related if there were internal changes in version 7.3.0).

What you should do step by step for your case:

Since you are stuck with the “update required” message:

  1. Back up your project folder: Copy the entire project folder (and any media files) to a safe location — this ensures you don’t lose your edit.

  2. Update to the latest CapCut Desktop version:

    • Close CapCut.

    • Download the latest installer from the CapCut website.

    • Install it and then open your project.

    • If it opens properly, great — proceed with your editing/export.

  3. If you must stay on an older version (because you rely on a specific behaviour that changed in newer version):

    • Find out exactly which version the project uses.

    • Install that version (uninstall the newer version first, maybe clean the cache).

    • If still blocked, consider applying the JSON hack but only if you’re comfortable with risk.

  4. Monitor export quality: Given your earlier blur/export issues, once you get it open make sure you apply the export settings we provided in the previous post, verify the resolution is indeed 4K, and do a small test render to confirm clarity.


Reply

Leave a reply

Author Name

Author Email

Title *

The advanced attachments is disabled for guests
 
Preview 0 Revisions Saved
Share:
Scroll to Top