What is the MOTR file format?
A .motr file is a transition template built in Apple Motion, Apple's motion graphics application for macOS. It is one of four template types Motion publishes for Final Cut Pro, and it specifically describes a transition that plays between two clips. Because a transition sits between an outgoing and an incoming shot, the template carries two placeholders that Final Cut Pro fills with your footage when you drop the transition onto an edit point.
The file records the transition's layers, behaviors, published parameters, on-screen controls, and duration. It does not embed the video or images used in the design. Instead it keeps references to media stored in a companion media folder next to the template. Alongside the .motr, Motion writes a large and small .png thumbnail for the Final Cut Pro browser, and, if you enable Save Preview Movie, a .mov preview shown in Motion's own Project Browser.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .motr is a project template that references media rather than running code, so it carries little direct risk. The main caution is that transition packs downloaded from unknown sites can ship with mismatched or missing media references, and any bundled installers or scripts should be treated with normal care.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open MOTR files
macOS2 apps
Apple Final Cut Pro
Paid Once the .motr lives in the Motion Templates/Transitions folder, apply it from the Transitions browser by dragging it onto an edit point between two clips. 
Apple Motion
Paid Double-click the transition in Motion's Project Browser, or use File > Open, to edit the layers, published parameters, and duration and re-save the template. Technical details
deep spec| Encoding | XML text (Apple OZML schema) for the project document |
| Byte order | N/A (text-based XML) |
| Container | Motion Templates bundle: the .motr project document lives beside a media folder, PNG thumbnails, and an optional MOV preview inside the Transitions template directory |
| Compression | None for the XML document itself; referenced media stays external and uncompressed within the media folder |
| Typical size | A few KB to a few MB for the project document; total template footprint depends on referenced media |
| Structure | A .motr describes a Final Cut Pro transition built in Motion. It records the layers, behaviors, published parameters, on-screen controls, and transition duration, but stores only references to media rather than the media itself. Two placeholders (outgoing and incoming clips) are supplied by Final Cut Pro when the transition is applied. |
| Platforms | macOS |
| Notes | Saved automatically by Motion to ~/Movies/Motion Templates/Transitions/<Category>/<Template Name>/. A large and small PNG thumbnail preview the transition in the Final Cut Pro browser, and enabling Save Preview Movie writes a MOV shown in Motion's Project Browser. Distinct from .motn (generators), .moti (titles), and .moef (effects), which are the other Motion-for-Final-Cut template types. |
| Released | 2011 (Motion 5, alongside Final Cut Pro X) |
| Latest version | Created by current Motion 5.x releases |
| Specification | support.apple.com |
MOTR conversions
Community Q&A
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