FAQ
Quick answers to the questions that come up most. For the long version of any answer, follow the link at the end of each entry.
General
What is Colourlab Ai 4?
A color-grading application powered by an AI color agent. You point at a reference image or describe what you want in words; Colourlab Ai 4 builds and matches looks across your timeline in real time. Read more in Overview.
How is Colourlab Ai 4 different from Colourlab Ai 3?
It's a complete rewrite. No shared code with v3. Matching is roughly 100× faster than v3, runs in milliseconds in 4K, and is no longer limited to CDL. Plus an agentic workflow: you can grade by intent (describe a feeling) instead of always picking a reference. See Overview → What's new.
Can I migrate my projects or references from Colourlab Ai 3?
No. Colourlab Ai 4 is a brand-new application — projects, references, and other v3 data are not supported and cannot be brought forward. Start fresh in v4.
Do I need an internet connection?
For most things, no. Clip analysis, matching, and grading all run on-device. You only need the cloud for detailed cinematography analysis of references (which uses credits) and for license sign-in. You can still import references offline by switching analysis to Basic in Settings → PIA Engine.
Is Colourlab Ai 4 currently free?
During the private beta, yes — Colourlab Ai 4 is free to use. Existing Colourlab Ai 3 license holders also get a free upgrade. See Installation.
Installation and licensing
How do I download Colourlab Ai 4?
Private beta is invitation-only. You'll receive a personalised download link by email. See Download & Install.
How many computers can I install it on?
Up to two activated installations per license. Activate/deactivate from Settings → License.
Why is sign-in Google-only?
During the public beta, sign-in is Google-only. Additional providers will come later. See Licensing & Activation.
Where does Colourlab Ai 4 store my data?
Everything — projects, references, timelines — lives in a single database at:
~/Library/Application Support/ai.colourlab.editor/The Reference Library (the X03 files themselves) lives separately at ~/Documents/X03/. See Settings → Database.
How do I back up my work?
Open Settings → General → Database and click Export Database. To restore, click Import Database and point it at the backup. See Settings → Database.
Credits and cinematography analysis
What are credits?
Credits meter detailed cinematography analysis — the deep, cloud-processed analysis applied to references when they're imported. One credit per reference. See Credits.
How many credits do I get?
- Free trial — 100 credits per month.
- Subscription and Perpetual — 800 credits per month.
- Top-up packs — 800 credits for $19. Purchased credits never expire.
Full pricing table: Cinematography Analysis Credits.
What if I run out of credits?
You can keep grading and matching — those features don't use credits. To keep importing references without credits, switch Cinematography analysis to Basic in Settings → PIA Engine. You can run the detailed analysis on those references later.
Do clips use credits when I import them?
No. Clip analysis runs entirely on-device. You can batch-import thousands of clips without spending a credit. See Clips → Importing clips.
Footage and color management
What footage formats are supported?
Standard camera-native files. For log-encoded footage, choose the matching Input Transform (iNode) during import so Colourlab Ai 4 can convert the source into the working color space. See Clips → Importing clips.
What frame rates are supported?
23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, and 30. 59 fps and above are not currently supported — clips above the project frame rate will be slowed down; clips below will be sped up. See Settings → Frame rate.
Can I change the working color space?
Not during public beta — the color space is currently fixed. Configurable color management is on the roadmap.
What output color spaces are supported?
The oNode at the top of the Color tab sets your output color space. Rec. 709 is the standard setting and the default for most deliverables.
Working with references
What's the difference between basic and detailed analysis?
- Basic — free, instant, runs locally. Powers browsing, search, and matching.
- Detailed — cloud-processed, uses 1 credit per reference, takes 8–9 seconds. Produces the cinematography palette (mood, genre, lighting, content, location), which the AI agent reads when you grade by intent.
See Basic vs. detailed analysis.
What is an X03 file?
X03 is Colourlab's proprietary reference file format. It already contains every layer of PIA Engine analysis, pre-computed. X03 files import instantly and use no credits. See References → X03 files.
Can I import a folder of reference images at once?
Yes — use Batch import in the References tab. Batch import also handles X03 files mixed in with regular images. See Importing references.
Grading and matching
How do I match a clip to a reference?
Select the reference and either double-click it or press A. The full walkthrough is in Quick Start.
What is an anchor?
The single image — reference, clip, or timeline clip — that Colourlab Ai 4 sorts everything else around. Only one anchor is active at a time. Set one and you unlock perceptual sort modes: similarity, color, exposure. See Anchor.
What is Auto-reference?
You point Auto-reference at a bin of references; the AI picks the best per-clip match when you press Match All. It's the fastest way to grade a long timeline coherently. See Color Grade → Auto-reference.
What's the difference between library references and timeline references?
- Library references — your source of inspiration. Curated images from films, photographers, reference shoots.
- Timeline references — your style of grading. Captured from your own graded clips via Save as Reference. These are weighted ahead of library references by Auto-reference.
See Timeline → Save as Reference.
How do I undo a match on a clip?
Press R, or click the Reset button in the Color Grade panel. The clip returns to source. Or right click on clip and select Reset.
Export
What can I export to?
During private beta, the Export panel writes:
- Video — ProRes 422, ProRes 422 HQ, or H.264.
- Still images — PNG, JPEG, or TIFF (current frame only).
- LUTs — current frame's grade as a LUT.
DaVinci, OTIO, and Premiere export targets are on the roadmap during the beta program. See Export.
Can I export each clip on the timeline as a separate file?
Yes — set the output structure to Render each clip individually. This is the right choice when you're going back into an online / conform system. See Export → Output structure.
Troubleshooting
My sample footage isn't in the Documents folder
The installer drops colourlabai-sample-footage into ~/Documents/ automatically. If it isn't there, check that the installation completed successfully — see Download & Install.
My database has grown very large
Open Settings → General → Database and click New Database. Colourlab Ai 4 backs up the existing database in the same location and gives you a fresh, empty one. You can re-import the old database whenever you need it. See Settings → Database.
I want to delete a user — what happens to their work?
Everything that belongs to them goes with them. Projects, the media inside those projects, and the reference clips associated with the user are all permanently removed. There is no undo. See Users → Deleting a user.