Final Pass FAQ
Last Updated: October 22, 2026
General Information
What is Final Pass?
Final Pass is a folder comparison tool for digital techs and photographers. It checks the RAW files from a capture session against the processed output files, so you can see at a glance what made it through and what’s missing.
How is Final Pass different from other folder comparison tools?
Final Pass compares by file name rather than analyzing file contents. That keeps it fast and simple, which is what you want when you’re checking a delivery against the originals on set.
What platforms does Final Pass support?
Final Pass is a native Mac app. It needs macOS 14 or later.
Can Final Pass compare folders on external drives or cloud storage?
Yes. If the Finder can reach it, Final Pass can compare it. That covers internal drives, external drives, network shares, and cloud-synced folders.
Does Final Pass modify or move files?
No. Final Pass only reads your folders, it never moves, renames, or deletes anything inside them. Comparison results, your settings, and document data are saved separately in the app’s own support folders on your Mac.
How does Final Pass handle large folders?
Final Pass handles very large shoots. How fast a compare runs comes down to your drive speed, available memory, and how many files are involved.
Does Final Pass read star ratings or color tags?
Yes. Final Pass reads the star ratings and color tags you set in Capture One or Adobe Bridge, on RAW captures and on JPEG, TIFF, HEIC, and PNG files. Tell it which app you rate in under Settings → Defaults so the color tags line up. Re-rate a shot in Capture One and the new stars show up in Final Pass within a couple of seconds. You can filter your results by rating or color tag, or use them in coverage rules.
Is Final Pass available in other languages?
Final Pass ships with ten languages: English, Danish, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian, and Turkish. The interface follows your macOS language preference.
Pricing & Licensing
How much does Final Pass cost?
Final Pass is a one-time purchase of $15 USD, on sale for $10 through December 31, 2026. See the pricing page for full details.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Direct downloads from thedigi.tech include a 10-day free trial of the full app, and you don’t need to enter any payment details to start it. After installing, open the License settings panel and click Start Free Trial. You’ll need an internet connection to begin the trial.
How many Macs can I install on?
A direct license activates Final Pass on up to 3 Macs. You can review and manage your activations at thedigi.tech/my-license using the link in your purchase email.
What’s the difference between the Mac App Store version and a direct purchase?
It’s the same app either way. The Mac App Store handles its own purchases, refunds, and Family Sharing under Apple’s terms. A direct purchase uses a license code good for up to 3 Mac activations and is processed by FastSpring.
Are updates included?
Updates within the current major version are typically included. A future major release may be a separate purchase. In the direct version you can also get beta builds before they’re released: turn on Get beta updates in Settings → General.
What’s your refund policy?
Use the free trial before purchasing. Once a license has been issued, purchases are final except as required by law. Mac App Store refunds are handled by Apple. See the full Refund Policy for details.
How to Use
How do I compare two folders?
Drag a folder onto each of the two folder wells, or click the folder buttons to browse for them. Then hit Compare and look over the results in the hierarchy view.
Can I save my comparison results?
Yes. You can export a report as PDF, plain text, or CSV, and save the comparison as a document you can reopen later.
Can I open the same comparison file on more than one Mac?
Final Pass works best as a single-Mac workflow. You can keep your .fpd files in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or any shared folder so they show up on all of your Macs, but only one Mac should have a given file open at a time. The comparison results live locally on each Mac, so when you open a file on a second Mac you’ll need to run the comparison again there. And if two Macs save the same file at once, your sync service can leave a conflict copy that you’ll have to sort out by hand. The simplest habit is to close a document on one Mac before you open it on another.
Folder Selection
How do I select folders to compare?
Drag a folder onto each folder well, or use the folder buttons to browse for them.
Does Final Pass remember previously selected folders?
Yes. When you save a document, Final Pass stores the folder paths along with the whole comparison: the match data, the ratings and color tags, and the folder hierarchy with the rows you had expanded. Reopen it on the same Mac and everything comes back the way you left it. The comparison data lives locally on each Mac, so opening the same document on another Mac means running the comparison again there.
What happens if I rename or move a folder while it’s open?
Final Pass notices. A compared folder that you rename or move is followed to its new place. One that goes to the Trash, or sits on a drive you eject, is flagged as missing. Either way your results are marked out of date until you compare again.
Hierarchy View & Results
How do I interact with files in the results?
Select one or more files and right-click for Quick Look, Reveal in Finder, Show in Capture One, Copy Filename, and Copy Path. Folders get a similar menu.
How do I filter and navigate the results?
Type in the filter bar to search, open the menu icon for the filter options, or use the View menu commands to narrow things down.
What filtering options are available?
The filter chips show unique files, matching files, multiple matches, files only, or folders only, and with coverage rules, the captures that are missing exports. Advanced Search narrows things down by file type, star rating, or color tag.
Can Final Pass check that every select was exported?
Yes, with coverage rules. Tell Final Pass what each capture needs, for example a JPEG for every 4 and 5 star image or a TIFF for every green. Starter rules cover the common cases in one click. After a compare, the Coverage card shows how many captures are covered, the Missing filter shows the ones that aren’t and why, and Final Pass warns you when two rules contradict each other.
Integrations & Workflow
Does Final Pass work with a Stream Deck?
Yes. Final Pass comes with a Stream Deck plugin that puts the commands you use most on your deck. Install it from the app menu: Final Pass → Install Stream Deck Plugin…
Is there a menu bar app?
Yes. The menu bar icon lists your open documents and recent files, lets you kick off a one-click compare, and shows the overall comparison status without pulling the main window forward. Turn it on from Settings → General → Show menu bar icon.
Can Final Pass run comparisons automatically?
Yes. Auto Run re-compares the selected folders on a schedule you set, so the results stay current through a shoot without you running them by hand. It also notices when a folder’s contents change in the Finder and flags when your results have gone stale.
Does Final Pass sync documents across Macs?
Save your .fpd documents to iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or any synced folder and they show up on all of your Macs. The comparison data itself stays local on each Mac for speed, so opening a document on a second Mac means re-running the comparison there. As with any synced file, only one Mac should have a given document open at a time.
Settings & Customization
What settings are available in Final Pass?
Final Pass has seven settings panels: General, Defaults, Templates, Appearance, Database, License, and Support. The App Store version has no License panel, because Apple handles that purchase.
What does “Ignore File Extensions” do?
It leaves the file types you list out of the comparison. Handy when there are formats you’d rather not have counted in the check.
How does Final Pass match files?
By file name, leaving the extension aside, so IMG_0042.CR3 matches IMG_0042.jpg. One capture delivered in several formats or to several output folders still counts as a match. If two cards both have an IMG_0001, Final Pass matches each one through its sub-folder, and if your output folder is flat and can’t tell them apart, it tells you instead of showing a green tick. When a name turns up more often than Final Pass can sort out, such as the same name and file type twice in one folder, it goes under Multiple Matches so you can check it.
What is the “Ignore Folders” feature?
It lets you name folders that should be skipped during a comparison.
What are “Ignore File Name Parts”?
A list of name parts, like _proof, that are stripped from file names before matching, so an extra tag on one side doesn’t stop two files from matching. Each document has its own list; set the default for new documents in Settings → Defaults.
Can I change the appearance of Final Pass?
Yes. Choose System (which follows your macOS setting), Light, or Dark, and every Final Pass window follows it. Zoom In and Zoom Out in the View menu make everything bigger or smaller, sheets and search included. On macOS 26 you can also pick the Dynamic or Flat visual style.
Can I add custom branding to exports?
Yes. In the Appearance panel you can add your own logo or image, and it shows up on your PDF exports.
What database information is available?
The Database panel shows where the data is stored, the total size, and the size of each document’s database. You can also clear all databases from here.
Are there debug logs for troubleshooting?
Yes. Final Pass keeps troubleshooting logs and deletes them after 7 days. You can change that to 3 or 14 days in Settings → Support.
Can I customize export reports?
Yes. Pick what goes in, add production details, your own fields and your logo, choose PDF, plain text, or CSV, and save the setup as a template for next time. Every report names the ignore rules the comparison ran with, and with coverage rules the PDF and text reports list what’s missing and why. The Folder Structure section lists every file, with unmatched ones marked. Exports run in the background with progress and a Cancel button.
Troubleshooting
Why am I getting an error when selecting folders?
If you pick the same folder for both sides, or one folder that sits inside the other, Final Pass tells you and asks for a separate folder. Compare stays off until the two folders can be compared.
Why is the Compare button disabled?
The Compare button stays greyed out until you’ve selected two different, valid folders.
Why am I not seeing expected files in the results?
Check the document’s ignore lists in File → Document Settings… under Filtering. Ignore File Extensions, Ignore Folders, and Ignore File Name Parts can each hide files you expected to see. Settings → Defaults only sets the lists new documents start with.
Why am I seeing more files than expected?
If you’ve edited the ignored extensions list, system or metadata files can start showing up. Reset All Defaults in Settings → Defaults puts the standard lists back for new documents. For a document you already have, fix its list in Document Settings.
How can I contact support?
For technical questions, please contact us. We read every message, though we can’t promise a specific response time. If something isn’t working, choose Help → Export Support Bundle… in Final Pass and attach the zip it saves to your message on the contact form. It holds your recent logs and helps us see what happened.