Use this free checklist beside Resolve’s Deliver page. Enter the planned settings, confirm what you have checked in the project, then review the report before starting a long render. It cannot inspect your project or prove that the finished file is correct.
Start here: choose a destination, open the video and audio sections, then complete the manual checks. Reference values are examples—not measurements of your timeline.
Check before Start Render
DaVinci Resolve export preflight
Compare entered settings with a limited SDR reference. Check the rendered file separately after export.
Waiting for your checks
Check the planned export.
Your report appears here after you run the check.
No project or media upload. Calculations run in this page. Shared links contain settings in the URL; those values can appear in browser history, server logs or analytics when the link is opened. Manual confirmations reset for the recipient.
After rendering: play the exported file outside Resolve before delivery. A completed browser checklist is not file QC, a codec-support check, or an upload guarantee.
What this preflight checks—and what it cannot
The report compares selected fields with a small set of YouTube SDR or Vimeo recommendations and lists manual items you have not confirmed. It does not read Resolve, detect offline clips or validate every codec/container combination. HDR metadata, bit depth, chroma subsampling, encoder support, loudness, disk space and actual file size still need separate checks.
There are two stages: before rendering, review settings and the queued job; after rendering, inspect the output. Changing a field invalidates the previous report. Loading a reference or opening a shared link resets confirmations so another person’s ticks cannot certify your project.
Inspect the Render Queue before Start Render
DaVinci Resolve's Deliver page lets you queue more than one job, so check the job you are about to start. The controls you edited a minute earlier may belong to a different queued job. Confirm the output name and location, intended range and clip mode. Resolve can queue audio-only, video-only and combined outputs, which is useful but also makes the queue a place where a wrong job can look plausible. If you need the surrounding controls, follow the complete Deliver-page export walkthrough.
Audio needs its own preflight
For a video that needs sound, turning on Export Audio is only the first check. The selected output track or bus must carry the signal you monitored, and the requested channel layout must match the delivery. For a finished stereo mix, that's often the Stereo Main bus; stems and handoffs need a different plan. The separate DaVinci Resolve audio export guide covers finished mixes, buses, stems and timeline tracks without pretending they are interchangeable.
Silent video is a valid choice. Turn audio off deliberately; the tool skips the audio-bus check and asks you to review the silent output. This form needs a numeric bitrate for its AAC comparison. Linear PCM does not use that AAC target field—follow the required sample rate, bit depth and channel layout in Resolve.
How the YouTube and Vimeo reference profiles work
The built-in examples are 1080p SDR references checked September 8, 2026. They do not cover HDR delivery or every codec. YouTube recommends MP4, H.264, progressive scan, the source frame rate, variable bitrate and 48 kHz audio. The AAC-LC example is not its only audio option: the guidance also lists Opus and Eclipsa Audio. Its SDR table lists 8 Mbps for 1080p at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 12 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. For 4K, the ranges are 35–45 and 53–68 Mbps respectively; this tool warns below the lower end, not above a supposed upload ceiling. Stereo audio is listed at 384 kbps. The checker compares your values with the official YouTube encoding settings and reports differences as review notes, not proof that a file cannot upload. YouTube does not require a bitrate limit.
If Resolve uses automatic or quality-based encoding, select that mode instead of inventing a Mbps value. ProRes and DNxHR also skip the numeric comparison. Vimeo explicitly points ProRes users to their editor’s standard presets. A custom resolution or unlisted frame rate produces a review note rather than a guessed bitrate verdict.
Vimeo's current compression guidance accepts several codecs, recommends a constant native frame rate, progressive scan and variable bitrate where possible, and publishes broader target ranges. Its 1080p range is 10 to 20 Mbps and its 4K range is 30 to 60 Mbps; AAC-LC audio is listed at 320 kb/s and 48 kHz. Vimeo also says that MP4 and MOV are preferred containers even though many formats are accepted. The checker uses the Vimeo compression table together with its file-preparation guidance.
For a full platform workflow rather than a preflight, use the DaVinci Resolve YouTube export settings guide.
The delivery specification wins
A broadcaster, client, festival, archive or VFX handoff may require MOV, MXF, ProRes, DNxHR, PCM audio, a particular channel layout or exact naming rules. In that case, choose Custom or client specification. The checker stops applying platform preferences and marks the result for review because it cannot read the client specification. Missing applicable values and unfinished confirmations remain visible. Don't change a written delivery requirement merely to make a generic platform profile look cleaner.
Some controls vary with Resolve edition, operating system, codec, encoder and hardware. The current Resolve product page notes that Quick Export offers destination presets and common master, H.264, H.265 and audio-only options, while the Deliver page exposes the Render Queue for batch output. It doesn't make one setting universal for every codec. Check the official Blackmagic Media page for an overview of those delivery workflows; verify exact controls in the documentation for your installed version.
After the render, check the file that will leave your machine
Open the rendered file outside Resolve. Watch the first and last frames, then sample a few cuts, transitions, graphics and sections with heavy motion. Listen for sync, missing channels, clipping or unexpected silence. Confirm captions in the form you promised. If the picture changes in another player, use the washed-out export diagnostic. If the job stops or fails, match the actual message against the render-failed troubleshooting guide instead of changing random settings.
For formats and delivery problems, use the DaVinci Resolve export hub. For related planning utilities, return to the free tools and calculators.
DaVinci Resolve export preflight FAQ
Does the checker inspect my DaVinci Resolve project?
No. It checks only the settings you enter and the items you confirm. It cannot read your timeline, Render Settings, Render Queue, media state or final file. It also does not verify all codec/container combinations or platform and Studio support.
Does the checker upload my project or media?
No file is requested or uploaded. The comparison runs in this page. A shared link contains settings in its URL, which can appear in browser history, server logs or analytics when opened. Do not treat the share link as a private record.
Does a YouTube or Vimeo warning mean my file will fail to upload?
No. A review note can mean a difference from a recommendation or an input outside this tool’s coverage. Check the destination guidance and actual output; this report is not an upload guarantee.
Should I use Single Clip or Individual Clips?
Use Single Clip for one finished program. Use Individual Clips when the delivery requires separate clips or a handoff. Confirm the actual queued job against the delivery specification.
Do I have to play the final file before running preflight?
No. Run preflight before rendering. Once the render finishes, play the exported file outside Resolve and check picture, sound, sync, captions and the first and last frames. A ticked checklist cannot replace that inspection.
Can I check a silent video or an automatic-bitrate export?
Yes. Turn audio off intentionally to skip audio fields and the bus check. Select Auto / quality when no numeric video bitrate is set. ProRes and DNxHR also skip numeric bitrate comparison; their presets and finished output still need review.
What happens when I change settings or open a shared link?
Changing a field invalidates the previous report, so run the check again. A shared link restores settings but resets all manual, frame-rate and scan-type confirmations. The recipient must check their own project.
What should I do when a client specification differs from a platform profile?
Choose Custom or client specification and follow the written requirements. The tool does not validate that document and keeps the result marked for review. Platform reference values are not universal export rules.
