Quick answer: install DaVinci Resolve for iPad from Apple's App Store. The current US listing checked on September 3, 2026 offers version 21.0.4 as a free download. Apple says it requires iPadOS 18.0 or later and an A12 Bionic chip or newer; Blackmagic recommends an M1-or-newer iPad with at least 8GB of RAM. Those are two different thresholds: the first tells you whether the Install button can work, while the second is a more useful starting point for real editing.
Before buying an iPad or moving a desktop project, test three things that the store badge cannot answer: whether your source files play with audio, whether the device has enough working storage, and whether the project opens on the desktop Resolve version you plan to use. A tablet can be compatible with the app and still be the wrong machine for a heavy camera format or a long-form timeline.
This page covers the dedicated iPad app. For Windows, macOS, Linux, Studio and older builds, start at the Download & Install hub. An iPhone or Android phone is a different availability question and should not be sent to the iPad listing.
Use the Real App Store Listing
The legitimate app is named DaVinci Resolve for iPad and the developer is Blackmagic Design Inc. It is not an APK, a configuration profile, a remote-control wrapper or a “mobile Resolve” download from a file site. If the developer name does not match, stop.
- Open the App Store on the iPad.
- Search for DaVinci Resolve for iPad.
- Confirm the developer is Blackmagic Design Inc.
- Read the current Compatibility section before tapping Get.
- Install the free app first; make a Studio decision after the real workflow test.
The current listing reports an app size of about 3.8GB. That number is only the download footprint shown by Apple. It does not include camera originals, optimized media, cache, stills, project backups or exported files. A 3.8GB free-space margin is not a working setup.
Compatible Does Not Mean Comfortable
Apple's current installation floor is iPadOS 18.0 and an A12 Bionic chip or later. Blackmagic's own description recommends an iPad Pro with M1 or newer and at least 8GB of RAM. It also warns that earlier models may be limited to HD and that memory limits can disable or restrict features.
| Question | What the current listing says | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Can the app install? | iPadOS 18.0+ and A12 Bionic+ | Hard compatibility gate from Apple |
| What does Blackmagic recommend? | M1 or newer with at least 8GB RAM | Better floor for buying specifically for Resolve |
| Will an older iPad behave like a desktop? | Earlier models may be HD-limited or lose features under memory pressure | Test before committing a project |
| Is the listed app size enough free space? | No; it describes the app, not working media | Budget for sources, cache and exports |
If you already own the iPad, install Free and run the acceptance test below. If you are shopping for hardware, buy for the heaviest footage and timeline you expect, not the lightest demo that launches. Our Resolve system requirements guide explains the difference between a minimum and a comfortable editing target, although its desktop GPU advice does not map directly to iPad silicon.
Plan Storage Before You Import Media
The app is only one part of the footprint. A real project may create proxies or optimized media, cache rendered effects, store gallery stills and produce exports while keeping the originals available. iPadOS also needs free space for its own work. When storage gets tight, the failure may look like a Resolve import, cache or export problem.
- Keep the original media on a known volume with a backup.
- Use a fast external SSD when the project size makes internal storage impractical.
- Confirm the Files app can see the drive and that Resolve can access the intended media.
- Leave room for cache and the final export at the same time.
- Eject external storage only after media activity has finished.
A small internal-storage iPad can still be useful with a disciplined external-media workflow. The weak setup is not “external SSD”; it is a project whose originals, cache and exports move between unnamed folders until the app cannot relink them.
Import a Real Clip and Learn the iPad Interface
Blackmagic advertises H.264, H.265, Apple ProRes and Blackmagic RAW support in the current listing. That is not a promise that every profile, bit depth, frame rate, audio track and storage path behaves identically on every iPad. Import one file from the actual camera or phone you use.
- Create a disposable project.
- Import a representative clip from internal or external storage.
- Confirm picture and audio both appear.
- Scrub, trim and play the clip at the timeline frame rate you expect to use.
- Add one title or transition and one basic color correction.
- Export a short section and play it outside Resolve.
The current listing says the app supports Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. Both can improve control, but neither fixes a codec, memory or storage bottleneck. Buy accessories for the workflow you have already tested.
Color Tools Are Real, but Feature Parity Is Not Automatic
The iPad app is not a toy viewer. The official listing exposes a real Color page with a viewer, node graph, grading tools, windows and tracking. At the same time, Blackmagic maintains a separate Resolve 20 Studio and iPad feature matrix because desktop, M-series iPad and older iPad hardware do not have identical capability.
The matrix itself warns that the app is in continuous development and may change faster than the document. Use it to identify likely boundaries, then confirm the actual control inside the current app. This matters most when a purchase depends on one Studio feature rather than on the general editing experience.
Free or Studio on iPad
Install Free first. The current US App Store listing shows a $94.99 DaVinci Resolve Studio in-app purchase as of September 3, 2026. That price can vary by country and can change, so the price displayed on the purchasing Apple ID is the one that counts.
Do not assume that a desktop Studio activation key automatically unlocks the iPad in-app purchase. Apple presents Studio as an in-app purchase attached to the App Store app. Confirm the license path you intend to buy before paying, especially if the same person edits on a desktop and an iPad.
Use our Free versus Studio guide for the wider feature decision and the Resolve cost guide for the desktop-versus-iPad purchase boundary. On iPad, the deciding question is not “does Studio have more?” It is whether a verified Studio-only feature removes a real block on this device.
Move Projects Between iPad and Desktop Safely
The current App Store description says `.drp` projects and `.dra` project archives are compatible with Resolve 20 on desktop, even though the app listing itself is now version 21.0.4. That wording is a useful signal, not a timeless cross-version guarantee. Match the iPad and desktop Resolve versions before moving irreplaceable work.
- Record the Resolve version on both devices.
- Export a separate project or project archive backup.
- Move a duplicate project first.
- Verify that all media paths relink on the destination.
- Check titles, effects, fonts, audio routing and color before continuing work.
- Do not overwrite the only known-good copy until the round trip has succeeded.
Blackmagic Cloud project libraries can reduce manual project-file movement, but cloud access does not move every source file by magic. The iPad and desktop still need a deliberate media path. If you use external storage, name volumes and folders consistently so relinking is predictable.
If the App Will Not Install or a Project Will Not Open
| Symptom | First check |
|---|---|
| The App Store says the iPad is incompatible | Check iPadOS version and exact iPad model; do not sideload an imitation app. |
| The download stalls | Check free internal storage, network stability and App Store account status. |
| The clip has no picture or no audio | Identify the video and audio codecs, then test a short native file copied to internal storage. |
| An external drive appears in Files but media goes offline | Confirm the same volume and folder remain mounted and accessible to Resolve. |
| A desktop project warns about its version | Stop, duplicate the project and align Resolve versions before letting either device upgrade the only copy. |
| The interface or effect differs from desktop | Check Blackmagic's current iPad feature matrix and the limits for that iPad chip. |
Do not erase the project, uninstall the app or delete cache as a first response. Preserve the error, note the app and iPadOS versions, and test with a disposable project. That keeps a storage issue from becoming a data-loss issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DaVinci Resolve free on iPad?
Yes. Blackmagic Design publishes DaVinci Resolve for iPad as a free App Store download. Optional Studio features are sold through a separate in-app purchase. Start with Free and test the actual media, timeline and export workflow before deciding to upgrade.
Which iPads can install DaVinci Resolve?
The current Apple listing requires iPadOS 18.0 or later and an A12 Bionic chip or newer. Blackmagic separately recommends an M1-or-newer iPad with at least 8GB of RAM. An older eligible iPad may install the app while still facing HD, memory or feature limits.
How much storage does DaVinci Resolve need on iPad?
The US App Store currently lists the app at about 3.8GB, but a working project needs additional space for source media, cache, optimized files, backups and exports. Check the real project footprint and leave headroom; do not use the store download size as a storage recommendation.
Does DaVinci Resolve for iPad work with an external SSD?
It can use media available through iPadOS storage access, including a compatible external drive. Test the exact drive, cable, power path and media before a shoot or trip. Keep a backup and use stable volume and folder names so desktop relinking remains manageable.
Can iPad Resolve projects open on desktop?
Blackmagic supports project exchange, but keep the iPad and desktop Resolve versions aligned and test a duplicate first. The current App Store text still names Resolve 20 compatibility while the app version is 21.0.4, so do not treat one line in the listing as a guarantee across every future version.
Does a desktop Studio license unlock Studio on iPad?
Do not assume it does. Apple lists DaVinci Resolve Studio as an in-app purchase inside the iPad app. Confirm the current purchase and licensing terms on the Apple ID that will own the upgrade before paying.
Is DaVinci Resolve available on iPhone?
The official editor is named DaVinci Resolve for iPad. Blackmagic offers other iPhone apps, including Blackmagic Camera and Remote Monitor, but they are not the Resolve editing app. Do not install a third-party “Resolve for iPhone” download that imitates the name.
