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DaVinci Resolve Tutorial: The Learning Path

Start with a short edit, then learn the skill your next project needs. Browse guides for setup, cutting, audio, color, export and effects.

Curated by Jason Miller · Updated

DaVinci Resolve learning path from media import through edit, color, audio and delivery

Start small

Finish one video, then add a skill

Take a few clips from one project and build a cut you can watch from beginning to end. Check the sound, then export it. The first section covers that whole route; open another section when a particular task gets in your way.

First project · 12 guides

Your first finished video

Start with the complete beginner tutorial, or jump straight to the step you're stuck on.

Young man on a rooftop at sunrise holding a camera, beside a New Project dialog, above a page bar from Media to Deliver with Edit highlighted over a short timeline 10 min read

DaVinci Resolve Tutorial for Beginners

Finish a short video: import clips, make a rough cut, add a title, balance audio and review the export.

 Pianist practicing under one lamp in a dark room above a Resolve timeline and a Training list with Beginner's, Editor's, Colorist and Fairlight Audio guides 6 min read

DaVinci Resolve Training: Choose a Course and a Learning Path

Choose the right free guide, recorded course or live class; check versions, practice files, feedback and certification claims before you pay.

 Gymnast flying over a vault in a dark arena above a Resolve timeline and a Beginner's Guide card with Guide PDF, Lesson Files and Complete Online Exam 6 min read

DaVinci Resolve Certification: Exams, Costs and the Right Credential

Find the matching official exam, check the timed login, and distinguish Blackmagic assessment, course completion and certified-trainer requirements.

 Sushi chef making a clean cut through a fish fillet, above a V1 and A1 timeline split at the playhead with a blade icon, beside a Blade tooltip with the B key 9 min read

How to Split a Video in DaVinci Resolve

Split at the playhead or switch to Blade mode. If you only want to cut the video or only the audio, check which tracks are selected first.

 Fencer lunging in a dark hall above a row of frames with green cut lines and the Scene Cut Detection window with Add Cuts to Media Pool 7 min read

DaVinci Resolve Scene Cut Detection: Split a Finished Video into Shots

Find shot boundaries in a finished video, choose the Media or Studio timeline route, and repair false or missed cuts before grading.

 DaVinci Resolve timeline comparing Trim and Blade at the same edit point 7 min read

Trim vs Blade in DaVinci Resolve: Which Edit Tool to Use

Blade makes a new cut, and Trim moves an edit point that's already there. See when Ripple Trim, Roll, Slip and Slide each make sense in DaVinci Resolve.

 DaVinci Resolve timeline with a full-length clip being moved between neighboring edits 6 min read

How to Move a Clip Without Shortening It in DaVinci Resolve

Move a whole clip and keep its duration, reorder neighboring clips with Swap, insert new footage, or lengthen a shot with Ripple Trim.

 A singer’s close-up replaces a wide shot in a fixed timeline slot, with Edit Replace selected and a separate audio waveform below. 8 min read

How to Replace a Clip in DaVinci Resolve Without Rebuilding the Edit

Use Replace Edit to swap one shot without moving the cuts. For an updated source, choose Media Pool replacement or Conform Lock—and check timecode, grades and audio.

 Photographer sealing film canisters into a hard case on a rocky shore at dusk, beside a Save panel with Live Save, Project Backups and Timeline Backups on, above a timeline 8 min read

How to Save Work in DaVinci Resolve

See how project libraries, Live Save, backups and exported project files fit together, so you know what's actually saved before you ever need a recovery.

 Woman holding a finger to her lips in a quiet library, above A1 and A2 audio tracks with the middle of a clip muted and a keyframe dip, beside a track header with M lit 8 min read

How to Mute and Split Audio in DaVinci Resolve

Mute a clip or a whole track, split off a section of audio, and keep picture and sound aligned when you pull them apart.

 Glassblower pulling glowing glass from a furnace, above Balance, Contrast, Subject and Look nodes with the Look node outlined, beside a Parade scope in red, green and blue 11 min read

How to Color Grade in DaVinci Resolve: Beginner Tutorial

Set up color management, then fix exposure and balance. Match your shots before you build a look, and check a test export at the end.

 Pilot closing a hard case in a hangar at sunrise, beside Render Settings with Custom Export, MP4, H.264 and Single Clip, above a render queue job at two thirds 9 min read

How to Export Video in DaVinci Resolve 21

Pick Quick Export or the Deliver page, check the format, range and audio, then actually play the finished file.

 DaVinci Resolve collaboration workspace with media sync relink status and collaborator indicators 12 min read

DaVinci Resolve Cloud Collaboration: Media Sync and Handoff

Keep shared project data apart from synced media, proxies and archives, so collaborators can reconnect the same sources without overwriting approved work.
Set up the project12 guides
Workstation tower with a three-fan graphics card, RAM modules and NVMe drives beside a monitor 10 min read

DaVinci Resolve System Requirements (2026)

Check the operating system, memory, GPU and storage requirements for the exact version and edition you plan to install.

 DaVinci Resolve timeline frame rate choices for mixed source footage 9 min read

DaVinci Resolve Frame Rate: Set Timeline FPS Correctly

Set the timeline frame rate before you import. Then sort out mixed frame rates, slow motion and what you can still do once timeline FPS is locked.

 Man filming a night street market on his phone, beside a Frame rate mode Variable panel, above a timeline where the _CFR_TEST copy shows evenly spaced frames 11 min read

Variable Frame Rate in DaVinci Resolve: Diagnose and Convert to CFR

Confirm variable frame rate in MediaInfo before you blame it, make one CFR test copy, and check duration, audio and sync before relinking.

 A rock climber beside the Create New Timeline dialog and a three-shot climbing sequence. 6 min read

How to Create a New Timeline in DaVinci Resolve

Create an empty sequence or assemble selected clips, choose individual timeline settings and switch between edits without confusing tabs with new timelines.

 Animator posing a clay fox for stop motion under a desk lamp, above Media Storage with Frame Display Mode set to Sequence and three numbered PNG files joined into one clip 5 min read

How to Import an Image Sequence in DaVinci Resolve

Import numbered PNG, JPEG or EXR frames as one clip. Fix split imports, numbering gaps and wrong frame rates.

 DaVinci Resolve timeline reframed for landscape, vertical and square video 9 min read

Change Resolution and Aspect Ratio in DaVinci Resolve

Set up a landscape, vertical or square timeline, reframe the subject, and check your titles before you export another aspect ratio.

 DaVinci Resolve Viewer showing a city clip rotated 90 degrees with transform handles 9 min read

How to Rotate Video in DaVinci Resolve: Fix Sideways Clips

Fix sideways footage in Clip Attributes or rotate a single shot in the Inspector, then look for black bars and awkward framing.

 DaVinci Resolve Edit page with crop controls and corner handles active on a video clip 8 min read

How to Crop Video in DaVinci Resolve

Crop one clip with the right control, animate a reveal and fix black edges or a moving crop boundary.

 Accordion player on a lantern-lit square with a green start rectangle and a red end rectangle for the zoom, above a V1 clip and a Transform panel with Zoom and Position keyframes 5 min read

How to Zoom in DaVinci Resolve: Dynamic Zoom and Keyframes

Zoom into a clip or pan across a photo with Dynamic Zoom or Inspector keyframes. Fix jumps and softness.

 Camera originals and proxy files lined up above an edit timeline with color wheels 13 min read

DaVinci Resolve Proxy Workflow: Create, Link & Export

Decide between proxies, optimized media and render cache. Create and relink proxies, then check which source Resolve uses for the export.

 Man packing an orange drive into a dry bag on a harbor dock at sunrise, beside a Media Management dialog set to Used media and trim with 24 handles, over a timeline of used clips 10 min read

DaVinci Resolve Media Management: Consolidate, Trim and Archive

Collect only the media a Resolve project needs, choose Copy or Transcode, set sensible handles and prove the package opens without the source drive.

 Two runners passing a baton in the rain under floodlights, above Reference and XML conform timelines with matching clips and a Translation Results window 13 min read

Premiere Pro to DaVinci Resolve: XML Transfer and Conform

Move a locked Premiere Pro sequence into Resolve with XML and the original media, then check the conform shot by shot against a reference movie.
Edit, arrange and add titles24 guides
DaVinci Resolve 21 Media Pool organized with Smart Bins, Power Bins and reusable project assets 8 min read

DaVinci Resolve Smart Bins and Power Bins Guide

Filter clips automatically with Smart Bins and keep reusable assets in Power Bins across projects.

 DaVinci Resolve keyboard shortcut map for selection, blade, trim, and split at playhead 15 min read

DaVinci Resolve Keyboard Shortcuts That Save Time

Find the editing shortcuts worth learning, check which keyboard preset is active, and work out why a command hits the wrong track or panel.

 Man catching the last domino of a falling chain above a Resolve timeline and the Edit menu with Undo Ctrl+Z, Redo Ctrl+Shift+Z and History 5 min read

How to Undo and Redo in DaVinci Resolve

Undo or redo an action, choose the right page or clip history, and know when project recovery needs a backup.

 Race marshal waving a yellow flag at night above a Resolve timeline with markers and flags and the Marker dialog with Name, Notes, Keyword and Done 7 min read

DaVinci Resolve Markers vs Flags: What Moves With Your Edit?

Flags categorize a source across its uses. Clip markers follow a shot; timeline markers belong to sequence time. Choose the right scope, then add notes and check ripple behavior.

 Jump rope athlete in a dark gym above a Resolve timeline with beat lines on the music clip and a menu with Detect Music Beats highlighted 6 min read

Beat Detection in DaVinci Resolve: Studio and Free Workflows

Use Studio’s beat indicators or manual markers in Free, align picture cuts to useful musical accents and fix selection or snapping problems.

 DaVinci Resolve 21 Inspector tabs and core Transform controls 10 min read

DaVinci Resolve Inspector: Core Controls Explained

Find the transform, crop, audio and effect controls, and check which clip is selected before you copy, animate or reset a setting.

 Resolve Edit workspace with a blacksmith in the viewer and the Edit Laptop layout preset ready to load. 6 min read

How to Save, Reset and Restore Your DaVinci Resolve Workspace

Recover missing panels, save and restore workspace layouts, and choose between Dual Screen controls and Studio Video Clean Feed.

 Rider galloping through a river at dusk above a DaVinci Resolve timeline, with the Viewer Mode menu set to Cinema Viewer 9 min read

How to Get a Full Screen Preview in DaVinci Resolve

Fill the screen with Cinema Viewer on any page, find the key your preset assigns, and send a clean picture to a second display.

 Three ways to duplicate a clip in DaVinci Resolve: modifier drag, paste and Media Pool duplicate 7 min read

How to Duplicate a Clip in DaVinci Resolve (Fast Ways)

Compare drag-copy, copy-and-paste and paste-insert. Check the destination tracks and whether a nested copy is really independent.

 DaVinci Resolve timeline and two matching car frames connected by duplicate-frame markers 7 min read

How to Find Duplicate Frames in DaVinci Resolve

Turn on duplicate-frame detection, read the colored bars and remove ranges you reused by accident.

 Mountain biker mid-air over a dirt jump at sunset, above a timeline with a purple Text title over the clip and an Effects panel listing Text and Text+ under Titles 9 min read

How to Add Text in DaVinci Resolve

Pick basic Text, Text+ or a title preset, then set the wording and position. Subtitle tracks are a separate tool, so don't mix them up with titles.

 Calligrapher painting a huge letter in a dark studio above a Resolve timeline with a Text+ clip and the Font Browser showing Montserrat Bold 7 min read

How to Add Fonts to DaVinci Resolve and Fix Missing Fonts

Install fonts on Windows or Mac, find the family and face in Resolve, and diagnose missing fonts with OS checks, account scope and Font Browser filters.

 DaVinci Resolve Edit page with an abstract logo overlay on a track above the main footage 7 min read

How to Add a Logo or Watermark in DaVinci Resolve

Place a transparent logo over the video, set its size and opacity, then fix black backgrounds or edge halos.

 DaVinci Resolve transition between two clips with visible trim handles 9 min read

DaVinci Resolve Transitions: Add, Trim and Fix Them

Add a transition, set its duration and check the available handles. Find out why a dissolve won't fit the cut.

 One Adjustment Clip applying a shared effect across multiple timeline shots 9 min read

Adjustment Clips in DaVinci Resolve

Lay one shared transform or effect over a set range, and check which clips and titles sit underneath it.

 DaVinci Resolve speed controls with retime curve and speed points 12 min read

How to Change Clip Speed in DaVinci Resolve

Use a fixed speed, a ramp or a freeze frame. Check interpolation, audio and the space around the edit.

 Swimmer frozen mid-air off a pier at dusk above a Resolve clip slowed to 50%, with Retime Process set to Optical Flow and Motion Estimation set to Speed Warp Better 12 min read

How to Use Speed Warp in DaVinci Resolve for Smooth Slow Motion

Get smooth slow motion from ordinary footage: per-clip and project setup, Faster vs Better vs AI Speed Warp Metal, the Fusion node, Smooth Cut, GPU test results and fixes when the option is grayed out.

 DaVinci Resolve Edit page with a marked freeze-frame section and speed controls open 7 min read

How to Freeze a Frame in DaVinci Resolve

Hold a single moment with the right freeze-frame method, pick playback back up cleanly and keep the linked audio intact.

 DaVinci Resolve Edit timeline with three copies of a short clip arranged as a seamless loop 7 min read

How to Loop a Video in DaVinci Resolve

Loop a section for review, repeat a clip for a longer edit, or build a loop with no visible jump in the exported file.

 DaVinci Resolve compound clip containing layered video, titles and audio 9 min read

Compound Clips in DaVinci Resolve: Create, Edit and Undo

Wrap part of an edit in a compound clip, open it up, make an independent copy, and check what's inside before you decompose it.

 Four skydivers holding hands in free fall above golden clouds, over a timeline where a title, a video clip and a music clip, each with a link icon, are selected beside a Link Clips menu 8 min read

How to Group Clips in DaVinci Resolve

Select the clips and press Option-Command-L (Clip > Link Clips) so they move as one while Linked Selection is on.

 Ballerina mid-leap in a beam of light, above a timeline with the middle clip selected and a Render in Place window set to QuickTime, Apple ProRes 422 HQ and 24 frames of handles 12 min read

How to Use Render in Place in DaVinci Resolve

Bake a heavy clip's effects into a new file for smooth playback, and undo it with Decompose to Original.

 DaVinci Resolve 21 Edit page with a selected picture-in-picture facecam over a landscape timeline 9 min read

DaVinci Resolve Picture in Picture: Resolve 21 Guide

Build an inset video, adjust its crop and position, then add a border or animation where the composition needs it.

 Violinist in red light and cellist in blue light side by side in one frame, above cello.mov on V2 over violin.mov on V1 and Video Collage set to Create Tile, 2 columns, 1 row 12 min read

How to Make a Split Screen in DaVinci Resolve

Put two or more clips in one frame with Video Collage, or crop and place two clips side by side without an effect.
Build a specific skill6 guides
DaVinci Resolve subtitle track with timed caption cues and three delivery options 10 min read

DaVinci Resolve Subtitles: Create, Style, Import & Export

Create or import captions, check timing and choose between a subtitle file, embedded captions and burned-in text.

 Old man reading subtitles in a dark cinema above a Resolve timeline with a subtitle track and the Track panel set to Source Sans 3 Semibold with Stroke on 6 min read

Best Fonts for Subtitles in DaVinci Resolve

Compare four subtitle fonts on the same frame, choose weight and contrast, and check the font license and delivery format.

 Woman speaking on a riverbank at blue hour above a Resolve timeline with a subtitle track and the Workspace menu path Scripts, AutoSubs 7 min read

Automatic Subtitles in DaVinci Resolve Free: AutoSubs and SRT

Generate captions in AutoSubs, review and import the SRT into Resolve Free, or send styled title clips through the current bridge.

 DaVinci Resolve multicam edit with three camera angles and an active timeline cut 10 min read

DaVinci Resolve Multicam Editing: Sync to SmartSwitch

Sync the camera angles, keep the audio you chose and review the camera cuts. Try SmartSwitch if your edition has it.

 DaVinci Resolve 21 Curve Editor with cyan easing curve and orange Transform keyframes 9 min read

DaVinci Resolve Keyframes and Curve Editor Guide

Animate a parameter, shape its timing with curves and track down missing keyframes. Then watch the motion in playback.

 Fusion node graph running Text1 through PlanarTransform1 and Merge1 to MediaOut1, with a studio name tracked onto a wall 9 min read

DaVinci Resolve Fusion Tutorial for Beginners

Learn nodes by building a tracked title, a green-screen key and a lower third, and fix a composition that shows up blank.
Check features and updates4 guides
DaVinci Resolve 21 Slate Finder identifying a clapperboard and metadata 10 min read

DaVinci Resolve 21 AI Slate ID and Slate Finder

Finding a slate and reading its metadata are two separate jobs. Review the detected fields before you save them to the clips.

 DaVinci Resolve 21 AI tools cover with IntelliSearch, Speech Generator, CineFocus and Slate ID interfaces 10 min read

DaVinci Resolve 21 AI Tools: Free vs Studio Breakdown

Compare the AI tools by task, edition and hardware needs. Check which models need a download, and review each result before you use it.

 DaVinci Resolve 21 What's New cover with Photo, IntelliSearch, keyframe and Color interfaces 9 min read

DaVinci Resolve 21: What's New, AI Tools, Photo Page and Upgrade Notes

Go through the Photo page, the editing changes and the upgrade notes, then read the release notes for the exact build you install.

 Safe DaVinci Resolve update checklist with project and library backups 12 min read

How to Update DaVinci Resolve Safely

Back up projects, libraries and media before you upgrade. Have a rollback plan ready, and test on a copy of an active project first.

Before you start

A few beginner questions

Do I need Studio to follow the beginner path?

Start with Free. It handles a basic edit, titles, color correction and export. Some AI tools, formats and finishing features need Studio or particular hardware, so check the feature you actually need before you pay for an upgrade.

Do I need to learn Fusion before editing a video?

No. Get a straightforward edit done first, and open the Fusion guide when you need a tracked title, a key or some other compositing task. Fusion is easier to learn alongside a real project, and you don't have to finish a whole effects course before you begin.

Where can I get footage and structured lessons to practice?

Blackmagic Design offers free training videos, books and lesson files. Check which version each course was written for: the training books cover Resolve 20, while the current desktop release is 21.1.2, so some menus and features differ.

Get the official training and lesson files, and read Blackmagic’s Resolve 21.1.2 readme before you follow a version-specific step.

Browse the full tutorial library

Jason Miller
Jason MillerI run DaVinci Resolve Club, an independent publication. My guides explain editing, color, Fairlight, Fusion and delivery, with clear Free vs Studio limits.