An export can fail even when the edit is finished: the wrong range creates a partial file, the wrong render mode creates separate clips, and an unchecked audio control creates a silent delivery. Start with the intended destination, then choose Quick Export or the Deliver page instead of copying one preset to every job.
Quick answer for a standard web file: open Deliver, choose Custom Export, set Format to MP4 and Codec to H.264, match the timeline resolution and frame rate, enable Export Audio, choose the correct output track or bus, add the job to the Render Queue, then start the render. Use the sections below when the platform, master format, range or free-version limit changes that recipe.
Quick Export: the fast path
File > Quick Export is the shortest route to a local file or supported upload service. It's available from every Resolve page. On the Cut, Edit, Fairlight or Color page, timeline In and Out marks limit the export; with no marks, Quick Export renders the entire timeline.
Choose File > Quick Export, select one of the presets available in your installation, click Export, then choose the folder and filename. Blackmagic currently lists presets for H.264, H.265, ProRes masters and services such as YouTube, Vimeo and TikTok; the exact set varies with platform, version and configured accounts.
Treat a service preset as a fast starting point, not proof that a high-stakes delivery meets a client or broadcaster specification. Check the resulting resolution, frame rate, audio and file before upload. For a review copy, the speed is usually the point; for a master, use a written delivery spec.
Quick Export honors timeline In and Out marks, so it can make a partial export. It doesn't expose the Deliver page's full manual bitrate and audio controls, Individual Clips options or multi-job Render Queue. Use Deliver when those controls matter.
The Deliver page in seven steps
The Deliver page separates the job into three working areas: Render Settings on the left, the timeline and viewer in the center, and the Render Queue on the right. You can queue a master, review copy and upload file with different ranges or settings, check every job, and then render them in sequence.
- Open the Deliver page with the rocket icon or Shift+8.
- Enter a filename and choose the exact Location folder.
- Choose a destination preset or Custom Export when you need full control.
- Select Single Clip for a finished program, then set Format and Codec.
- Match the required resolution and frame rate; don't change frame rate only to imitate a platform preset.
- Enable Export Audio, choose the required output track or bus, and set the destination's audio format.
- Confirm Entire Timeline or In/Out Range, add the job to the Render Queue, inspect it, then click Start Render.
Add to Render Queue doesn't start encoding. It snapshots that job's settings and range in the queue, so you can change the controls and add another version. Before Start Render, click each queued job and confirm its filename, destination, range, resolution, frame rate, codec and audio.
YouTube export settings: official SDR bitrates
YouTube's recommended upload encoding settings publish target bitrates rather than minimums. Use the row that matches both resolution and frame-rate band, and keep the source frame rate instead of converting only to chase a different number.
| YouTube SDR target | Format / codec | Recommended video bitrate | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p, 24–30 fps | MP4 / H.264 High Profile | 8 Mbps | AAC-LC stereo, 384 kbps |
| 1080p, 48–60 fps | MP4 / H.264 High Profile | 12 Mbps | AAC-LC stereo, 384 kbps |
| 2160p (4K), 24–30 fps | MP4 / H.264 High Profile | 35–45 Mbps | AAC-LC stereo, 384 kbps |
| 2160p (4K), 48–60 fps | MP4 / H.264 High Profile | 53–68 Mbps | AAC-LC stereo, 384 kbps |
A 4K upload gives YouTube a higher-resolution source, but it does not let you choose the playback codec that viewers receive. YouTube re-encodes uploaded files and selects playback formats according to its own pipeline, the viewer's device and connection. Judge the uploaded result after processing rather than promising VP9 or AV1.
The values above are YouTube's recommended SDR upload bitrates, not minimums and not a guarantee of final playback quality. Match the source frame rate, use progressive scan, High Profile H.264 and BT.709 for SDR. For Instagram, TikTok or a client portal, check that destination's current specification instead of reusing the YouTube table.
Audio settings you should not skip
Audio has its own controls in Render Settings. A timeline that sounds correct can still render silently if Export Audio is off, the wrong output track or bus is selected, or a required clip, track or main output is muted.
Open the Audio panel in Render Settings and enable Export Audio. Then choose the audio format, codec, sample rate and output source required by the destination. Watch the timeline's main output meter once before queuing the job.
- AAC-LC for a web upload. YouTube's current recommendation for stereo is 384 kbps; use the platform's own specification for other destinations.
- Linear PCM for a lossless master or handoff when the delivery specification calls for PCM. Container, bit depth, sample rate and channel layout must match that specification.
- Output track or bus: choose the main program output or the explicitly requested stem. A correct codec can't repair the wrong source selection.
Single Clip vs Individual Clips
This setting answers a structural question: should the selected range become one finished program or a set of media files for conform, VFX or handoff? It isn't a quality switch.
Single Clip combines the selected range into one output and bakes most timeline effects into that program. Individual Clips creates one file per timeline clip, preserves source-oriented timecode and frame-rate behavior, and exposes options such as Render Timeline Effects and Render at Source Resolution. Those options make it useful for round trips, but they must be configured for the handoff rather than assumed.
Choose Single Clip for a completed edit, client review file, social upload or normal master that must play as one program. Choose Individual Clips only when the receiving workflow explicitly needs separate files and tells you how to handle effects, source resolution, handles, filenames and audio.
Free vs Studio export limits
Blackmagic's current DaVinci Resolve product page puts the free-version ceiling at Ultra HD 3840 × 2160 and 60 fps. Studio supports higher resolutions up to 32K and frame rates up to 120 fps, plus accelerated H.264/H.265 hardware encoding and additional professional 10-bit workflows. Resolution limits and codec availability are separate: the exact format, profile and acceleration path still depends on operating system, hardware and container.
What that means for a delivery decision:
- Free-version raster limit: up to Ultra HD 3840 × 2160.
- Free-version frame-rate limit: up to 60 fps; Studio extends this to 120 fps.
- Studio ceiling: up to 32K, subject to the format and hardware required by the workflow.
- Codec path: H.264/H.265 profiles, 10-bit support and hardware acceleration vary by operating system, hardware, container and license. Verify the actual Format and Codec menus for the delivery machine.
UHD 4K isn't a Studio-only export: the free version reaches 3840 × 2160 at up to 60 fps. The upgrade boundary appears when the required raster is wider than UHD, the frame rate exceeds 60 fps, or the requested codec, bit depth or hardware-encoding path is unavailable in the free build on that platform.
Four export problems to check first
When a render or delivered file is wrong, isolate the symptom before changing presets. These four checks cover the range, signal and quality choices most likely to explain the result.
Export has no audio. Confirm Export Audio is enabled, then check the selected output track or bus in Render Settings. In Fairlight, verify that the audible tracks reach the intended main output and that clips, tracks, Solo/Mute states and the main output aren't excluding the mix. Individual Clips is a different workflow, not a universal explanation for silence.
The file is much larger than expected. Check the codec before the bitrate: ProRes and DNxHR masters are meant to be substantially larger than H.264 review files. For bitrate-controlled H.264, compare the Quality setting with the destination's recommended range and confirm that the number is entered in the unit Resolve displays.
Colors look different after export. For SDR YouTube delivery, keep the pipeline and output tagged consistently as BT.709/Rec.709, then compare the file in the actual target player. Rec.709-A changes how Apple-oriented workflows interpret gamma; it isn't a universal fix. Don't change tags until you know whether the mismatch comes from color management, output tags, the player or the display.
The render is slow. First identify the expensive clip or effect and confirm Resolve is using the intended GPU. Render Cache can help only when the delivery job enables Use Render Cached Images. Use it for final output only when the cache codec and resolution are suitable for that delivery; otherwise leave it off so Resolve processes the original timeline at final quality.
Export only part of a timeline
For Deliver, mark the required section with I and O, then choose In/Out Range instead of Entire Timeline before adding the job. The Out point is inclusive, so park on the last frame that belongs in the file. Quick Export also honors timeline In and Out marks; with no marks it exports the whole timeline.
For a long or expensive timeline, queue a short representative range first. Check picture, audio, captions, color tags and playback in the target application, then queue the full program with the verified settings.
Find the finished export
The Location field in Render Settings is the destination of the current job; it isn't automatically the Ghost project folder or media folder. Set it before adding the job and include the destination in your queue check.
After rendering, right-click the completed job. Resolve provides Reveal in Media Storage, and on macOS it also provides Reveal in Finder. These commands point to the rendered file; a generic project-folder command doesn't.
If the destination is shared or removable storage, confirm it's mounted and writable before starting. A clear folder plus a versioned filename is safer than trying to reconstruct the path after the queue finishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I export an MP4 from DaVinci Resolve?
On Deliver, choose Custom Export, set Format to MP4 and Codec to H.264, match the timeline resolution and frame rate, enable Export Audio, choose the correct audio output, add the job to the Render Queue and start it.
Can the free version of DaVinci Resolve export 4K?
Yes. The free version exports up to Ultra HD 3840 × 2160 at 60 fps. DCI 4K 4096 × 2160 is wider than that free-version limit; resolutions above UHD and frame rates above 60 fps require Studio.
Why does my DaVinci Resolve export have no audio?
Enable Export Audio, select the intended output track or bus, then follow the signal in Fairlight from audible clips and tracks to the main output. Clear unintended Mute or Solo states and confirm the main output meter moves before adding a new render job.
What's the best export format for YouTube?
YouTube recommends H.264 in an MP4 container, High Profile, progressive scan, the same frame rate as the source and BT.709 for SDR. Its current SDR video recommendations are 8 Mbps for 1080p at 24–30 fps, 12 Mbps for 1080p at 48–60 fps, 35–45 Mbps for 4K at 24–30 fps and 53–68 Mbps for 4K at 48–60 fps.
How do I export only part of my timeline?
Mark the timeline with I and O. On Deliver, choose In/Out Range before adding the job; in Quick Export, the same timeline marks define the range automatically. With no In and Out marks, Quick Export renders the entire timeline.
Does DaVinci Resolve export ProRes and DNxHR on Windows?
Resolve provides DNxHR encoding on Windows. Native Apple ProRes encoding isn't listed as a standard Windows export path in Blackmagic's codec support tables, so DNxHR is the predictable built-in intermediate there. Check the Format and Codec menus in the installed build before accepting a delivery specification.
Compare DaVinci Resolve Free vs Studio for a full breakdown of which features and formats require an upgrade.
For codec and format reference, see DaVinci Resolve system requirements for version-specific hardware and software support details.
New to the Deliver page workflow? The beginner's guide to DaVinci Resolve covers how the page structure fits into a complete post workflow.
Related guides
- DaVinci Resolve tutorial for beginners
- Fix media offline
- System requirements
- Free version export limits
- How to transcribe audio
- YouTube export settings (codec, bitrate, GOP)
- Render failed: 7 causes and fixes
- No audio during playback: fixes
Part of the DRC guide system: complete export settings hub
