For a normal MP4 video, open Deliver, choose Custom Export, set Format to MP4 and Codec to H.264, and use Single Clip. Check picture, audio and range before you add the job to the queue. If a preset already fits the job, Quick Export is faster. For YouTube settings, audio-only output, transparency, captions or render errors, the DaVinci Resolve export settings hub points you to the focused guide; this page walks through the complete Quick Export and Deliver workflow.
Quick Export: the fast path
File > Quick Export is the shortest route to a local file or a supported upload service. The DaVinci Resolve 21 Reference Manual says you can reach it from every Resolve page. Timeline In and Out marks set on the Cut, Edit or Color page limit the export; with no marks, Quick Export renders the entire timeline. These steps match Resolve 21.1.2 build 10, whose notes fix Quick Export not using the selected trim pass grade.
Choose File > Quick Export, pick one of the presets your installation offers, click Export, choose a folder and filename, then click Save. Blackmagic lists presets for H.264, H.265, ProRes masters and services such as YouTube, Vimeo and TikTok. The exact set depends on your platform, version and the accounts you've signed into.
A service preset is a quick starting point. It doesn't prove that a high-stakes delivery meets a client or broadcaster spec. Check the resolution, frame rate, audio and the file itself before you upload. For a review copy, speed is usually the whole point; for a master, work from a written delivery spec.
Quick Export respects timeline In and Out marks, so it handles partial exports too. What you give up is the Deliver page's manual bitrate and audio controls, the Individual Clips options and the multi-job Render Queue. When you need those, go to Deliver.
To reuse your own MP4 settings, set up a Single Clip job on Deliver first. In the Render Settings three-dot menu, choose Save as New Preset, type a name, check the Add to quick export box and save. The preset then shows up in Quick Export. Individual Clips settings can't be saved this way.
The Deliver page in seven steps
For a basic export, work left to right: Render Settings, then the timeline and viewer, then the Render Queue. You can queue a master, a review copy and an upload file with different ranges or settings, check each job, and render them one after another.
- Open Deliver with the rocket icon at the bottom of the workspace.
- Choose Custom Export, then enter a filename and choose the Location folder.
- Choose Single Clip for one finished video and enable Export Video.
- For a web file that plays almost anywhere, set Format to MP4 and Codec to H.264 where your platform supports it. Pick a different format when the destination asks for one.
- Set the resolution and frame rate the delivery needs. Don't change the frame rate just to copy a preset.
- Enable Export Audio, choose the codec and the output track or bus, and check that it carries your mix.
- Choose Entire Timeline or In/Out Range. Click Add to Render Queue, review the saved job, then use the queue’s render button.
Add to Render Queue doesn't start encoding. To look at a saved job, click its pencil icon; that brings back the job's settings and range. Make your fix, then click Update Job. If you change controls without updating, the queued copy stays exactly as it was. Show Job Details in the queue's three-dot menu lets you compare resolution, format, frame rate, audio and duration at a glance.
MP4 and QuickTime/MOV are containers; H.264 and H.265 are video codecs. Choosing H.264 alone won't give you an MP4. If a saved job keeps producing MOV, open it with the pencil, set Format to MP4 and click Update Job. Renaming the extension doesn't change the container.
Before you start, see which jobs are selected. A selection limits rendering to those jobs; with nothing selected, the queue can render everything. Click an empty part of the queue to clear the selection when you want the whole batch. Depending on the build and the selection, the button reads Start Render or Render All.
The MP4/H.264/AAC path differs between operating systems. In the Resolve 21.1 codec list, dated September 2026, Linux H.264 and H.265 decoding is Studio-only, encoding needs Studio plus an Nvidia GPU, and AAC has no decode or encode entry at all. Check your platform's section before you copy a Windows or Mac preset across.
Highest-quality export settings
The best-quality export is the one Resolve renders from your original media at the timeline's full resolution and frame rate, with no data-rate cap below what the destination recommends. Most of the controls that decide it sit in the Video tab of Render Settings, and the H.264 and H.265 options in the 21.1 manual explain the trade-off behind each one. This is how I set them for a final MP4:
| Setting | Best-quality choice | What it trades |
|---|---|---|
| Quality / Restrict to | Automatic, or a cap at or above the destination's recommended bitrate | A lower cap gives a smaller file with less data for every frame |
| Encoding Profile | High for H.264; Main10 for 10-bit H.265 | Higher profiles take more processing to encode and to play |
| Entropy Mode | CABAC | Better picture at the same bitrate, slower to encode and decode than CAVLC |
| Multi-pass encode | Multi-pass in a QuickTime H.264 or H.265 job, where the control appears | Slower than a single pass |
| Frame Reordering | On, the default in QuickTime H.264 and H.265 jobs | Switching it off speeds up encoding and lowers quality |
| Use optimized media, Use proxy media, Use render cached images | Off, unless that media is in the delivery format or better | On saves render time, but lower-quality media goes straight into the file |
| Force sizing to highest quality | On | Renders with the Sharper filter even if you edited with Bilinear for speed |
| Force debayer res to highest quality | On for camera raw footage | Overrides a lower debayer setting you chose for smooth grading playback |
The three media checkboxes are speed settings, not quality settings. The manual gives the same rule for each: leave it on only when the optimized, proxy or cache media matches your output format or beats it, and otherwise turn it off so Resolve renders from the original files. A ProRes 422 HQ cache passes that test for an H.264 delivery, so keeping cached images on can spare you a long re-render of heavy effects. Our render cache guide shows where to set that cache format.
Bypass re-encode when possible is the other big time saver, and it preserves quality when it applies. Resolve copies the video straight from the source file into the export, but only when Format, Codec and Type match that source. Grading, Resolve FX, compositing, resizing, stabilization, a changed output size and Fusion effects all force a re-encode of the whole clip, while a transition re-encodes only for its own length, as the Bypass re-encode notes in the manual explain. It pays off on a cuts-only edit of matching ProRes or camera files, not on a graded MP4.
When the file will be compressed again, by a client, a streaming platform or another editor, I render a ProRes 422 HQ or DNxHR HQX master instead of pushing H.264 to a huge bitrate. Both are intermediate codecs made to hold up under another encode, and the same codec list shows encode support for each on macOS, Windows and Linux. Add the MP4 as a second job in the queue. If your goal is the opposite, a small file that still looks clean, our guide to reducing export file size works through it.
YouTube export settings: official SDR bitrates
YouTube's recommended upload encoding settings give target bitrates, not minimums. Use the row that matches both your resolution and your frame-rate band, and keep the source frame rate; converting it just to land on a different number gains you nothing.
| 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 |
Uploading 4K doesn't let you choose the codec each viewer receives. Look at the uploaded picture once YouTube finishes processing, and don't promise anyone a particular VP9 or AV1 result.
These are YouTube's recommended SDR upload bitrates. They don't set a floor, and they don't guarantee final playback quality. Match the source frame rate and use progressive scan, High Profile H.264 and BT.709 for SDR. The dedicated YouTube export settings guide covers GOP, bitrate and upload-specific checks; for Instagram, TikTok or a client portal, follow that destination's current specification.
Audio settings you should not skip
Audio has its own controls in Render Settings. A timeline that sounds right can still render silently if Export Audio is off, the wrong output track or bus is selected, or a clip, track or main output you need is muted.
Open the Audio panel in Render Settings and enable Export Audio. Then choose the format, codec, sample rate and output source the destination asks for. Watch the timeline's main output meter once before you queue the job. If the meter or the delivered file is silent, work through the no-audio signal-path checklist before you start changing codecs.
- 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 spec calls for PCM. Container, bit depth, sample rate and channel layout all have to match that spec.
- Output track or bus: choose the main program output or the stem someone actually asked for. The right codec can't fix the wrong source.
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? Quality has nothing to do with it.
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, keeps source-oriented timecode and frame-rate behavior, and adds options such as Render Timeline Effects and Render at Source Resolution. That makes it handy for round trips, but you have to set those options for the specific handoff. Don't trust the defaults.
Choose Single Clip for a finished edit, client review file, social upload or normal master that has to play as one program. Choose Individual Clips only when the receiving workflow explicitly asks for separate files and tells you how to handle effects, source resolution, handles, filenames and audio.
Free vs Studio export limits
Blackmagic's Free and Studio feature comparison puts the free version's ceiling at Ultra HD 3840 × 2160 and 60 fps. Studio goes up to 32K and 120 fps and adds accelerated H.264/H.265 hardware encoding and more professional 10-bit workflows. Resolution limits and codec availability are separate questions: the exact format, profile and acceleration path still depend on your operating system, hardware and container.
UHD 4K isn't a Studio-only export: the free version reaches 3840 × 2160 at up to 60 fps. You need Studio when the raster is wider than UHD, the frame rate goes above 60 fps, or the codec, bit depth or hardware-encoding path you need isn't available in the free build on your platform. The Free vs Studio comparison keeps those limits apart from unrelated Studio features.
Four export problems to check first
When a render or a delivered file comes out wrong, pin down the symptom before you touch presets. These four checks cover the range, signal and quality choices that most often explain the result.
Export has no audio. Enable Export Audio if it’s off, then check the selected output track or bus in Render Settings. In Fairlight, make sure the audible tracks reach the intended main output and that clip and track states, Solo/Mute and the main output aren't excluding the mix. Individual Clips is a separate workflow, and it rarely explains a silent file on its own.
The file is much larger than expected. Check the codec before the bitrate: ProRes and DNxHR masters are supposed to be far bigger than H.264 review files. For bitrate-controlled H.264, compare the Quality setting with the destination's recommended range and make sure the number is in the unit Resolve shows.
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 player your audience will actually use. Rec.709-A changes how Apple-oriented workflows interpret gamma, so it can help in one case and hurt in another. Leave the tags alone until you know whether the mismatch comes from color management, output tags, the player or the display.
The render is slow. Start by finding the expensive clip or effect and confirming Resolve is using the GPU you expect. To reuse cached pictures in the final render, the job needs Use Render Cached Images turned on, and that only makes sense when the cache codec and resolution suit the delivery. If the job stops or throws an error, switch to the render-failed diagnostic before you change several export settings at once.
Export only part of a timeline
On Deliver, use Single Clip, mark the section with I and O, then choose In/Out Range before adding the job. Check the first frame, last frame and duration shown. Individual Clips snaps the range to clip boundaries, so it can't give you an exact excerpt from inside a clip. Quick Export also respects timeline In and Out marks; clear them when you want the whole timeline.
For a long or heavy timeline, queue a short representative range first. Check picture, audio, captions, color tags and playback in the target application, and only then queue the full program with the settings you've confirmed.
Export several sections in one pass
You don't have to render one section, wait, and come back for the next. On Deliver, mark the first section with I and O, choose In/Out Range, give the job its own filename and click Add to Render Queue. Move the marks to the next section, change the filename and add a second job. Repeat for every section, then render the queue once. The render queue overview in the manual confirms that each job keeps its own range, format and output options.
Add chapter markers to an MP4
MP4 and QuickTime are the only formats Resolve writes chapter markers into, according to the chapter marker steps in the manual. The chapters come from timeline markers of one color:
- Place the markers. Deselect all clips, put the playhead where a chapter starts and press M. With nothing selected, the marker lands on the timeline ruler instead of on a clip.
- Name each chapter. Double-click the marker and type the chapter title in the Name field. That name is what the player shows.
- Use one color. Give every chapter marker the same color, and keep review notes in a different color so they don't turn into chapters.
- Export with chapters. On Deliver, set Format to MP4 or QuickTime, check Chapters from Markers and pick that color from its dropdown.
If you upload with Resolve's own YouTube option, its upload settings carry a separate Chapters from Markers checkbox that embeds the chapter points in the video, as the YouTube upload settings in the manual describe. I'd open the finished file in the player your audience uses and check the chapter list before sending it anywhere.
Find the finished export
The Location field is where the current job gets written. It isn't automatically your project library or the source-media folder. Set it before adding the job and include the destination in your queue check.
After rendering, right-click the finished job and use the file-location command your build offers: Reveal in Finder on macOS or Open File Location on Windows. Reveal in Media Storage opens it in Resolve’s own media browser. You can also go straight to the saved Location folder.
If the destination is shared or removable storage, make sure it's mounted and writable before you start. A clear folder and a versioned filename save you from hunting for the path after the queue finishes.
Open the finished video outside Resolve. Check the start and end, duration, resolution, picture, audible channels and captions in the player or service that will receive it, and watch the whole file for an important delivery. A completed job only tells you the render finished. It can't tell you whether you picked the right content or settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I export an MP4 from DaVinci Resolve?
On Deliver, choose Custom Export and Single Clip. Enable Export Video, set Format to MP4 and Codec to H.264 where supported, match the resolution and frame rate the delivery needs, and enable Export Audio with the correct output source. Check the range, add the job to the queue and start rendering. Linux has different codec and audio support, so check its section of the codec list before you pick this combination.
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 the audible clips and tracks to the main output. Clear any Mute or Solo states you didn't mean to leave, and confirm the main output meter moves before you add 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, use Single Clip and choose In/Out Range before adding the job. Quick Export picks up the timeline marks automatically; clear them to export the entire timeline. Check the displayed duration before rendering.
Does DaVinci Resolve export ProRes and DNxHR on Windows?
Yes. In the Resolve 21.1 codec list, Windows has encode support for both Apple ProRes and DNxHR. For ProRes, choose QuickTime as the container and an available Apple ProRes profile. DNxHR is a fine intermediate in its own right; you don't need it as a fallback. Check the container, profile and your installed build before you accept a delivery spec.
