DaVinci Resolve 21: Edit & Color Grade Like a Pro (2026)

Import media into the media page and media pool, adjust frame rate, manage clips in media storage, and explore inspector tools, audio extraction, in-out trimming, and annotations.

Explore how DaVinci Resolve 21 automatically detects scenes with scene cut detection, preview and adjust cuts on multi-scene clips, and manually add or delete cuts to finalize edits.

Import media, drag clips into the cut page timeline, and use the playhead to preview. Adjust transform and crop in the inspector, and manage audio and video tracks, recording voiceovers.

Sync bin enables you to combine multi-angle clips with the SyncPin feature, auto syncing by timecode, in/out, or audio, then arrange and trim camera angles on one timeline.

Learn to trim and mix clips on the timeline, split clips with the split tool or Ctrl-B, and apply J and L cuts to create cinematic transitions.

Drag and drop transitions between two clips on the cut page, preview, and trim to fit. Customize duration, border color, and alignment in the inspector, and apply transitions to audio.

Animate a lower third in DaVinci Resolve by adding keyframes for zoom, position, and opacity, then refine timing with the graph and keyframe window.

Choose export orientation before editing and use the safe area guides to center and align titles and lower thirds within the cut page, preventing important content from cropping.

master quick export in the cut page to export directly with h264 master, set destination and file name, and know where quick export works across cut, edit, and color pages.

Learn to use proxies for previews in DaVinci Resolve by adjusting timeline playback resolution to half or quarter, enabling proxy media, and configuring proxy generation and storage in project settings.

Master linking and unlinking clips in DaVinci Resolve 21, control audio-video timing by toggling link clips, and use link selection to move or delete connected media efficiently.

Learn how timeline tracks work in the edit page of DaVinci Resolve, including locking, snapping, linking audio and video, adding and color-coding tracks, and managing ripple and empty tracks.

Master flags and markers in DaVinci Resolve 21 to annotate frames, add notes, colors, and drawings, and learn how markers behave on clips versus the timeline.

Master transform and crop controls in the clip inspector to zoom, reposition, rotate, flip, and adjust the anchor point; learn cropping, edge smoothing, and retaining image position for precise edits.

Explore how composite mode in the edit page controls which areas of an image are affected—black or white—using options like darken, multiply, color burn, overlay, inversion, and color component effects.

Master compound clips to merge two masked video layers, using foreground and luma or inverted luma masking, then manage duration, fades, and timelines.

Learn to use the power bin in edit page to manage assets across projects, import light leak clips, apply composite mode screen, and apply fade in/out with opacity adjustments.

Learn speed ramping in DaVinci Resolve using retime controls to add points, create fast and slow sections, and smooth motion with keyframe easing, including rewind and reverse options.

Learn to slow down low-framerate video and apply speed ramping in DaVinci Resolve using retime and scaling with optical flow, enhance better, smoother, and project settings for cleaner motion.

Apply transitions in DaVinci Resolve by selecting a between-clip point, previewing options, and adjusting duration, border, color, feather, alignment, motion blur, and drag-and-drop between clips.

Create a slideshow in DaVinci Resolve by importing images, setting three-second stills, applying random transitions, enabling dynamic zoom, and applying motion blur presets for a smooth, cinematic sequence.

Stabilize shaky footage in DaVinci Resolve using the stabilize tool, selecting similarity or translation for motion, or perspective for shakes, and adjust smooth, crop, and camera lock for steadier results.

Learn to use the take selector to organize multiple takes from different camera angles, group them into a multi take bin, finalize a take, and sync audio in your timeline.

Learn to use DaVinci Resolve's multicam workflow to sync, align, and edit across three camera angles, create multicam clips, and switch angles with number keys for fast, efficient editing.

DaVinci Resolve master fusion effects by applying drone, digital glitch, and color adjustments through fusion overlays and OpenFX, using adjustment layers and compound clips for dynamic, customizable visuals.

Explore lens correction in DaVinci Resolve to fix lens distortion with analyze and manual sliders, plus a Fusion-based workaround using dent effects for non-studio users.

Discover DaVinci Resolve 21 fusion generators, including stage curtain and star field, and learn to customize colors, positions, seeds, and animation to create dynamic particle effects.

Create customizable logo animations in DaVinci Resolve with the logo animation generator, adjusting glow, light rays, and pivot points, then duplicate and combine logos and text.

Save effects to a favorite folder for quick access, using the star icon to add or remove titles, generators, and effects; organize by category like favorite titles and favorite generators.

Learn to use the fusion page in DaVinci Resolve 21 to import media, create fusion clips, compare before and after with dual-screen viewer, and build VFX with nodes and grids.

Learn the basics of fusion nodes in DaVinci Resolve, including blur, brightness and contrast, color corrector, curve, and glow, and compare results using dual-screen before/after views.

Explore the fusion page and master the merge node to combine background and foreground media, control inputs with yellow and green lines, and apply composition modes like screen.

Explore the multi merge node in DaVinci Resolve 21, arrange four inputs, set the top layer, adjust scale, angle, and blend modes, and selectively disable or reset inputs.

Master masking in fusion by using rectangle, ellipse, polygon, and B spline masks; connect and invert masks, adjust borders, and animate shapes in DaVinci Resolve.

Learn to use the multi poly node in Fusion to mask multiple frames with polygon and B spline masks, adjusting border width, edge softness, and keyframes.

Explore using the background node in fusion to create color backgrounds, gradients, and corner colors with hue adjustments and keyframes. Apply glow and motion blur for a polished look.

Learn to use the Fusion tracker to attach text or images to tracked points in DaVinci Resolve 21, with manual tracking for blur frames and match move for motion effects.

Master planar tracking in Fusion by converting to a Fusion clip, applying the planar tracker with perspective motion, then use corner pin to overlay a clip with color correction.

Explore how to use the emitter and particle nodes in fusion to create, render, and control 3d particles, including region shapes, colors, lifespans, and motion with various effects.

Apply 3D shaders in fusion to enhance 3D text with brick, gold, and carbon fiber materials, using replace material 3D and shader nodes.

Learn fusion 3d object compositing in DaVinci Resolve by texturing a low poly 3d model with a bump map, lighting, and color grading to integrate with a background.

Master the color page in DaVinci Resolve to add effects to notes, manage timelines, and perform color correction and grading with wheels, curves, color warper, qualifier, and masking tools.

Master DaVinci Resolve color page nodes by learning reset and lock workflows, labeling, serial and parallel nodes, layer and parallel behavior, masking, share nodes, and view options.

Master color grading in DaVinci Resolve using color wheels, log wheels, and hdr wheels. Adjust offset, gain, gamma, lift, shadows, midtones, highlights, and white balance to shape tone.

Explore color grading with the color warper in DaVinci Resolve 21, using chroma luma grids, skin tone controls, point selection, and hue-saturation-luminance adjustments for film-like looks.

Master the qualifier color grading tool in DaVinci Resolve to create precise skin-tone masks, adjust hue, saturation, and luminance, and apply subtle color while preserving skin tones.

Master key masking and sizing in Resolve by applying a circle mask to a face, adjusting gain and offset, and using qualifier skin tone controls for color grading.

Master the color scopes on the color page to balance color and white balance, use the vector scope with the skin tone indicator and match curve, and reference the histogram.

Learn how to add and adjust keyframes in the color page to control color warper, adjust skin tone and contrast, and apply pan, tilt, zoom, and rotate via node sizing.

Explore node mixer techniques in DaVinci Resolve, adding serial, parallel, layer and key mixers, plus splitter and combiner nodes to build multi-mask color effects.

Create and reuse custom LUTs in the color page using right-click graphs, grab stills, and export display LUTs or DRX files for quick previews and later use.

Steal color grades from any film, picture, or video using the color page, applying short match, and refine with nodes, curves, highlights, and shadows.

Learn how to color grade in DaVinci Resolve 21 by converting S-Log to Rec 709, using color space, nodes, gain, gamma, lift, curve, and color warper for clean, controlled looks.

Explore the Fairlight audio workspace in DaVinci Resolve, mastering import, in/out trimming, track management, pan between left and right channels, and audio levels, with access to sound library and effects.

Master timeline editing tools in DaVinci Resolve 21, including pointer, range, and focus modes, razor cuts, magnet snapping, and flags and markers for audio.

Learn to edit timeline tracks in DaVinci Resolve 21 by displaying video and audio tracks, controlling waveform and scrolling, managing audio tracks, and applying attributes, EQ, and level normalization.

Drag and drop audio effects and presets, listen with space, toggle A and B, save a preset, and adjust reverb, echo, high pass, and compressor for crisper vocals.

Learn to edit live audio with automation in DaVinci Resolve, animating pan, EQ gain, and fader levels with keyframes and shapes for precise, dynamic sound.

Apply the same effects across multiple audio tracks by using buses, creating a dedicated effects bus, and routing tracks to bus 1 and bus 2 for consistent distortion and reverb.

Learn to edit and optimize audio in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight by normalizing levels, applying limiter and compressor, using EQ and noise reduction, and saving a track preset for consistent voiceovers.

Export and manage your DaVinci Resolve 21 projects from the deliver page, using presets including YouTube, custom settings, track-based audio export, render queue, subtitles, and in-out range control.

Export a video with a transparent background in DaVinci Resolve 21 by using the Ultra Keyer, exporting alpha in QuickTime, and saving the asset in Power Bins for reuse.