Da Vinci Resolve
A friendly beginner's guide to your first project
Many people search for "Da Vinci Resolve" with a space, and they are all looking for the same program. The official spelling is one word, DaVinci Resolve, but both versions lead to the same editor.
If you have just installed it and feel lost, this guide is for you. We will go through the interface in the order you will use it and finish with a clean exported video.
- 1 programTwo spellings, same editor
- 5 minutesTo a first rough cut
- 1 clickTo switch pages
- FreeTo learn on
Da Vinci Resolve or DaVinci Resolve?
They are the same software. The brand is written as DaVinci, one word, but the name of the famous painter has a space, so people naturally type it that way. Search engines treat both spellings alike, and so do we.
What matters is that you install the genuine application from the official vendor, which gives you the free edition and the optional Studio upgrade.
Your first project in Da Vinci Resolve
- Create a projectOpen the program, create a new project, name it and set the timeline frame rate to match your footage.
- Import mediaUse the Media page or the media pool to add clips, music and images. Drag a folder to bring in everything at once.
- Rough cutOpen the Cut or Edit page and place clips on the timeline. Trim with the in and out points and remove gaps.
- Color gradeGo to the Color page. Fix exposure and white balance first, then add contrast and a look.
- Fix the soundUse the Fairlight page to level dialogue and lower the music under speech.
- DeliverOpen the Deliver page, choose a preset such as YouTube or a high quality master and press render.
A quick tour of the interface
Your clips live here. Create bins, rename them, add color flags and use smart bins to group footage automatically.
Two viewers let you see the source clip and the timeline side by side. Mark in and out points before you place a shot.
Video tracks stack upward and audio tracks downward. Snap, ripple and blade tools are available in the toolbar.
Change size, position, speed and opacity of the selected clip, and add keyframes for animation.
The row of icons at the bottom switches between Media, Cut, Edit, Fusion, Color, Fairlight and Deliver.
Beginner mistakes to skip
Wrong frame rate
Set the project to match the footage before you edit. Changing it later is awkward.
No project backup
Enable automatic backups and keep copies of the project on another drive.
Grading too early
Finish the cut first. Color is easier when the story is locked.
Ignoring proxies
Use optimized media when your computer struggles with large camera files.
Clipping audio
Watch the meters and keep the loudest peaks below the red.
Over-grading
Subtle corrections look more professional than extreme contrast and saturation.
Frequently asked questions
Is Da Vinci Resolve the same as DaVinci Resolve?
Yes. It is the same application. DaVinci is the correct brand spelling, and a space in the search term makes no difference to the software.
Is Da Vinci Resolve free?
Yes, there is a free edition that covers editing, color, effects and audio, plus a paid Studio edition.
How long does it take to learn?
Basic editing can be learned in a weekend. Color grading and Fusion take longer, but you can build skills gradually.
Is it harder than other editors?
It has more features than a simple editor, but the Cut page keeps things easy at the start.
Can I edit phone videos in it?
Yes. It handles common phone formats, and you can use proxies if playback is slow.
Open Da Vinci Resolve and start
Install it, import five clips and finish a short video this week.