How to Export In DaVinci Resolve? (FAST! 2023 Update)

If you’re a beginner or a newcomer to DaVinci Resolve (versions 18.5, 18, 17, etc.), today’s quick guide will help you export videos and projects in Resolve quickly.

To export in DaVinci Resolve, go to the menu “File” > “Project Manager”. Right-click on your project. Select “Export Project Archive”. Choose your location. Make sure you enable the “Media” option. Click on “Ok”. Your project archive is exported.

There are other ways to export as well – export project, export timeline, export videos, quick export, etc.

Today let’s explore the export in DaVinci Resolve – step-by-step with pictures

If you know you need to export only one project along with all the media files, then you should use the “Export Project Archive” option.

Export DaVinci Resolve Project Archive With Media Files

1. Go to the “Project Manager” (click on the house icon from the bottom right-hand corner).
2. Right-click on your project.
3. Select “Export Project Archive“.
4. Choose your location.
5. Click on “Save”.
6. You’ll get a window to check options for “Media Files”, “Render Cache”, “Proxy Media”, etc. Enable your desired options.

• Click on “Ok“.
• It will save the folder with the extension “.dra” – DaVinci Resolve Archive.

Now you can move this folder – which has the project file, media files, cache files, proxy files, etc, – to another computer and do a restoration.

Resolve will automatically import the “.drp” project and relink the media files, which will save you a lot of time.

Apart from exporting project archives, you can also export only the project without media files.

How to Export a DaVinci Resolve Project?

• Go to “File” > “Export Project” (the shortcut for export project is “Ctrl + E” or “Cmd + E”).
• Choose your desired location.
• Click on “Save“.
• It will save the project file as a “.drp” extension – which means “DaVinci Resolve Project” file.
• If you’re in the “Project Manager” window, then right-click on your desired project.
• Then click on “Export“. (And follow the same steps as above.)

The “.drp” file doesn’t include your source media files. The size of a .drp file will be comparatively less compared to your huge media files, say around a few MBs for a large project and less than 1 MB for a small project.

If you are sure you just need to share the drp file with a colorist, and he/she has media files, then it’s a matter of importing the project file (.drp) and relinking the media clips in the timeline.

Below is a normal video render (export) from DaVinci Resolve.

How to Export DaVinci Resolve as Video?

1. Click on the “Deliver” page (rocket icon located at the bottom).
2. Click on the “Custom Export” under “Render Settings”.
3. Under the “Video” tab, make sure “Export Video” is checked.
4. Select your format, say, “MP4” from the “Format” dropdown.
5. Select “H.265” from the “Codec” dropdown (H.264 is also fine. For more info, scroll down.)
6. Choose your required “Resolution“, say, “3840 x 2160 UHD”. (This is the max resolution in DaVinci Resolve free version.)
7. Choose your “Frame Rate“, say, “23.976”.
8. Set “Quality” to > “Restrict to” > 48000 Kb/s (2000 times the frame rate for a 4K UHD H.265 export.)
9. Let the “Encoding Profile” be “Main”.
10. Click on “Add to render queue”.
11. Click on “Render All” to start the exporting process (found on the right hand side under “Render Queue”).

If you have an option for selecting “Constant Bit Rate”, select it. Otherwise, you might not get the expected bit rate.

For the Studio (paid) users, you can speed up your render (or export) time with the help of the “Encoder” option set to “Nvidia” or “AMD” based on your GPU. Unfortunately, the free version doesn’t have hardware acceleration for encoding.

I highly recommend the below detailed guide on the best export settings for your video in DaVinci Resolve:

DaVinci Resolve Export Mp4 ( +BEST Render Settings!)

There will be situations when you might need to export a single timeline and take it to other computers. If you want a particular timeline and its related assets that you want to be copied, then:

How to Export DaVinci Resolve Timeline?

1. Go to “File” > “Export” > Select “Timeline“.
2. (Make sure you are already in the desired timeline before exporting).
3. Choose your folder location.
4. Click on “Save”.
5. It will save the file with the “.drt” (DaVinci Resolve Timeline) extension.

If you want to export multiple timelines, then:

• Go to “File” > “Media Management“.
• Click on the “Timeline” tab.
• Select your desired timelines.

• Choose your destination folder.
• Make sure you are under the “Copy” tab (instead of Transcode)
• Then click on “Start“.
• All the selected timelines will be copied as “.drt” files along with the media files.

Before You Go

Apart from the regular export features in Davinci Resolve (as covered above), there is a “Quick Export” feature as well – a time saver! I highly recommend the below detailed guide and save your valuable time.

Quick Export in DaVinci Resolve (+ Shortcut & Useful Tips)