Recover DaVinci Resolve Deleted Projects (Crashed? 2023)

What is a DaVinci Resolve “Project.db” Database File?

“Project.db” is a DaVinci Resolve project library database file which contains your project’s post production works like your timelines, edits, markers, etc,. Each project that you work on will have its own project.db file.

(Read this post to quickly locate your project.db file.)

If you’re unable to load your current project because of a crash, then the best way is to restore your project.db file.

If your hard disk crashes or you accidentally delete your project folders that contain the project.db file, then follow the below steps.

How to Recover DaVinci Resolve Deleted Projects?

• Recover lost data using data recovery software like EaseUS, Recuva, etc,.
• Go to EaseUs – data recovery software.
• Hover over “Data Recovery” and select your OS.
• Click on “Data Recovery Wizard Free” or Pro and download.
• Install the software. Launch it.

• Select your location (the location where the project.db might live).
• Then start “Scan“. It might take some time.

• After the scanning is done, search for your file in the search box.
• It should display your lost file.

• Click on “Recover” and select your desired location.
• You got your file back!

• Sometimes the file might be named – “Project.db.202007260124”.
• Remove the numbers after .db (those numbers represent the year, date, and time)
• Make it into “Project.db”

So now your project.db file is “recovered“.

The next step is…

How to Restore Recovered Project File into DaVinci Resolve?

• Place the project.db file in your default database location, inside a new folder (which should be renamed to your project name).

• For Windows, create a new folder inside “C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve\Support\Resolve Disk Database\Resolve Projects\Users\guest\Projects” and save the file over there.
• For MacOS, create a new folder inside “Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Blackmagic Design/DaVinci Resolve/Resolve Disk Database/Resolve Projects/Users/guest/Projects” and save the file over there.
• Launch DaVinci Resolve and access the newly created project from the project manager.

DaVinci Resolve 18.5:

DaVinci Resolve 17:

• If your project is not displayed, then right-click and “Refresh“.
• The Project Manager should display your recovered project.

If, for some reason, the project folder is still not displayed, then try to create a new database and place the db file over there.

How to Recover DaVinci Resolve Corrupted Project File?

If Resolve crashes when you try to open the recovered project, then the project file could be CORRUPTED!

In those extreme cases, head over to the Blackmagic forum and upload your project.db file in the required thread (they might ask you to upload in Dropbox and then share the link).

Certain users were able to sort out their corrupted project.db files. Others couldn’t.

The BlackMagic Design support engineer should be able to help you out (most probably they get your corrupted project.db file and return your project.drp file which you then can import into Resolve).

Restoring Project Backups in DaVinci Resolve

Recovering a project is different from restoring a project. You recover a project when it’s crashed, unknowingly deleted, or unsaved.

Restoring is putting the project back into Resolve from a saved backup.

Taking regular project backups is the best solution. Resolve offers live save and regular project backups to secure your precious work.

Read the below article to know more:

Tips to Save Your Precious Work in DaVinci Resolve (IMPORTANT!)