So, you are ready to start your DaVinci journey! Welcome to the family. DaVinci Resolve is an incredible post-production tool and the only one that combines editing, color grade, visual effects, motion graphics, and audio all in one tool. Talk about your one-stop shop. If this sounds like your dream come true, it was for me too. Today I will show you how to download DaVinci Resolve to help you start your filmmaking journey.

How To Download DaVinci Resolve

Key Features

Pages

Something I absolutely love about DaVinci Resolve is its use of pages. In other software, you have your audio, color grade, visual effects, editing, and motion graphics all on one page and all on the same project. But DaVinci makes this super easy by creating separate pages on the bottom of the software, which will change the layout of your page depending on which feature you’re on. This is incredibly helpful so you don’t have to spend time creating your different “workspaces.” All of your settings, presets, and tools are right at your fingertips in an organized way. 

Compatibility 

If you are used to using programs like Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects, DaVinci Resolve has a very similar layout. I understand that it’s hard to move over to a new interface just because of the hotkeys and learning curve alone. But with DaVinci, it is already built to look very similar, so the learning curve is much smaller. 

Presets

If you are worried that this software is insanely complicated because it’s used often in the industry, don’t worry! DaVinci has so many presets built in for you, from color to export, that will be exactly what you need if you are just getting started. The beauty of this software is that anyone can use it. If you want to get more advanced in color grading and upload your own LUTs, you can do that too! The possibilities are endless. 

Help

While this isn’t a key feature, it is important to note that the Blackmagic Forum is insane. I have never had a problem getting my questions answered or even finding answers. There are a lot of people using this program, so you are bound to run into the same issue as someone else out there. Which is great because that means help is right around the corner!

Updates

Again, not an essential feature, but Blackmagic is updating its software all the time. This is absolutely amazing because they aren’t only fixing bugs, but they are always adding tools to make people’s lives easier. I do think that Blackmagic is ahead of the game when it comes to adapting to the sheer amount of content that people are putting out. They understand that for creators to have this kind of output, there must be tools out there to make their lives easier. Thankfully Blackmagic is really great about that, and your software bugs only stay there for a short time! So when the time comes, make sure you are updating your software. 

DaVinci Resolve (Free) or DaVinci Resolve (Studio)?

Which one do you choose? This question has plagued many, so you’re not alone. The answer is it depends. When I first downloaded DaVinci, I had already been working on color grading in other programs, so I was familiar with their limitations. I knew that DaVinci was the way to go, but some of the key features I needed in color grading only existed in the studio version. I was also aware that, eventually, I would end up editing in DaVinci and using their entire suite for a full post-production project. Therefore, it made the most sense to me to buy the studio version. 

Also, can we just take a second and PRAISE Blackmagic for not having a subscription model?! No fluctuating prices, random price jumps, no monthly bills that make your eyes bleed. Let’s face it, unless you’re BIG time, it’s rare to get enough work consistently to pay for all of the subscriptions you have to have. It’s lunacy. Anyway, this is one of the greatest reasons to buy this product. Blackmagic makes their products so affordable as well as their free version is simply incredible. So well done, you guys. The masses absolutely love you! 

If you are just getting started in any sort of post-production, and the studio version may be a little expensive, that is totally fine! Blackmagic has made the DaVinci free version amazing. It has a ton of different tools that you can use and might be the only thing you need for your project! Unless you know you will need the studio version over time, it is fine (and I recommend it) to start with the free version. They don’t neglect to update it, trust me.

Without further adieu, as I know you don’t need convincing to download this software, let’s get into it!

Pro Tip

When you are downloading, you will be asked if you want to download the Public Beta version or the regular version of the free or Studio software. Normally I would shy away from public beta versions of other software, but to echo the sentiments above, they are really good at updating things. So I have never had a problem using any of the public beta downloads. If there were minor bugs, they get fixed pronto. Either way, you decide what’s best for you. 

How To Download DaVinci Resolve (Free)

  1. The fastest way is to head to the DaVinci section of Blackmagic
  2. Click on DaVinci Resolve (It won’t say “free” next to it. As long as it doesn’t say “Studio,” you have the right one.)
Download DaVinci Resolve 1
  1. Select if you want the public beta version or the regular version
Download DaVinci Resolve 2
  1. Select your computer model (Mac, Windows, Linux)
  2. From here, you’re going to fill out this entire page and select Register and Download. 

(Feel free to skip the boxes that say “Tell us how you use this Blackmagic Product” and “Which features should we add?” Unless you like providing feedback, then off you go.)

Download DaVinci Resolve 3
  1. Open up the Zip folder once it’s downloaded, and click on the .dmg file
  2. Select Install Resolve
  3. Once installed, open up DaVinci Resolve!

How To Download DaVinci Resolve (Studio)

Just a quick note: I already downloaded this years ago, so the steps might not be exact (as I won’t be purchasing Resolve for the sake of this tutorial), but they should be similar. 

  1. The fastest way is to head to the DaVinci section of Blackmagic
  2. You are brought to the checkout page, and please read this carefully
Download DaVinci Resolve 4

(PLEASE save your activation key and serial number. WRITE IT DOWN IN MULTIPLE PLACES. You need your activation key for updates, and if you lose it, there is no way of retrieving it since Blackmagic doesn’t store any of that information. You don’t want to have to purchase this again.)

  1. Select the credit card icon or the PayPal icon and complete your purchase. 
  2. Your activation key will now be sent to you via email. 
  3. From there, there should be a link in your email that will bring you to this page
Download DaVinci Resolve 5
  1. Fill out the entire page as well as the serial number section. Then select register and download. 
  2. Open up the Zip folder once it’s downloaded, and click on the .dmg file
  3. Select Install Resolve
  4. Once installed, open up DaVinci Resolve!

Conclusion

It’s pretty simple, right? I love that you don’t have to jump through hoops to have access to such incredible software. Let us know in the comments what your one-stop shop program is! We’d love to hear it. I hope you enjoy your journey with DaVinci Resolve and happy filmmaking!

Read More DaVinci Resolve Guides and Tutorials:

Courtney Birk is a Los Angeles-based actress, colorist, and multi-media artist. She’s never quite satisfied with having enough artistic outlets – so she’s usually painting, singing, and collaborating with her best friend to find creative ways for new storytelling. Her passion for the arts has driven her to work in many different mediums, including music, fine art, theater and film production.