How to Choose an Audio Track in DaVinci Resolve (Step-by-Step)

DaVinci Resolve gives you a lot of control over audio, but that flexibility can be confusing when you open a project and find multiple audio tracks stacked in your timeline. Whether you recorded backup audio, imported a stereo clip with only one active channel, or just want to make sure the right track ends up in your export, this guide covers exactly what you need to do.

Why DaVinci Resolve Shows Multiple Audio Tracks

Multiple audio tracks in a project are completely normal. They show up for a variety of reasons, and knowing which one applies to your situation helps you choose the right fix.

Common reasons you might see multiple audio tracks:

• Camera audio plus an external mic recording imported as separate clips

• Voiceover and background music on separate tracks for mixing flexibility

• Left and right channel splits from a dual-channel camera recording (e.g., one channel from a lavalier mic, one from a backup)

• Dual-track backup recording from wireless mic systems such as the Hollyland LARK MAX 2, which records a 32-bit Float backup track alongside the primary feed, resulting in two distinct audio tracks in your timeline

• Multiple takes or scratch audio left over from rough cuts

Choosing an Audio Track in the Edit or Cut Page Timeline

This is the most common scenario: you have two or more audio tracks in your timeline and need to decide which one plays and which one stays out of your final export.

Here is the general workflow:

1. Open your project on the Edit page or Cut page.

2. Look at the track header area on the left side of the timeline. Each audio track (A1, A2, etc.) has its own row.

   

3. Identify which track contains the audio you want to keep.

4. Use the mute or disable controls (covered below) to silence or exclude the tracks you do not need.

   

Note: Muting a track silences it during playback but keeps it in the project. Disabling a track removes it from both playback and export. These are two different actions with different outcomes.

How to Mute or Solo a Specific Audio Track

Use mute and solo when you are still deciding which track to use, or when you want to quickly compare tracks during review.

To mute a track:

1. Find the speaker icon in the track header on the left side of the timeline.

2. Click the speaker icon to mute that track. The icon will grey out or change color to indicate the track is muted.

   

3. Repeat for any other tracks you want to silence.

To solo a track:

1. Look for the headphone icon (Solo button) in the same track header area.

2. Click it to isolate that track so only it plays during playback.

   

3. Click it again to turn off solo mode and return to normal playback.

Screenshot placeholder: Edit page timeline showing the track header with mute and solo icons highlighted.

How to Disable an Audio Track (Exclude from Playback and Export)

Disabling a track is the definitive way to exclude it. Once you have decided which track you are keeping, disable the others to make sure they do not accidentally appear in your rendered output.

1. Right-click on the track header (the label area showing A1, A2, etc.).

2. Select “Disable Track” from the context menu to toggle it off.

3. The track will grey out, indicating it is disabled.

   

4. Disabled tracks will not play back and will not be included in your export.

To re-enable a track, right-click the header again and select “Enable Track” to turn it back on.

Choosing the Right Audio Channel During Media Import (Clip Attributes)

Sometimes the issue is not which track you have, but which channel within a clip contains the actual audio signal. This is common with wireless mic recordings where the signal was recorded to only one side of a stereo file.

1. Go to the Media Pool (Media page or the Media Pool panel in the Edit page).

2. Right-click the clip you want to adjust.

3. Select “Clip Attributes” from the context menu.

   

4. Click the Audio tab in the Clip Attributes window.

5. Review the channel layout. You will see options for how each channel maps to the timeline track.

6. To use only the left channel, change the channel format to Mono and assign it to Channel 1 (left), or reassign the right channel if that is where your signal lives.

7. Click OK to confirm.

   

8. Drag the clip into your timeline. It will now use the corrected channel mapping.

Use Clip Attributes when the problem is at the source level and you want to fix it before the clip enters the timeline. Use timeline track controls (mute, disable) when the tracks are already placed and you just want to manage which one plays.

Selecting Which Audio Track to Export in the Deliver Page

Even after muting or disabling tracks in your timeline, it is worth confirming your export settings before rendering. The Deliver page gives you direct control over what audio ends up in the output file.

1. Navigate to the Deliver page (the rocket icon at the bottom of the screen).

2. In the render settings panel on the left, click the Audio tab.

3. Make sure the “Export Audio” checkbox is enabled if you want audio in your output.

4. Choose your audio format (AAC, PCM, etc.) and codec from the dropdown menus.

   

5. Under the track export options,to export a single mixed track, keep the Bus set to Bus 1 (Stereo). To export individual stems, change the dropdown from Bus 1 to All Timeline Tracks or enable the option to render each track separately.

   

6. Click “Add to Render Queue” and then “Render All” when ready.

   

Here is a quick reference for the main Deliver audio options:

If a track was disabled in your timeline, it will not appear in the export regardless of your Deliver settings. Muted tracks are generally excluded from the render as well, but disabling is the more reliable method if you want to be certain.

Quick Note on Audio Track Selection in Fairlight

If you have landed on the Fairlight page, you are in DaVinci Resolve’s dedicated audio workspace. Fairlight uses a patch bay system to route audio signals between tracks, buses, and outputs, which gives you much more precise control over complex multi-track projects such as dialogue, music, and sound effects. For most editors who simply need to choose between two or three tracks, the Edit page methods covered above are faster and more than sufficient. If you are doing deeper audio work, a dedicated Fairlight routing guide will walk you through the patch bay in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can I hear both audio tracks at the same time in DaVinci Resolve?

Both tracks are enabled and unmuted, so DaVinci Resolve plays all active tracks simultaneously. To fix this, click the speaker icon in the track header of the unwanted track to mute it, or right-click the track header and uncheck “Enable Track” to disable it completely and remove it from playback and export.

How do I choose only the left or right channel of an audio clip?

Right-click the clip in the Media Pool and select “Clip Attributes.” Go to the Audio tab and adjust the channel mapping to route only the left or right channel to your timeline track. Change the format to Mono if needed so the signal plays back on both speakers rather than panning to one side.

Will muted tracks be included in my DaVinci Resolve export?

Muted tracks are typically excluded from the final render, but the most reliable approach is to disable tracks you want excluded by right-clicking the track header and toggling off “Enable Track.” Before rendering, also confirm your Deliver page Audio settings to make sure only the intended tracks are included in the output.

How do I switch between two audio tracks recorded from a wireless mic?

If your wireless mic system created a primary and a backup track, first listen to both to identify the better recording. Then use Clip Attributes to select the correct channel on import, or mute and disable the unwanted track directly in your Edit page timeline. Keep the backup track disabled rather than deleted until your project is fully exported.

Conclusion

Managing audio in DaVinci Resolve comes down to three core actions: controlling tracks in the Edit page timeline using mute and disable, correcting channel mapping at the import stage through Clip Attributes, and confirming your export settings on the Deliver page. Getting comfortable with all three removes most of the guesswork in post-production. If you are working with wireless microphones or other field recording setups, capturing clean audio at the source reduces the number of choices you need to make later. For more advanced work, explore our guides on DaVinci Resolve audio mixing and getting started with the Fairlight page.