How to Make Reels on DaVinci Resolve (Step-by-Step)

DaVinci Resolve is a professional-grade editor that handles vertical short-form video exceptionally well once you know how to configure it. The challenge is that it defaults to horizontal formats, so creators new to the software often hit walls at the very first step. This guide walks you through every phase of the workflow, from project setup to final export, so your reel lands on Instagram or TikTok exactly as you intended.

What You Need Before You Start?

Before opening DaVinci Resolve, make sure you have the following ready:

• Recorded footage in any standard format (MP4, MOV, and MXF all work)

• DaVinci Resolve installed — the free version covers every step in this guide; Studio is not required

• Background music or audio assets - if you plan to use them

• A rough idea of your reel’s length — 15 to 60 seconds tends to perform best across platforms

Note: Clean source audio reduces editing time significantly. If you also film your own content, a compact wireless mic like the Hollyland LARK M2 (9g, 40-hour battery, built for vloggers) helps you capture usable dialogue before you ever open an editor.

Step 1 — Create a New Project and Configure Vertical Video Settings

Setting the project correctly at the beginning is where many new users go wrong. In DaVinci Resolve, the default timeline is set to 1920×1080 in a horizontal format. If you begin editing before changing this, your entire edit may need to be rebuilt from scratch.

Set the Resolution to 1080×1920 (9:16)

1. Open DaVinci Resolve and click New Project in the Project Manager or after the welcome screen window.

2. Name your project and click Create.

3. Before importing any footage, go to File → Project Settings (or press Shift + 9).

4. In the Master Settings tab, locate the Timeline Resolution dropdown.

5. Select 1080×1920 from the list, or type the values in manually if the option does not appear.

6. Confirm the Pixel Aspect Ratio is set to Square.

7. Click Save.

Note: Setting the resolution at the project level locks every new timeline to 9:16. If you skip this step and add clips first, you will likely see black bars or incorrect cropping throughout your entire edit.

Choose the Right Frame Rate for Reels

1. In the same Master Settings tab, find the Timeline Frame Rate field.

2. Set it to 30fps for standard social media content. Use 24fps only if you want a cinematic look and your source footage was shot at 24fps.

3. Match the Playback Frame Rate to your timeline frame rate to avoid stuttering during preview.

4. Click Save and close Project Settings.

Step 2 — Import and Organize Your Footage

1. Click the Media Storage tab at the top of the screen to open the Media Page. Or, simply click the Media Page button at the bottom of the interface.

2. Navigate to your footage folder in the left panel and drag your clips into the Media Pool.

3. Right-click inside the Media Pool and select New Bin to create folders. Useful bin names include A-Roll, B-Roll, Music, and SFX.

4. Sort your clips into the appropriate bins so they are easy to locate during the edit.

5. Drag your organized clips from the Media Pool directly onto the timeline, or switch to the Cut Page to use the source viewer for quick assembly.

Note: If playback is slow on your machine, right-click a clip in the Media Pool and select Generate Proxy Media. This creates lower-resolution versions for smoother editing without affecting export quality.

Step 3 — Edit Your Reel on the Cut or Edit Page

This is where the actual assembly happens. DaVinci Resolve offers two main editing environments, and choosing the right one for your skill level saves time.

Use the Cut Page for Fast Assembly

The Cut Page is designed for speed and is the better starting point for beginners or anyone cutting short-form content quickly.

1. Click the Cut tab at the bottom of the screen.

2. Double-click a clip in the Media Pool to load it into the source viewer on the left.

3. Set in and out points using the I and O keys, then click Smart Insert or drag the clip to the timeline.

4. Use the Smart Cut tool to split clips directly on the timeline without switching tools.

5. Drag clip edges to trim length in real time.

Trim and Pace Your Clips for Short-Form Video

Pacing is everything in reels. Most high-performing short-form clips hold individual shots for no longer than 3 to 5 seconds. Viewers on Instagram and TikTok decide within the first two seconds whether to keep watching, so lead with your strongest visual.

On the Edit Page, press B to activate the Blade Tool and cut clips at precise points. Press A to switch back to the Selection tool. To remove a gap between two clips, right-click the empty space and select Ripple Delete to close it automatically.

Add Transitions Without Overdoing It

1. In the Edit Page, open the Effects Library panel and navigate to Toolbox → Video Transitions.

2. Browse the built-in options. Cross Dissolve and Dip to Color are reliable choices for most reels.

3. Drag a transition directly onto the cut point between two clips.

4. Double-click the transition to adjust its duration in the Inspector.

Use transitions sparingly. One or two well-placed transitions per reel is usually more effective than applying them at every cut. To add a speed ramp, right-click a clip on the timeline and select Retime Controls, then drag the speed handles to create slow-motion or fast-motion sections within a single clip.

Step 4 — Add Text, Captions, and On-Screen Graphics

Add Text Overlays Using the Edit Page

1. In the Edit Page, open the Effects Library and go to Toolbox → Titles.

2. Find Text+ in the list and drag it onto the timeline above the video clip where you want the text to appear.

3. A text clip appears on a new track (V2 or higher). Drag its edges to set how long the text stays on screen.

4. Click the text clip to select it, then open the Inspector panel on the right side of the screen.

5. Switch to the Video tab in the Inspector to access the text properties.

Note: Text+ is the standard title tool for the Edit Page. It gives you full control over font, size, position, and color without needing to open the Fusion compositing page.

Style and Position Your Captions

1. In the Inspector, use the font dropdown to select a clean, high-contrast typeface for readability on small screens.

2. Adjust the Size slider. For caption-style lower thirds, a size between 0.06 and 0.10 typically works well within the 9:16 frame.

3. Use the H-Center and V-Center position controls, or drag the text directly in the viewer, to place it precisely.

4. Set the Color to white or yellow and add a dark stroke or drop shadow so the text remains readable over any background.

5. To build a subtitle-style caption track, position the Text+ clip in the lower third of the frame, then duplicate it along the timeline for each new line of dialogue and update the text in the Inspector.

Step 5 — Set Up and Mix Audio for Your Reel

Clear audio often decides if a reel gets watched or skipped right away.

Add and Balance Background Music

1. Drag your background music file from the Media Pool onto the A2 audio track on the timeline. Keep dialogue or voiceover on A1 so the tracks remain separate.

2. Click on the music clip and open the Inspector. Use the Volume slider to lower the music level beneath any spoken audio.

3. A reliable rule of thumb: set dialogue and voiceover at -12 to -6 dBFS and duck background music to -20 to -18 dBFS whenever speech is present.

4. To automate volume changes, hold Alt and click on the audio clip’s volume line to place keyframe points, then drag the line down during spoken sections.

Clean Up Voiceover or Dialogue Audio in Fairlight

1. Click the Fairlight tab at the bottom of the screen.

2. Select the dialogue track, then click Effects in the mixer panel.

3. Add the Noise Reduction plugin to the track.

4. Adjust the Threshold knobs to reduce background noise without making the voice sound artificial. Also, try adjusting Sensitivity and Dry/Wet knobs to control the intensity of effects. Do it until you’re satisfied with the noise reduction.

5. Play back the full reel at normal volume before exporting to catch any remaining imbalances.

Starting with clean source audio makes steps 3 and 4 significantly faster. For creators who also record their own footage, a compact wireless mic like the Hollyland LARK M2 (9g, 40-hour battery) captures clear dialogue even in noisy environments, which means less noise removal work in Fairlight. For active or outdoor shoots, the LARK M2S adds a titanium clip for a more stable attachment.

Step 6 — Color Grade Your Reel (Quick Method)

You do not need advanced color skills to make reels look clean. A quick color adjustment in DaVinci Resolve usually takes about five minutes. It still gives your reel a more balanced and consistent look.

1. Click the Color tab at the bottom of the screen.

2. Select the first clip in your timeline and check the Waveform and Parade scopes to assess exposure.

3. In the Color Wheels panel, use Lift to adjust shadows, Gamma to adjust midtones, and Gain to adjust highlights until the image looks balanced.

4. If your footage was shot in a flat or log profile, right-click the node in the node graph and select LUT → Apply LUT to apply a technical correction first.

5. To apply a free stylistic LUT (.cube file), drag it into the LUT folder in your DaVinci Resolve directory, restart Resolve, then apply it through the LUTs panel on the Color Page.

6. Once you are happy with one clip, right-click it, select Grab Still, then right-click the still and choose Apply Grade to All Clips for a consistent look across the entire reel.

Always color grade before export, not after rendering, to keep the grade embedded in the final file.

Step 7 — Export Your Reel for Instagram and TikTok

The Deliver Page is where many creators lose time by guessing at settings or using a preset that outputs the wrong dimensions. Follow these steps precisely.

Deliver Page Settings for Instagram Reels

1. Click the Deliver tab at the bottom of the screen.

2. In the top-left panel, select Custom Export rather than any pre-built preset, which often defaults to horizontal dimensions.

3. Name your file and choose an output folder.

4. Under the Video tab, set the following:

• Format: MP4

• Codec: H.264

• Resolution: 1080×1920 (double-check this before proceeding)

• Frame Rate: match your timeline setting (30fps or 24fps)

• Quality: set Restrict to and enter a target bitrate between 8,000 and 16,000 kbps

5. Under the Audio tab, set the following:

• Codec: AAC

• Sample Rate: 48,000 Hz

• Channels: Stereo

6. Click Add to Render Queue, then start rendering.

Deliver Page Settings for TikTok

Platform Export Settings at a Glance:

After rendering, test-upload your reel and preview it on your phone before publishing. If it appears stretched or letter-boxed, return to File → Project Settings, confirm the resolution is set to 1080×1920 rather than 1920×1080, and re-export.

FAQs 

Can I make reels in the free version of DaVinci Resolve?

Yes. The majority of the steps in this guide works in the free version. You do not need DaVinci Resolve Studio for basic-to-intermediate Reels editing. The free version includes the Cut Page, Edit Page, Color Page, Fairlight audio tools, and the Deliver Page with full H.264 MP4 export at 1080×1920.

Why does my exported reel look stretched or cropped on Instagram?

This almost always happens because the timeline resolution was not set to 1080×1920 before editing, or because the export defaulted to a horizontal resolution. Go to File → Project Settings, confirm the resolution reads 1080×1920, and re-export from the Deliver Page.

How do I add music without copyright issues?

Use royalty-free music libraries. Reliable options include Epidemic Sound, Artlist, and the YouTube Audio Library (which is free). Always check the license terms for the specific platform you are uploading to, since rights for Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube can differ.

Can I add subtitles automatically in DaVinci Resolve?

Yes. DaVinci Resolve 21 includes a built-in AI auto-caption feature. In the Edit Page, go to Timeline → Create Subtitles from Audio. Resolve transcribes your audio and generates editable caption clips that you can style and position directly on the timeline.

Conclusion

From starting a new project to exporting the final reel, these seven steps cover the full editing process in DaVinci Resolve. You can set the right frame size, add captions, and place effects without a sweat. After completing the process once, the same workflow feels simple every time.