Getting audio tracks to stay together in DaVinci Resolve is one of those tasks that sounds simple until you’re mid-edit and clips start drifting. Whether you’re keeping dialogue synced to video, combining dual-mono channels into a stereo track, or grouping multiple tracks for unified mixing control in Fairlight, the solution depends on what “pairing” actually means for your specific situation. This guide covers all three methods so you can get back to editing fast.
What Does “Pairing Audio Tracks” Mean in DaVinci Resolve?
“Pairing audio tracks” means different things depending on where you are in your workflow. Before jumping into steps, identify which situation applies to you:
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Linking clips to video on the timeline — You want an audio clip and a video clip to move together as a single unit when you trim or reposition them. This is the most common issue editors run into. Dual-system audio setups, such as those using a wireless mic like the Hollyland LARK MAX 2 alongside camera audio, frequently produce separate audio files that need to be paired using this method.
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Pairing two mono channels into a stereo track — You have two separate mono audio files (for example, a left-channel lav and a right-channel backup) and want them treated as one stereo track for routing and playback.
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Grouping multiple audio tracks in Fairlight — You want several tracks (dialogue, music, SFX) to share a single fader for mixing control, without necessarily linking their timeline positions.
Find your use case in the list above and jump to the matching method below.
Method 1 — Link Audio Clips to Video Clips on the Timeline
This is the most common scenario: an audio clip and a video clip that should move together are behaving as separate objects on the timeline.
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Select both clips on the Edit or Cut page. Click the video clip, then hold Shift and click the audio clip to select both.
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Right-click either selected clip to open the context menu.
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Choose Link from the menu, then select Link Clips.
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Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+L on Windows / Cmd+Opt+L on Mac.
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Confirm the link by looking for the link indicator on the clip. Linked clips display a small chain icon or show the clip name in a matching color pair, depending on your Resolve version.
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Move or trim one clip. Both the audio and video should now move together as a single unit.
Note: The Link function is different from the Lock function. Locking a track (the padlock icon in the track header) prevents any edits to that entire track. Linking operates at the individual clip level and controls how clips travel together during edits.
How to Unlink and Re-Link Audio in DaVinci Resolve
Sometimes unlinking is intentional, such as when you need to slip an audio clip independently to fix sync. Here is how to unlink and then re-link:
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Select the linked clip (clicking either the audio or video portion selects both).
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Right-click and choose Link, then select Unlink Clips (or press Ctrl+Alt+L / Cmd+Opt+L again — the shortcut toggles the state).
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Make your independent adjustments to the audio or video clip.
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To re-link, select both the audio and video clips again, right-click, and choose Link Clips.
Method 2 — Pair Dual-Mono Tracks into a Stereo Pair
If you recorded two separate mono files that represent a left and right channel (common with dual-system audio or certain recorder outputs), you can merge them into one stereo track using one of two pathways.
Pathway A: Clip Attributes (Clip-Level Pairing)
This method affects how a specific clip’s audio channels are routed. Use it when you want to remap channels within an existing clip before or after placing it on the timeline.
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In the Media Pool or on the timeline, right-click the clip.
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Select Clip Attributes from the context menu.
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Go to the Audio tab.
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Under the channel mapping section, locate the two mono channels (Ch 1 and Ch 2).
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Change the channel format from Mono to Stereo so both channels are assigned to a single stereo pair.
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Click OK. The clip will now behave as a stereo source.
Pathway B: Track Type Setting in Fairlight (Track-Level Pairing)
Use this when you want the track itself to handle stereo audio rather than adjusting individual clips.
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Open the Fairlight page.
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Right-click the track header of the mono track you want to convert.
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Select Change Track Type and choose Stereo.
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Confirm the change. The track will now accept and route stereo audio.
Quick comparison: Clip Attributes pairing changes how channels are read from the source file for that specific clip. Track type pairing changes the track’s routing and affects every clip on that track. For a permanent channel fix at the source level, use Clip Attributes. For a broad track-level change, use Fairlight track settings.
Method 3 — Group Audio Tracks Together in Fairlight
Track grouping in Fairlight is for mixing control, not timeline movement. If you want to adjust the volume of your dialogue, music, and SFX tracks all at once, grouping lets a single fader control all of them simultaneously.
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Open the Fairlight page.
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Click the track header of the first audio track you want to include in the group.
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Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) and click additional track headers to select multiple tracks.
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Right-click any selected track header and choose Add to Group.
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Assign the selected tracks to an existing group or create a new one.
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Use the group bus fader to control the combined level of all assigned tracks.
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Group Type |
What It Does |
|---|---|
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Sub Group |
Routes multiple tracks to a shared bus; you can apply processing (EQ, compression) at the group level |
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VCA Group |
Controls fader levels across assigned tracks without routing audio through a shared bus; useful for remote control of faders while keeping individual signal paths intact |
For most editing workflows, a Sub Group is the practical choice. VCA Groups are more useful in larger mixing sessions where signal routing needs to stay separate.
Common Problems When Pairing Audio Tracks (and Quick Fixes)
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Audio and video unlink after a paste operation — When you paste clips, Resolve sometimes resets link status. After pasting, select both clips and re-apply Link Clips (Ctrl+Alt+L / Cmd+Opt+L).
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Linked clips still drift out of sync — If clips appear linked but audio slides over time, the issue is usually timeline snapping, not true unlinking. Enable snapping (press N in the Edit page) and check that your playhead position is correct before moving clips.
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“Clip is inside a compound clip” error preventing linking — You cannot link individual clips inside a compound clip. Open the compound clip, make your edits inside it, or decompose the compound clip first via Timeline > Decompose in Place.
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Stereo pair not showing correctly after Clip Attributes change — Verify the track type on the destination timeline track matches the clip’s channel format. A stereo clip placed on a mono track will only play one channel. Change the track type in Fairlight or place the clip on a stereo track.
FAQ
Q1: How do I keep audio and video together when moving clips in DaVinci Resolve?
Select both the audio and video clips on the timeline, right-click, and choose Link Clips. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+L on Windows or Cmd+Opt+L on Mac. Once linked, both clips will move, trim, and slip as a single unit whenever you interact with either one.
Q2: Why does my audio separate from video when I cut or move clips?
The clips are unlinked. This can happen after certain paste operations or if unlinking was toggled accidentally. Click to select both the audio and video clips, right-click either one, and choose Link Clips to restore the connection. They will stay together during all subsequent timeline operations.
Q3: Can I pair two mono audio tracks into one stereo track in DaVinci Resolve?
Yes. For clip-level pairing, right-click the clip and go to Clip Attributes, then the Audio tab, and set the channel mapping to stereo. For track-level pairing, right-click the track header in Fairlight and select Change Track Type, then choose Stereo. Use Clip Attributes when the fix needs to apply to a specific clip, and track settings when the change should apply to the entire track.
Q4: What is the difference between linking clips and grouping tracks in DaVinci Resolve?
Linking controls timeline behavior: linked clips move and trim together so audio and video stay in sync during editing. Grouping controls mixing behavior in Fairlight: grouped tracks share fader and routing control during the mix, but their positions on the timeline are not affected. Both features can be used together on the same project.
Q5: How do I sync separate audio recordings to video in DaVinci Resolve?
In the Media Pool, select the camera clip and the external audio clip together. Right-click and choose Auto Sync Audio, then select your sync method (waveform or timecode). Once synced, Resolve locks them together in a synced clip that you can place on the timeline and link like any other paired clip.
Conclusion
The right pairing method depends on your goal. If audio and video are drifting on the timeline, use Method 1 to link clips. If you have two mono channels that belong together, use Method 2 to pair them into a stereo track via Clip Attributes or Fairlight track settings. If you want unified fader control across multiple tracks during mixing, use Method 3 to group them in Fairlight. From here, good next steps include learning audio track naming conventions, exploring Fairlight’s bus routing, or setting up a Sync Bin workflow for dual-system audio projects.
