DaVinci Resolve handles audio and video in ways that can catch editors off guard, especially if you’re coming from Premiere Pro or iMovie. “Separating tracks” is one of those tasks that sounds simple until you realize it can mean three completely different things depending on your situation. This guide breaks down each method clearly so you can get straight to the one that solves your problem.
What “Separating Tracks” Means in DaVinci Resolve
Before diving into steps, it helps to confirm which problem you’re actually trying to solve. In DaVinci Resolve, “separating tracks” refers to at least three distinct workflows, and picking the wrong one wastes time.
|
Scenario |
What You’re Trying to Do |
Method to Use |
|---|---|---|
|
Audio and video move together when you drag or trim |
Edit them independently without affecting each other |
Method 1: Unlink Audio from Video |
|
A single clip has two mic feeds or stereo channels you need as separate audio tracks |
Split L/R channels into individual mono track lanes |
Method 2: Separate Stereo/Dual-Channel Audio |
|
You want to move audio or video to its own timeline lane for organization or effects |
Isolate a clip onto a dedicated track above or below |
Method 3: Move Clip to a Separate Timeline Track |
Identify your scenario above, then jump to the matching method.
Method 1 — Unlink Audio from a Video Clip
This is the most common request. By default, DaVinci Resolve links audio and video within a clip so they move together. Unlinking lets you trim, delete, or reposition either component without touching the other.
Steps:
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Open your project on the Edit page.
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Right-click the clip in the timeline.
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Select Unlink Clips from the context menu. The audio and video portions will now have separate selection handles.
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Click the video portion to select and move only the video. Click the audio portion to work with only the audio.
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To re-link the clip, select both the audio and video portions (click one, then Shift+click the other), right-click, and choose Link Clips.
Alternate: Alt/Option+Click Shortcut
If you need to temporarily select just the audio or video without permanently unlinking, hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and click either the audio or video portion of a linked clip. This lets you make a one-off selection without changing the clip’s link state.
Timeline-Wide Link Toggle
At the top of the timeline, there is a chain-link icon labeled Linked Selection. Toggling this off globally allows you to select audio and video independently across all clips. This is useful for a quick editing session but is easy to forget about, so toggle it back on when you’re done.
Pro Tip: Use Alt/Option+click for quick, isolated adjustments. Use right-click → Unlink Clips when you need the clip permanently separated throughout your session, especially before doing detailed audio editing.
Method 2 — Separate Stereo or Dual-Channel Audio into Individual Tracks
This method applies when a single clip contains two distinct audio feeds recorded to the left and right channels. A common example is a dual-transmitter wireless microphone system, such as the Hollyland LARK MAX 2, which records two speakers simultaneously onto separate L/R channels of a single audio file. To edit or mix each feed independently, you need to split them into discrete mono tracks.
Steps:
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On the Edit page, right-click the clip in the timeline (or in the Media Pool).
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Select Clip Attributes.
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Navigate to the Audio tab.
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In the channel mapping section, change the format from Mono to Stereo. You will see individual channel options appear for Channel 1 (Left) and Channel 2 (Right).
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Click OK to confirm.
Note: If you need more advanced channel routing, such as routing individual mono feeds to sub-mixes or applying per-channel processing across many tracks, the Fairlight page gives you a full-featured audio console view. For most dual-mic separation tasks, the Edit page workflow above is sufficient.
Method 3 — Move a Clip onto a Separate Timeline Track
Sometimes the goal is not unlinking or splitting channels but simply placing audio or video onto its own dedicated timeline lane. This keeps your edit organized and allows you to apply track-level effects, volume automation, or muting without affecting other clips.
Steps:
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On the Edit page, hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and click the audio portion of a clip. This selects the audio independently from the linked video.
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Drag the selected audio downward (or upward) to an empty track lane.
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If no empty track exists, right-click in the track header area on the left side of the timeline and select Add Track. Choose the track type (Mono, Stereo, or 5.1) that matches your audio.
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Drop the audio onto the new track lane. The video remains on its original track.
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To prevent accidental edits to other tracks while working, click the lock icon in the track header of any track you want to protect.
Common Issues and How to Fix Them
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Problem: Clips re-link after pressing Undo. Undo reverses the unlink operation along with any edits. If you need to undo an edit without restoring the link, re-apply Unlink Clips after undoing.
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Problem: Audio snaps back into sync when I drag it. Check the Linked Selection toggle at the top of the timeline. If it is enabled globally, clips will behave as linked even after you unlink individual clips in some situations. Disable the toggle before dragging.
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Problem: Channel mapping in Clip Attributes is greyed out. This sometimes occurs when the clip is actively being used on the timeline in certain Resolve versions. Remove the clip from the timeline temporarily, adjust the channel mapping in the Media Pool, then re-add it.
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Problem: I lost sync between audio and video after unlinking. Resolve does not automatically maintain a sync reference once clips are unlinked. Before unlinking, note the exact in-point of both the audio and video, or use the Timeline > Sync Clips option if you have matching timecode or waveform data available.
FAQ
Can I separate tracks in DaVinci Resolve Free?
Yes. All three methods described in this article work in the free version of DaVinci Resolve. Unlinking clips, editing channel attributes, and rearranging timeline tracks are all available without a Studio license. You do not need to upgrade to access these core editing features.
How do I separate audio and video permanently so they never re-link?
Right-click the clip and select Unlink Clips. This unlink is persistent for that clip unless you manually select both components and choose Link Clips, or use Edit → Undo immediately after unlinking. Closing and reopening the project will not restore the link.
Where is the best place to manage separate audio tracks: Edit page or Fairlight?
The Edit page handles most separation and lane management tasks cleanly. Move to the Fairlight page when your project requires per-track EQ, compression, sub-mixing, or routing audio across a large number of tracks with fine-grained control. For the workflows in this article, the Edit page is the right starting point.
Conclusion
If audio and video are moving together when you need them apart, use Method 1. If you’re splitting a dual-mic or stereo recording into separate feeds, use Method 2. If you need clips on their own timeline lanes for organization or effects, use Method 3. Once your tracks are separated, the natural next step is learning how to balance and mix them effectively. Consider exploring audio mixing in DaVinci Resolve or noise reduction in Fairlight to get cleaner results from your separated tracks.
