01
Add the clip and choose a workflow
Use chroma key for a clean screen; use Magic Mask or Fusion for ordinary footage.
DaVinci Resolve guide · 9 min read
How to Remove a Video Background in DaVinci Resolve
Updated August 29, 2026
DaVinci Resolve provides several professional paths: chroma key for controlled screens, Magic Mask for subject tracking, and Fusion for detailed composites. The right choice depends on the source and how much manual control you need.
Magic Mask
3D Keyer
Fusion compositing
Online AI alternative
Step-by-step
Follow the workflow in order
02
Create and track the subject mask
Mark the subject, track forward and backward, then inspect missed areas.
03
Refine the matte
Adjust clean black, clean white, blur radius, and edge behavior where available.
04
Composite or export
Place a new layer under the subject or configure an alpha-capable output format.
Professional control
Resolve is best when the matte needs hands-on correction
A desktop editor gives you tracking, node-based refinement, and shot-specific fixes. That control is valuable for difficult hair, overlapping objects, and color spill, but it takes more setup than a browser workflow.
- Magic Mask for people and objects
- 3D Keyer for green or blue screens
- Fusion for complex masks and composites
- Online removal for fast first passes
What this page resolves
Match the workflow to the real job
Editor interfaces, plan availability, and button names can change. Treat the illustrated screens as orientation, confirm the controls in the current product, and review the export format instead of assuming that every plan preserves transparency.
If the editor does not expose the required remover or alpha export, process the source here first, download transparent WebM, and then bring the result into the editor for captions, timing, design, or final delivery.
Source preparation
Small input changes prevent avoidable edge problems
Use the highest-quality original available instead of a copy downloaded from a social platform. Keep the subject large enough to see, avoid aggressive compression, and prefer even lighting with visual separation between foreground and background.
Preview the beginning, middle, and end before upload. A clip that looks easy in its first frame may contain crossed hands, hair movement, camera cuts, fast rotation, or an object that briefly disappears behind another element.
- Confirm the current app version
- Check plan availability
- Save the original project
- Verify the downloaded format
Verified product limits
Inputs, outputs, credits, and plan limits
The live remover accepts MP4, MOV, and WebM. Transparent mode returns WebM; custom-background mode accepts one JPG, PNG, or WebP image up to 10 MB. A still image is composited behind the isolated foreground—the product does not currently accept a replacement video.
The free trial supports one verified clip up to 5 seconds and 50 MB. Paid plans raise the limit to 60, 180, or 300 seconds and 200 or 500 MB depending on tier. Processing credits are rounded up in five-second blocks, so a 6-second clip uses 10 credits.
- MP4, MOV, or WebM input
- Transparent WebM output
- JPG, PNG, or WebP background
- 5 credits per started 5-second block
Questions
Details worth checking before you export
Can DaVinci Resolve remove a background without green screen?+
Yes. Magic Mask and manual or Fusion-based masking can isolate a subject without a color screen.
Which page should I use: Color or Fusion?+
Color-page Magic Mask is fast for tracked subjects; Fusion provides deeper node-based compositing control.
When is an online tool easier?+
For short clips and straightforward subjects where you want a transparent or image-background result without building a node graph.
How are video background removal credits calculated?+
Credits follow processed duration and round up to the next five-second block. A clip from 1–5 seconds uses 5 credits, 6–10 seconds uses 10 credits, and the same rule continues for longer clips.
What are the current upload limits?+
The verified free trial allows one clip up to 5 seconds and 50 MB. Depending on the paid tier, limits increase to 60, 180, or 300 seconds and 200 or 500 MB. Background images are limited to 10 MB.