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Splitting clips is a fundamental skill in video editing, and DaVinci Resolve makes it a breeze. Whether you're breaking down a lengthy interview into sound bites or applying an effect to just part of a clip, knowing how to split clips in DaVinci Resolve is crucial. In this guide, I'll walk you through the process, step by step.
DaVinci Resolve 21 went stable on June 3, 2026, and it's worth knowing upfront that every method covered in this guide, the Blade tool, the Ctrl+B shortcut, and the Cut page's dedicated Split button, works identically in Resolve 21. The update's major changes, a new Photo page, IntelliSearch, CineFocus, and an expanded AI toolset, focus on entirely different parts of the software rather than changing how splitting and trimming actually work. If you've just upgraded and are wondering whether your existing muscle memory for these shortcuts still applies, it does.
First things first, let's talk about how to split a single clip. After importing your media and placing a clip on your timeline, select the Blade tool (or press the keyboard shortcut B) to split a clip at the desired spot. Alternatively, you can use Timeline > Split Clip or the shortcut Command or Ctrl+\ or Cmd+\ or Ctrl+B or Cmd+B.
What's great about this is that you can blade or split a clip while playing back your project on the timeline. After splitting, you'll see your clip has been divided. You can now move one half to another part of your project or simply delete it, depending on your goal for splitting the clip in the first place.
The Blade tool is a quintessential instrument in the DaVinci Resolve toolkit. It allows editors to make precise cuts in their clips, facilitating the creation of dynamic and engaging videos.
Harnessing the Power of the Blade Tool:
Insight: The Blade tool is especially useful when you want to isolate specific sections of a clip for effects, transitions, or simply to remove unwanted parts.
Now, how about splitting multiple video and audio clips on different tracks at the same time? With clips stacked on top of each other, select both clips that you want to split. Note: If the track selector is turned on for each track you want to split, you don't have to select the clips.
Then, move the playhead to the place where you want to make multiple changes, and press Command or Control + \, or go to Timeline > Split Clip. All of the video and audio clips you selected should be split now. This feature is especially handy if you want to create a part one or two of a longer video project. It saves you time instead of splitting each one individually.
On the other hand, if you decide later on that you didn't need to split a clip, you can rejoin it quickly and easily. Select the edit point between two clips you have split. Go to Timeline > Join Clip or use the keyboard shortcut Option or Alt + \. Alternatively, right-click and select Delete Through Edit. Now the clip will become reattached and return to its original state!
To be honest, I believe that knowing different ways to split clips (and trim) speeds up your workflow a lot. Here are some shortcuts that might as well make your editing process smoother:
In addition to splitting clips, you might want to know about ripple trimming. To ripple trim the start or end of a clip in Resolve, place the timeline playhead where you want the trimming to stop. Then, press the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl + Shift + [ or ]". "Command" is the equivalent key to "Ctrl" for MacBook users.
What's awesome about this method is that you don't have to select the clip nor remove any gaps that are created when deleting part of a clip! This method is like rocket fuel for your workflow.
To reverse a split and merge two segments back into a single clip, right-click the cut point between the two segments and select Join Clips. This works only when the two segments are adjacent with no gap between them and both came from the same original clip. You cannot join two different source clips using this method. If you want to undo a recent split without using Join Clips, press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Cmd+Z on Mac to undo instead.
One of the most common reasons to split a clip is to apply an effect, colour grade, or speed change to only part of a clip rather than the whole thing. Split the clip at the start and end of the section you want to affect, creating a separate segment, then apply the effect or grade to that segment only. The segments on either side remain completely unaffected.
For colour grade isolation using the split workflow, our free LUT collection gives you cinematic grades to apply to individual segments. The Moody Film Shadows LUT and the 22 Free Mega Cinematic LUT Pack both work in DaVinci Resolve. For motion graphics and transitions to apply at split points, our free DaVinci Resolve templates cover transitions, lower thirds, and titles compatible with DaVinci Resolve 17, 18, and 19. For a wider premium template library, Motion Array (2 months free via FreeVisuals) has a dedicated DaVinci Resolve section with thousands of professional assets. Envato Elements is also worth exploring for DaVinci Resolve templates and overlays. For sound effects to pair with transition points, our Free Whoosh SFX Pack is available at no cost. For AI image generation to create thumbnails for your DaVinci Resolve projects, OpenArt AI is worth exploring alongside our free AI image generator guide.
A frequent mistake involves using the Blade tool when a track is locked, resulting in nothing happening and no clear indication why. Checking for the padlock icon in the track header before assuming the tool itself is broken saves genuine troubleshooting time. Another common issue involves splitting a clip and then accidentally deleting the wrong segment, since both halves initially look identical before you've made any further edit. Labeling or color-coding one segment immediately after splitting, especially on a longer timeline, avoids this easy mix-up. Forgetting that a split doesn't remove any frames, it only divides the clip, is a final common misunderstanding, both segments together still contain 100 percent of the original footage until you actually delete or trim one of them.
The Cut page in DaVinci Resolve is designed for fast rough cutting and has a dedicated Split Clip button in the toolbar above the timeline. Click it at any point during playback to split the clip under the playhead at that exact moment without stopping. The Cut page also has a dual-timeline view showing the full sequence at the top and a zoomed-in view at the bottom, making it easier to work precisely at the split point without losing the context of the surrounding edit.
For free DaVinci Resolve templates and assets to use in your edit, our free DaVinci Resolve templates page covers the full collection. For music to cut against during the rough cut stage, Artlist (2 months free via FreeVisuals) and Epidemic Sound are both worth having available from the start of the edit.
Splitting clips is not just a technical operation. It is the foundation of every creative editing decision. The moment you choose to split a clip and how precisely you hit that split point determines the rhythm, pacing, and energy of your edit. A split that is two or three frames early or late changes the feel of a cut entirely, particularly on action sequences, music video edits, and any content where the cut is meant to land on a specific beat or moment in the footage.
Developing the habit of using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+backslash (Windows) or Cmd+backslash (Mac) rather than the Blade tool for most splits is the single most effective technique for improving split point precision. Playing the timeline, hitting the shortcut at the exact moment you want to cut, and then fine-tuning the split point by dragging the edge in trim mode is faster and more accurate than pausing, switching tools, and clicking a specific frame. For premium DaVinci Resolve plugins and tools that enhance the editing workflow, Motion Array (2 months free) and AEJuice (10% off via FreeVisuals) are both worth exploring.
Press Ctrl+backslash on Windows or Cmd+backslash on Mac to split the clip at the current playhead position without switching tools. Press B to activate the Blade tool for click-to-cut at any position on the timeline.
Hold Alt while clicking with the Blade tool. This restricts the cut to only the clip your cursor is directly on and does not affect clips on other tracks at the same position.
Yes. Press Ctrl+backslash on Windows or Cmd+backslash on Mac during playback to split the clip at the current playhead position without stopping. This is useful for marking cut points in real time while watching footage at normal speed.
Right-click the cut point between the two adjacent segments that came from the same original clip and select Join Clips. Both segments must be from the same source clip and must be adjacent with no gap between them for Join Clips to work.
Check that the track is not locked. A locked track appears with a padlock icon in the track header on the left side of the timeline. Click the padlock to unlock the track before attempting to split clips on it.
No, the Blade tool, the Ctrl+\ shortcut, and the Cut page Split button all work exactly the same in Resolve 21 as in previous versions. Resolve 21's major changes are in entirely different areas, the new Photo page and expanded AI toolset specifically.
The Blade tool lets you click directly on any frame to cut it without moving your playhead first, while Ctrl+\ splits exactly at your current playhead position, including while the timeline is playing.
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