How I Lost All My DaVinci Resolve Projects – and How You Can Save Yours

I’m still learning DaVinci Resolve. Recently, I made a mistake that destroyed all my existing projects. Here’s what I did, and here’s what I learned.

Final Cut stores all its edits and, at your option, media inside a library file.

There is one library for each project, though that project can contain multiple timelines. When you backup, you are backing up this file; plus media, if not stored inside the library.

Premiere stores all its edits, but not media, inside a project file.

There is just one project file, though that project can contain multiple timelines. Unlike Final Cut, Premiere project files don’t store media inside them. Media is stored separately. When you backup you are backing up this file, plus all media.

Resolve doesn’t store files by project. Instead, it stores everything inside a folder which YOU create when you first install Resolve. And, if you are a new user like me, you don’t have a clue what you are doing, where you should store it, or what you should call it.

Specifically, there’s no stand-alone “Resolve Project” file that you can see, find, click, or backup. In other words, you don’t realize just how critically important this folder is.

NOTE: Nope, media is not stored in this folder. Like Premiere, media is stored separately.

BACKGROUND

When I first started Resolve, it displayed a dialog asking me to create a folder for cache files; or something innocuous like that. So, I created a folder called “Fred” and stored it somewhere. I don’t remember where. I was just playing with the app as I learned it.

Later, when I was cleaning up a flock of files, I stumbled over this Fred folder and deleted it. With no disrespect to all the “Freds” out there, how important could a folder called “Fred” actually be?

The answer? CRITICALLY IMPORTANT!

Because, the next time I opened Resolve, ALL my existing projects – which included two webinar edits – were gone.

Sigh…

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

First, if you find yourself in this same condition – don’t panic. (Yeah, I panicked.)

The good news – and I didn’t learn this until I started writing this article – is that by default Resolve stores all project backups in: [ Home Directory ] > Movies > Resolve Project Backups.

The bad news is that these files are incomprehensibly labeled! You can’t open a backup simply by double-clicking it – which you can do for backups created by either Final Cut or Premiere.

To recover a backup, open Resolve and display the Project Manager page (shortcut: Shift + 1).

Right-click anywhere in the gray area of this window – not on a project icon –  and select Other Project Backups.

This displays a list – fortunately in human-readable form! – of all backups. To restore the two webinars I accidentally deleted, I selected each one, choosing the one with the most recent time stamp, then click Load. After a few seconds, the backup is restored in ready-to-edit form. Whew!

NOTE: You can only restore one backup at a time.

Restored. All well better.

CREATE THE RIGHT LIBRARY IN THE RIGHT PLACE

I’ve read the first 100 pages of the Resolve Help .PDF, including all of Chapter 3, and there’s nothing covering why this master project library exists or where to create this project library in a way that a new user could understand.

So, based on my experience, here’s what you need to know.

• You must create at least one project library folder for Resolve to use.
• This folder will last as long as you use Resolve. NEVER! delete it, unless, by intent, you want to trash all existing projects and start fresh. (Which I did as I was figuring this out.)
• While you can store this folder anywhere, I recommend storing it on your fastest drive that is permanently attached to your system. Resolve will continually need to access this folder for all projects.
• Yes, you can put it on your internal drive, but I generally use fast external storage for all media and projects.
• Name this something that reminds you not to delete it. I settled on Resolve Library. Obvious, but that was the point.
• Feel free to browse the contents, but DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING!

Here’s what’s in mine.

CREATE ARCHIVES THE RIGHT WAY

Again, unlike Final Cut or Premiere, there’s no project or library file you can backup. It’s all stored – like Topsy – in this Resolve Library folder. (Remember, this is a folder name that I created. You can call yours anything you want.)

By default, Resolve creates backups every 20 minutes. You can adjust this in User preferences. And, as the lower red arrow indicates, they are stored in your Movies folder.

But backups don’t include media, just the edit instructions.

To create an archive of your project, which includes all media, edit instructions, effects, titles… the works; go back to the Project Manager page.

Right-click the project you want to archive and choose: Export Project Archive.

NOTE: To restore from an archive, choose the option just above this: Restore Project Archive.

In the resulting dialog, give this a name. The extension .DRA indicates it is a project archive, which includes all media.

It is these archives that need to be backed up.

DELETE A PROJECT

Once you’ve created an Archive – and verified that it is large and has a .DRA extension – you can delete a project out of Resolve.

To do this, right-click the project icon in the Project Manager page that you want to delete and choose Delete. (I almost never use keyboard shortcuts to delete projects. I’m way too likely to move too quickly and delete the wrong thing.)

In this dialog, determine what you want to archive. I tend to just select Media to save space. But, if you have extensive Fusion work, you might want to also archive renders. There’s no real reason to archive proxy files because you can recreate them in Resolve.

COOL OTHER STUFF TO KNOW

Resolve is designed to store lots of projects without taking up excess RAM. So, don’t feel you need to delete a project once you’ve created half a dozen or so. Resolve can easily handle dozens of projects without tying up excess RAM.

• Projects can be stored individually or in folders in the Project Manager page.
• You can create more than one Project Library. The Project Libraries sidebar lets you manage the projects found within this project library, which are saved to a specific directory on your system.
• The Resolve Helps files state: “For example, you might create one project library each for each year in which you work. If you work on series television, you could create multiple project libraries for each program you work on. Or, you could create separate project libraries for each client you do work for. There’s no hard and fast rule; ultimately how you use project libraries is entirely up to you and your individual organizational preferences.”
• If you create more the one project library, you can move projects from one library to another. (Page 77 of the Help files explain how.)
• You can only have one project library open at a time.

NOTE: Chapter 3 in the Resolve Help files goes into detail on project library management.

SUMMARY

The KEY!! thing you need to remember is that creating, naming and storing the initial project library is very important. It needs to be located on a fast device that is permanently connected to your computer and should not be deleted.

Then, if you follow my guidelines, you’ll never need to think about it again.