Blackmagic Design has launched the public beta for DaVinci Resolve 20, and folks… it’s a big one. This massive update to the video editing software adds more than 100 new features, and it’s available right now for folks using Windows, macOS, and Linux. And yes, there is even a Windows ARM version too!
This time around, the company is leaning into artificial intelligence pretty hard. After all, AI is all the rage these days — it must be crammed in. All joking aside, the AI functionality actually seems useful. In other words, it shockingly doesn’t seem to be a gimmick.
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One really cool tool, called IntelliScript, builds timelines by matching your media to a written script. There’s also Multicam SmartSwitch, which can figure out who’s talking and cut between cameras automatically. Subtitles can now animate word by word with a new AI-powered subtitle tool, and Audio Assistant can pull together a full mix with barely any effort.
The voiceover palette has been updated as too. You can now record narration right into the timeline, and there’s even a built-in teleprompter along with voice isolation and leveling options. Keyframe editing gets new controls that make fine-tuning animations less of a chore.
Fusion hasn’t been left out, thankfully. It now supports deep image compositing and brings in vector-based tools for warping and cleanup work. Layered files like PSD and EXR are easier to work with too. For 3D and immersive projects, Fusion now handles VR180 and offers better lighting tools for more realistic scenes.
Color tools are even getting some big updates. Chroma Warp lets you shift colors more intuitively, while updated Magic Mask and Depth Map effects help isolate people or backgrounds more cleanly.
Fairlight audio tools gain six-band EQ per clip, plugin chains, and tools that help match sound levels across different takes. There’s even a feature that can apply a cleaner voice model to existing dialogue while keeping the natural tone and emotion.
Music editors should really appreciate the Music Extender, which shortens or stretches tracks to fit your timeline. Other tools, like Beat Detection, can drop markers based on a song’s rhythm, making it easier to time your cuts. And if you’re dealing with messy dialogue, IntelliCut can remove silence, split lines by speaker, and even create an ADR list automatically.
Resolve 20 also includes better support for Apple Vision Pro workflows and can handle immersive video from the new URSA Cine Immersive camera. For those shooting vertical content, the layout now adjusts itself automatically to give you more screen space.
DaVinci Resolve 20 public beta is available for download here. As usual, there’s a free version for most users, while the paid Studio edition includes even more advanced tools.