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How to compare DaVinci Resolve timelines visually with the comparison tool

DaVinci Resolve includes a visual timeline comparison tool that highlights added, deleted, moved, and trimmed clips between two timeline versions. This guide covers how to use it for collaborative review and conform.

How does the visual timeline comparison tool work in DaVinci Resolve?

The visual timeline comparison tool in DaVinci Resolve lets you see the differences between two versions of a timeline. It highlights exactly where footage has been added, deleted, moved, or trimmed with color-coded visual indicators. This makes it fast and easy to review, accept, and merge changes made by other collaborators without manual conform work.

The tool is accessible from the Edit page when working on collaborative projects or when comparing different timeline versions. It is built into the Resolve collaboration workflow and works with both Blackmagic Cloud projects and locally stored timelines.

For more DaVinci Resolve tips, read our guide on DaVinci Resolve AI Tools for Colorists and Editors.

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How do you use the timeline comparison tool in DaVinci Resolve?

Open the project containing the timeline versions you want to compare. Go to the Edit page and select "Timeline Comparison" from the Timeline menu. The tool displays two timeline versions — typically your current working version and an incoming version from a collaborator.

The comparison view uses color coding to indicate changes:

• Green indicates clips that have been added in the newer version
• Red indicates clips that have been deleted from the previous version
• Yellow or amber indicates clips that have been moved or trimmed
• White indicates unchanged clips

You can scrub through the timeline and see each change highlighted in context. The viewer displays the current frame from both versions side by side. For each change, you have the option to accept or reject it individually, or accept all changes from a specific collaborator at once.

When you accept a change, your timeline updates to reflect the new edit. Accepted changes merge into your working timeline, while rejected changes maintain the original state. This selective acceptance gives you full control over which edits make it into the final cut.

When should you use the timeline comparison tool?

The timeline comparison tool is most valuable in these scenarios:

| Scenario | How comparison helps |

|---|---|

| Collaborative editing | Review changes made by other editors before accepting |

| Client revision rounds | Compare the latest round against the previous approved version |

| Conform verification | Confirm that a conformed timeline matches the original edit decision list |

| Version rollback | Identify exactly what changed between versions before deciding to revert |

| Multi-editor workflows | See which editor made which changes and accept selectively |

For collaborative projects with multiple editors, the comparison tool replaces the traditional "change list" workflow where editors had to manually document every modification. Instead of reading through notes, you see the actual visual changes on the timeline and decide what to accept.

How does timeline comparison integrate with Blackmagic Cloud collaboration?

In a Blackmagic Cloud collaborative project, each collaborator's changes appear as incoming versions in the comparison tool. When an editor on the other side of the world adds clips, trims sections, or reorders the timeline, you see those changes highlighted in the comparison view.

The workflow is: a collaborator makes changes and saves them to the shared project. You receive a notification that changes are available. Open the timeline comparison tool to see the highlighted differences. Review each change, accept or reject as appropriate, and continue working. The accepted changes merge into your timeline automatically.

This eliminates the re-conform step that traditionally required a dedicated conform artist. In the Blackmagic Cloud workflow, conform happens through the comparison tool — each artist accepts changes relevant to their work and continues without disrupting their timeline.

For editors who prefer to pre-select footage before the collaborative phase, Cutsio provides an upstream workflow. Use Cutsio to review raw footage, remove silence and retakes, and export an EDL or XML into Resolve. By the time the timeline reaches the collaborative phase, it has already been refined to selects-only, reducing the volume of changes that need to be compared and accepted.

Can you use timeline comparison on local projects without Blackmagic Cloud?

Yes. The timeline comparison tool works on locally stored projects as well. Save two versions of a timeline within the same project, then use the comparison tool to see the differences. This is useful for reviewing your own revision history, comparing client revision rounds, or verifying conforms.

To save timeline versions, use the "Duplicate Timeline" feature before making significant changes. Name the versions descriptively — "Rough Cut v1" and "Rough Cut v2" — and use the comparison tool to see exactly what changed between iterations.

FAQ

Does timeline comparison work with Fusion compositions and Color grades?

The comparison tool focuses on timeline-level edits — clip positions, trims, and ordering. Fusion compositions and Color page grades are compared separately through their respective version management tools.

Can I compare timelines from different projects?

The comparison tool works within a single project. To compare timelines from different projects, export both timelines as AAF or XML and import them into the same project.

Is timeline comparison available in the free version of DaVinci Resolve?

Yes. The timeline comparison tool is available in both the free and Studio versions of DaVinci Resolve.

How many timeline versions can I compare at once?

The comparison tool compares two versions at a time. For multi-version comparisons, compare pairs sequentially.

Can I undo an accepted change from the comparison tool?

Accepted changes modify your timeline. Use standard undo commands immediately after accepting, or use project backups to revert if needed.