---
title: "How to Fix Timeline Not Loading in DaVinci Resolve"
author: "Alex Johnson"
category: Troubleshooting
excerpt: "Is DaVinci Resolve freezing or crashing when you try to open a timeline? Here are the steps to diagnose and fix a timeline that won't load."
image: "/cutsio-thumbnail.svg"
tags: "DaVinci Resolve, Timeline, Troubleshooting, Crashing, Loading"
---

You open your project, double-click your timeline, and... nothing happens. The spinning wheel of death appears, or DaVinci Resolve simply crashes to the desktop. A timeline that won't load is a severe issue, but it's usually recoverable.

Here is how to fix a timeline not loading in DaVinci Resolve.

## 1. The Corrupted Render Cache
The most common reason a specific timeline refuses to open is a corrupted render cache. Resolve is trying to load hundreds of gigabytes of temporary background files, and one bad file is crashing the system.

*   **The Fix:** Before opening the problematic timeline, create a *new*, empty timeline and open that instead. This gets you into the Edit page safely.
*   Once in the Edit page, go to the top menu bar: **Playback > Delete Render Cache > All**.
*   After the cache clears, try opening your problematic timeline again.

## 2. Problematic Plugins or Fusion Effects
If you have a heavy Fusion composition or a third-party OFX plugin (like FilmConvert, Neat Video, or Sapphire) applied to a clip on that timeline, the plugin might be failing to initialize, bringing the whole timeline down with it.

*   **The Fix:** You need to bypass the plugins. Open a new, empty timeline.
*   Go to the top menu: **Color > Bypass Color Grades and Fusion Effects** (or click the magic wand icon at the top right of the viewer).
*   With all effects globally disabled, try opening the problematic timeline. If it opens, you know an effect is the culprit. You can then selectively re-enable clips to find the specific plugin causing the crash.

## 3. Disconnect Offline Drives
Sometimes, Resolve hangs indefinitely because it's searching for media on a network drive or an external hard drive that is asleep, disconnected, or failing.

*   **The Fix:** Close DaVinci Resolve. Physically unplug any external hard drives or network attached storage (NAS) that the timeline relies on.
*   Re-open Resolve and load the timeline. The timeline will open immediately, but all the media will be offline (red). This proves the issue is with the hard drive connection, not the timeline itself. Reconnect the drives and relink the media.

## 4. Export and Re-import the Timeline (The Last Resort)
If the timeline itself is fundamentally corrupted within the project database, you can try exporting it out and bringing it back in.

1.  In the Media Pool, right-click the timeline that won't open.
2.  Select **Timelines > Export > AAF/XML...** (Export it as a standard FCPXML or DaVinci Resolve Timeline `.drt` file).
3.  Create a brand new DaVinci Resolve project.
4.  Import that XML or `.drt` file into the new project. Often, this rebuilding process strips out the corruption and allows the timeline to load perfectly.