DaVinci Resolve — first-time setup for content creators

Overview

One-time configuration for DaVinci Resolve 20 so it does not bite you later. Three things matter: the install source, the media drive, and the backup settings. Everything else can be configured per-project.

When to use

Symptoms:

• Just downloaded DaVinci Resolve and want to know what to configure first
• Bought a new external drive and need to point Resolve at it
• Playback drops frames or shows a red GPU indicator
• Want to enable automatic project backups before doing real work

When NOT to use:

• Resolve is already running fine and you have an existing project — skip to davinci-resolve-devrel-project-template.
• You only need to enable Python scripting — that is a one-liner in Preferences > System > General (set External scripting to Local).

Quick reference