Removing video tracks in DaVinci Resolve is a common editing task you might need to perform to tidy up your timeline or delete unused sections. There are a couple of primary ways to achieve this, depending on whether you want to remove a specific track or clear out all empty tracks automatically.
Here's a breakdown of the methods to effectively manage your video tracks in DaVinci Resolve.
Method 1: Removing a Specific Video Track (Empty or Not)
The most common way to remove a track is by targeting a single track directly in the Edit page timeline. This method allows you to remove any specific video track, whether it contains clips or not.
- Navigate to the Edit Page: Ensure you are in the DaVinci Resolve Edit page.
- Locate the Track Header: In the timeline, find the track header on the left side corresponding to the video track you wish to remove (e.g., V1, V2, V3, etc.).
- Right-Click the Track Header: Right-click directly on the track header name (V1, V2, etc.).
- Select 'Delete Track': From the context menu that appears, choose the option "Delete Track" followed by the name of the track (e.g., "Delete Track V2").
This action will immediately remove the selected video track and any clips it contained. Use this method cautiously as deleting a track with clips will also delete those clips from your timeline.
Practical Tip: If a track contains essential clips you still need elsewhere, consider moving them to another track before deleting the original track.
Method 2: Removing All Empty Video Tracks
Sometimes, you might end up with several video tracks that don't contain any clips. DaVinci Resolve provides a quick function to clean up all these unused, empty tracks simultaneously.
As noted in the provided reference, you can specifically "hit delete empty tracks" to remove all video and audio tracks that are currently empty. This is an efficient way to streamline your timeline view.
Here's how you typically find and use this option:
- Navigate to the Edit Page: Make sure you are on the Edit page.
- Access Track Options: Right-click in the gray empty area below your lowest track header, or right-click on one of the existing track headers.
- Select 'Delete Empty Tracks': In the context menu that appears, find and select the option "Delete Empty Tracks".
Upon selecting this option, DaVinci Resolve will scan your timeline and remove all video (and audio) tracks that contain no media clips.
Why Use This? This is particularly useful after heavy editing or consolidating your timeline, leaving behind numerous unused tracks that can clutter your workspace.
Summary of Methods
Here's a quick table summarizing the two main approaches:
| Method | Purpose | How To | Affects | Reference Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delete Specific Track | Remove a chosen track | Right-click track header -> Select "Delete Track [Track Name]" | One chosen track (empty or not) | N/A (General DaVinci Resolve function) |
| Delete Empty Tracks | Remove all unused tracks | Right-click track header area -> Select "Delete Empty Tracks" | All tracks currently empty | [Reference](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example_link - Note: Placeholder link as actual link not provided) |
Both methods offer effective ways to manage your video tracks in DaVinci Resolve, allowing you to keep your timeline organized and efficient.
