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How to Cut Empty Timeline in DaVinci Resolve

• 3 mins read

Empty spaces in the timeline can really get on your nerves disturbing your smooth, organized workflow. These gaps can lead to awkward pauses during playback and make editing feel less efficient. However, removing them is quick and easy with a few simple steps, helping you keep your project running smoothly and your timeline looking sharp. Here’s how to cut empty timeline in DaVinci Resolve.

Open your timeline

If you want to learn how to cut an empty timeline in DaVinci Resolve, first of all, open up the timeline that you’d like to trim and make sure it’s indeed the correct one (cutting the wrong one happens way too often). It’s worth ensuring you’re in the right place before moving forward to avoid any confusion later.

  • Zoom In for Precision: Use the zoom controls to closely examine your timeline. This will make it easier to spot even the smallest gaps that might not be immediately apparent.
  • Use Markers for Reference: If you find multiple gaps, place markers (right-click→add marker) at the start and end of each gap. This can help you keep track of all the sections you intend to remove, especially in a complex timeline.
Empty timeline

Locate the Empty Space

Scrub through your timeline and find any blank or unused sections. These are the gaps between clips where nothing’s happening. You can spot them easily because there’s no video or audio data in those sections.

Select and Delete the Empty Timeline

After cutting the timeline, select the empty section by clicking on it. Then, press Del on your keyboard. DaVinci Resolve will automatically close the gap and shift the remaining clips to the left, filling in the empty space.

Empty space between timelines in DaVinci Resolve
Connecting two clips

If it’s the whole track that’s lying there, useless, right-click under its name, and choose the Delete option. 

Deleting empty timelines in DaVinci Resolve

Ripple Cut Option

If you’re dealing with multiple empty spaces or want to delete a gap quickly, you can also use the Ripple Cut feature. Just right-click on the empty space and select Ripple Delete (or Shift+Backspace it into the void). This instantly removes the gap and shifts the clips.

Ripple cut option

Removing All Gaps at Once

Alternatively, if the gaps are just too plentiful and scattered, like loose change under the sofa cushions, DaVinci Resolve offers a mass tidy-up option. Just trot on over to the Edit menu and choose ‘Delete Gaps’. This will work exactly like the Ripple Cut way, just less choosing and clicking around. 

And that’s it! In just a few quick moves, your timeline is cleaned up and ready for the next steps in your editing process. Taking a moment to remove empty spaces can streamline your project and keep everything looking tidy, so you can focus on getting your edits just right.