How to Sync Clips by Timecode in DaVinci Resolve

Before you start

Timecode sync works on the Media page and on the timeline in DaVinci Resolve. It uses matching timecode stored in the source clips, so it is most useful when a camera and an external audio recorder were jam-synced or both received the same time-of-day timecode. The process runs locally in Resolve; no online service is required. Before syncing, import your video and separately recorded audio into the same media pool and confirm that the clips show matching timecode in the source viewer or clip metadata.

Step-by-step instructions

1) Open the Edit page and select the video clip and the matching external audio clip that you want to sync.

2) Right-click the selected clips and choose Auto Sync Audio, then choose Based on Timecode.

3) If you want Resolve to replace the camera audio with the external audio, choose Based on Timecode and Replace Audio. This keeps the synced external audio linked to the video clip.

4) When syncing many clips at once, select all matching video and audio clips, right-click one of them, and choose Auto Sync Audio, then Based on Timecode. Resolve pairs clips that share timecode.

5) To sync clips already placed on a timeline, select the video and audio clips on the timeline, right-click, and use Auto Sync Audio, then Based on Timecode. This can replace the original camera audio depending on the option you choose.

The exact command names can differ slightly between versions. In older versions, look for Auto Sync Audio Based on Timecode in the same right-click menu. The sync change is reversible while you can still undo it or keep a duplicate timeline for comparison.

Check the output

Play the synced clip and listen for an echo or comb-filtering effect if the camera microphone and external microphone both remain audible. If you used Replace Audio, check that the waveform on the timeline belongs to the external recording and that speech remains aligned with lip movement. Visually compare a sharp transient, such as a slate clap or a door closing, if it is present in both recordings. Timecode sync only aligns metadata; it does not repair drift or fix recordings that started with mismatched timecode.

Common problems and next steps

If no clips are synced, check that the timecode is present and identical across sources. A camera may store time-of-day timecode while an audio recorder uses a different hour, or one device may start at zero. You can correct a known offset in the clip attributes, but timecode sync cannot match clips with unrelated or missing timecode.

If sync drifts over a long take, the likely cause is different clock accuracy between devices rather than a timecode metadata problem. PluralEyes-style waveform sync is a separate workflow and is not the same as timecode sync. For clips without usable timecode, try auto sync based on waveform in Resolve or align the audio manually using a visible transient.

If the camera audio remains audible after sync, check the track assignment and mute or remove the unwanted track. If the wrong clip pair was created during a batch sync, undo the operation, review the timecode values, and sync a smaller selection so that each video clip is matched with the correct external recording.