How to Use LUTs in DaVinci Resolve (Step-by-Step)

DaVinci Resolve has the most powerful LUT workflow of any editing software. Once you understand how it handles LUTs — and there are several ways — you'll be applying cinematic color grades in seconds.

This guide covers everything: importing LUTs, applying them on the Color page, using them in the Edit timeline, and building your own LUTs to use in Resolve.

Where Resolve Stores LUTs

Before applying a LUT, you need to get it into Resolve's LUT directory. There are two ways:

Option 1 — Copy into the LUT folder directly:

Navigate to the Resolve LUT directory for your OS:

• macOS: /Library/Application Support/Blackmagic Design/DaVinci Resolve/LUT/
• Windows: C:\ProgramData\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve\Support\LUT\

Drop your .cube files in there (or in a subfolder you create), then restart Resolve.

Option 2 — Add a custom LUT folder:

Go to DaVinci Resolve → Preferences → System → LUTs and add any folder on your machine. Resolve will find LUTs there without you needing to move files.

After adding LUTs either way, click Update Lists in the LUTs preferences panel to refresh.

Applying a LUT on the Color Page

This is the main workflow for colorists. Every LUT applied on the Color page lives in a node, keeping your grade fully non-destructive.

Using a LUT on a Node

1. Open the Color page
2. Select the clip you want to grade
3. Right-click in the Node Graph area → Add Serial Node (or press Alt + S)
4. Right-click on the new node → LUTs → browse your imported LUTs
5. The LUT is now applied to that node only

Using the LUTs Panel

1. Open Window → LUTs (or the LUT icon in the top toolbar)
2. Browse your LUT library — you can preview each LUT live on the viewer as you hover
3. Drag a LUT directly onto a node to apply it

Technical LUT First, Creative LUT Second

If you're working with log footage (S-Log, Log-C, BRAW, etc.), the correct node order is:

1. Node 1 — Input color space transform (e.g. S-Log3 → Rec.709). Use a technical/conversion LUT here.
2. Node 2 — Primary color correction (exposure, white balance)
3. Node 3 — Creative LUT for the cinematic look

Applying a creative LUT directly to log footage will give you flat, washed-out results — always correct the color space first.

Applying a LUT in the Edit Page (Inspector)

If you're working fast and don't need a full Color page workflow, you can apply LUTs directly in the Edit timeline:

1. Switch to the Edit page
2. Select a clip on the timeline
3. Open the Inspector panel (top right)
4. Click Color → scroll down to LUT
5. Click the dropdown and browse your LUT library

This is quicker but less flexible — you can't stack multiple LUTs or build a node-based grade on top.

Using a LUT as a Monitoring LUT

A monitoring LUT converts your log footage to Rec.709 for correct on-screen display without baking the transform into your grade. This is useful when you want to grade in log but see a clean output.

1. Go to Project Settings → Color Management
2. Under 3D Video Monitor LUT, select your conversion LUT
3. This only affects what you see — it's never rendered into the output

Managing Your LUT Library

As your LUT collection grows, organization becomes important. A few tips:

• Create subfolders inside the Resolve LUT directory (e.g. /LUT/Technical/, /LUT/Film Emulation/, /LUT/My Grades/) — Resolve mirrors this folder structure in its LUT browser
• Name your LUTs descriptively: Sony_SLog3_to_Rec709.cube beats LUT_01.cube
• Star or tag LUTs you use regularly — Resolve supports favorites in the LUT panel

Creating a LUT for DaVinci Resolve

You can export your own custom .cube LUT from Resolve Studio (paid version) via File → Export LUT. If you're on the free version — or want a faster way to build a LUT — you can create one directly in Luttie's free LUT editor, then import the exported .cube file straight into Resolve using the workflow above.

Summary

• Copy .cube files into the Resolve LUT directory, or add a custom folder in Preferences
• Apply LUTs on the Color page inside a node for full non-destructive control
• Always apply a technical/conversion LUT before your creative LUT on log footage
• Use the Edit page Inspector for quick single-clip LUT application
• Export your own custom LUT from Resolve Studio, or create one free with Luttie