How do I color grade multiple clips at once in DaVinci Resolve?

You can color grade multiple clips at once in DaVinci Resolve by using Clip Groups. Group the clips together and apply shared adjustments in the Pre-Clip or Post-Clip node sections. This allows changes like exposure, white balance, LUTs, or Color Space Transform nodes to update across all grouped clips simultaneously.

What are Pre-Clip, Clip, and Post-Clip nodes in DaVinci Resolve?

Pre-Clip nodes apply adjustments to every clip inside a group before individual refinements. Clip nodes are used for shot-specific corrections. Post-Clip nodes apply after clip-level grading and are commonly used for LUTs, output transforms, or Color Space Transform (CST) nodes.

What is the difference between Ripple Grade and Clip Groups in DaVinci Resolve?

Ripple Grade synchronizes node changes across selected clips at the Clip level. Clip Groups create a structured hierarchy that separates shared adjustments from individual refinements, making them more scalable for larger projects.

DaVinci Resolve: How to Color Grade Multiple Clips at Once with Clip Groups

Why Copy-Paste Grading Becomes a Problem

If you're still copying and pasting color grades between clips in DaVinci Resolve, you're using a workflow that doesn't scale.

Theres a more structured way to grade multiple clips at once: Clip Groups.

Instead of duplicating nodes across shots, Clip Groups let you separate shared adjustments from shot-specific refinements — so changes propagate cleanly where they should.

Why Copy-Paste Grading Becomes a Problem

Many beginners use this approach:

Grade one clip
Copy the node tree
Paste it onto other clips
Make further adjustments
Repeat when something changes

The problem appears when you need to revise your base exposure or white balance. You end up re-copying the grade or manually adjusting multiple clips again.

On small timelines it works. On real projects, it becomes inefficient.

The Better Method: Clip Groups

Clip Groups allow you to grade multiple clips at the same time by organizing nodes into three levels:

1. Pre-Clip Nodes — Scene-Level Adjustments

Pre-Clip nodes affect every clip inside the group.

Use them for adjustments that should stay consistent across multiple shots:

Base exposure
White balance
Shared look development
Scene-level contrast shaping

If all clips were shot in the same lighting conditions, this is where your foundational corrections live.

2. Clip Nodes — Shot-Specific Refinement

Clip nodes remain unique per shot.

Use them for:

Micro exposure tweaks
Skin tone isolation
Masking
Shot matching

This is where you refine each frame individually without affecting the rest of the group.

3. Post-Clip Nodes — Output-Level Processing

Post-Clip nodes apply after individual clip adjustments.

Use them for:

Color Space Transform (CST)
LUTs
Output conversion
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When Should You Use Clip Groups?

Clip Groups are useful when:

Multiple clips share the same lighting conditions
You want to apply the same LUT across several shots
You need to adjust exposure globally without rebuilding grades
You want a cleaner node hierarchy for larger projects

They do not replace shot-by-shot grading.

They structure it.

Ripple Grade vs Clip Groups

Ripple grading synchronizes node changes across selected clips.

Clip Groups create a persistent hierarchy of shared vs individual adjustments.

Ripple is a duplication shortcut.

Groups are workflow architecture.

Final Thoughts

If you're wondering how to color grade multiple clips at once in DaVinci Resolve, the answer isn’t copy-paste — it’s structure.

Clip Groups allow you to:

Adjust shared corrections once
Refine individual shots independently
Keep complex timelines organized
Scale your workflow for real projects