DaVinci Resolve how-to
How to use green screen in DaVinci Resolve (3D Keyer, free)
Short answer
Put the green screen clip on a track above the background. Drag Effects > Open FX > Resolve FX Key > 3D Keyer onto it, choose Open FX Overlays in the viewer, and drag a stroke across the green. The screen colour disappears and the clip below shows through. Switch Output to Alpha Highlight B/W to check the matte, then Shift-drag to add more green or Option/Alt-drag to give back parts of the subject.
Checked against: DaVinci Resolve 21 (free and Studio), Windows, Mac and Linux, per the Resolve 21 Reference Manual (July 2026).
Step by step: 3D Keyer on the Edit page
Stack the clips
Put the background on V1 and the green or blue screen clip on V2.
Apply 3D Keyer
In the Effects library, open Open FX > Resolve FX Key and drag 3D Keyer onto the green screen clip.
EffectsOpen FXResolve FX Key3D Keyer
Show the sampling overlay
In the Inspector, turn on Show Paths. In the viewer's lower-left overlay menu, choose Open FX Overlays.
Sample the green
Drag a stroke across the screen colour in the viewer. Transparency appears straight away over the clip below.
Refine the matte
Set Output to Alpha Highlight B/W: the subject should be white, the background black. Shift-drag over leftover green to add it; Option-drag (Alt-drag) over parts of the subject that went see-through to remove them. Set Output back to Final Composite.
Crop out the edges
Use Garbage Matte (Rectangle or Ellipse) to cut away lights, stands and the screen's edges.
3D Keyer output views
| Output | Shows | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Highlight | Transparent areas grey, solid in colour | Spot holes in the subject |
| Alpha Highlight B/W | The black and white matte | Sample extra areas precisely |
| Final Composite | Keyed clip over the track below | Judge the finished shot |
If it doesn't work
| What you see | Fix |
|---|---|
| Nothing becomes transparent | Open FX Overlays isn't on, so your stroke didn't sample. Turn it on in the viewer's overlay menu. |
| The subject has holes | Option-drag (Alt-drag) across them, or avoid green in clothing; use blue screen for green outfits. |
| Green fringe on hair | Add a little matte shrink and spill handling in the keyer's settings, or refine on the Color page with a qualifier. |
| The background clip doesn't show | It must be on a lower track than the keyed clip, and Use Alpha must be on. |
Questions people ask
Can I key green screen in the free version of DaVinci Resolve?
Yes. The 3D Keyer isn't marked Studio only in the manual; some matte refinement filters, such as Alpha Matte Shrink and Grow, are.
Should I key on the Edit, Color or Fusion page?
Start with the 3D Keyer on the Edit page. Use the Color page qualifier or Fusion's Delta Keyer for difficult shots.
Can I remove a background without a green screen?
Magic Mask can isolate a person without a screen, but it's a Studio feature.
More DaVinci Resolve guides
Sources and how we checked
- DaVinci Resolve 21 Reference Manual: Using the 3D Keyer in the Edit page (p. 3646) (checked 2026-10-05)
Reviewed October 5, 2026 by the Koldflux team. Each step is compared with DaVinci Resolve's own documentation (linked above) and with the top search results for this task; where they disagree, the maker's documentation wins. Steps without a source link follow the menu names that several current guides agree on.