Studio 21.1.1
← All 100 how-to guidesGUIDE 035 / 100
TITLES & SUBTITLES

How to fade a title in and out

DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1 · Original practical guide

A simple fade can make text feel settled and unobtrusive. The fade should leave enough time at full opacity for the viewer to read.

Before you begin

Have a timeline ready and decide where the text should begin and end.

ACTUAL RESOLVE INTERFACEView full size ↗
Fusion title in the Edit timeline with Inspector controls
Fusion title in the Edit timeline with Inspector controls Reference example from the DaVinci Resolve 21.1 manual, page 1189. Software screenshot © Blackmagic Design. The demonstration media and selected settings may differ from your project.

Step by step

  1. Place the title above the footage and trim it to its intended full duration.
  2. Hover near the title clip’s upper corners to reveal the video fade handles. Drag the start handle inward for a fade-in.
  3. Drag the end handle inward for a fade-out. Keep both fades short enough to leave a clear reading interval between them.
  4. Play over several background frames and inspect whether the title remains readable during the fade. Adjust duration rather than stacking redundant transitions.

Check your result

The title reaches full visibility, remains readable, and disappears smoothly at the right moment.

If it doesn’t work as expected

If the whole image fades, you may have adjusted the picture clip beneath the title. Select the title itself and inspect which clip carries the fade.

BUILD THE UNDERLYING SKILL

Edit with precision

Go deeper with the course’s explanations, exercises, and knowledge checks.

Open module 04 →
← PREVIOUS GUIDEFix a missing or wrong title fontNEXT GUIDE →Make scrolling end credits

Technical reference: DaVinci Resolve 21.1 Reference Manual, Blackmagic Design, September 2026. Screenshot page numbers refer to that manual. Independently written guidance; specific controls may vary by platform and build. Authorship & image credits.