Why can't I see any curves in the Keyframe Tray?

If you only see diamond-shaped markers, you are in the Keyframe Lanes view. Click the icon that looks like a curve next to the diamond icon at the top of the tray to switch to the Curve Editor view.

What is the difference between the 'Loop' and 'Ping-Pong' options?

'Loop' repeats the animation from start to finish over and over again in the same direction. 'Ping-Pong' plays the animation forward to the end, and then plays it in reverse back to the start, creating a back-and-forth effect.

Do I still need to use the Fusion page for animation in DaVinci Resolve 21?

For simple to intermediate property animations (position, scale, rotation), the new Edit Page Keyframe Tray is now incredibly powerful and may be all you need. For more complex, node-based visual effects and advanced motion graphics, the Fusion page remains the dedicated environment.

How do I see the handles for a keyframe if they are not visible?

Select the keyframe point in the curve editor. If handles are still not visible, try applying an 'Ease In & Out' preset to it. This will force the bezier handles to appear, which you can then manually adjust to your liking.

DaVinci Resolve

Master DaVinci Resolve 21's New Keyframe Tray: Advanced Animation on the Edit Page

Intermediate

10 min mins

Kabeer Khan

Creator

Apr 15, 2026

Watch on YT

Overview

Unlock powerful new animation capabilities directly on the Edit Page with DaVinci Resolve 21's redesigned Keyframe Tray. This tutorial covers the new curve editor, smoothing controls, and the game-changing loop features (Ping-Pong, Loop, and Relative) that eliminate the need to jump to the Fusion page for many common motion graphics tasks.

Tools Used

DaVinci Resolve 21

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

4 Steps

Accessing and Understanding the Keyframe Tray

Begin by adding at least two keyframes to a clip's property (e.g., Position or Zoom) in the Inspector. Then, on the timeline clip, click the keyframe icon (a diamond shape) to open the Keyframe Tray. You will see two view options: Keyframe Lanes (diamond markers) and the Curve Editor.

Keyframe Lanes are useful for quickly adjusting the timing of keyframes by dragging the diamond markers.. The Curve Editor gives you precise control over the animation's velocity and easing.

Editing Animation Curves

Switch to the Curve Editor view. You will see graphical curves representing your animation. Select the keyframes (you can box-select them) and use the icons at the top of the tray to apply easing presets like 'Ease In & Out' for a smoother motion. You can also manually adjust the bezier handles on each keyframe to fine-tune the acceleration and deceleration of your animation.

To declutter the view, you can hide curves for properties you haven't animated by clicking the colored square next to the property name on the left.. Hold 'Alt' and use your mouse scroll wheel to zoom in and out of the curve editor for precise adjustments.

Creating a Pendulum Effect with 'Ping-Pong' Loop

Create a simple back-and-forth animation, like a rotation swing. In the Keyframe Tray's curve editor, select all the keyframes for that animation. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right of the tray, navigate to 'Loop Type', and select 'Ping-Pong'. This will automatically loop the animation forward and in reverse for the entire clip duration.

This is perfect for creating continuous, oscillating animations like a swinging sign or a ticking pendulum without manually copying keyframes.. Adjusting the original two keyframes will automatically update the speed and timing of the entire loop.

Using the 'Loop' and 'Relative' Loop Types

Explore the other loop options. Select your keyframes and choose 'Loop' to make the animation repeat from the beginning each time it finishes. Choose 'Relative' to make the animation continue its trajectory from where the last keyframe left off, which is useful for creating continuous movement like a rolling ball across the screen.

'Loop' is ideal for repeating cycles, like a flashing light or a rotating gear.. 'Relative' is great for animations that need to continue progressing in a certain direction indefinitely.

Transcript

Hey guys, DaVinci Resolve 21 has launched, and it brings a lot of new features and effects. One of the major updates is to the Keyframe Tray on the Edit Page. In this video, I'll walk you through all the new changes and how to use them step-by-step. I'm using DaVinci Resolve Studio 21 here with a simple setup: a logo on a transparent background. First, let's add some keyframes to the position property. I'll set a keyframe, move forward a few frames, and change the position. This is necessary to see the keyframe lanes or curves in the tray. You can open the keyframe tray by clicking the icon on the clip. You might see small diamond dots, which are the keyframe lanes, showing you where your keyframes are placed. You can drag these to adjust timing. Next to it, you'll find the curve editor icon. Clicking it reveals the animation curves. You can easily smooth and modify your animation speed here. Each property has its own colored curve. Since I only changed the X position, the Y position curve is a straight line, which I can hide to reduce clutter. The toolbar at the top has standard tools: a pointer, a box selection tool, and a hand tool for panning. You can add new keyframes, enable handles, and apply ease in, ease out, or both. For example, selecting both keyframes and applying an ease in/out instantly makes the animation smoother. You can further refine the curve by dragging the handles to create fast-then-slow effects. The most important new feature is under the three-dot menu: Loop Types. To demonstrate, I'll remove the position keyframes and work with rotation. I'll adjust the anchor point to the top of the logo, set a rotation keyframe at one angle, move forward, and set another keyframe at a different angle to create a swing. To make this swing continuously, select both keyframes in the curve editor, click the three dots, go to Loop Type, and choose 'Ping-Pong'. This automatically extends the animation, making it swing back and forth like a pendulum for the entire duration of the clip. If you change the timing of the original two keyframes, the entire looped animation updates. Another option is 'Loop', which repeats the animation in the same direction. For instance, if an object moves from left to right, 'Loop' will make it jump back to the left and repeat the motion. 'Ping-Pong' would make it go left-to-right, then right-to-left. Finally, there's the 'Relative' loop type, which continues the animation from where the last keyframe ended, creating a continuous forward motion. These new features in the keyframe tray are amazing and will save you a lot of time, allowing you to create complex motion graphics without ever leaving the Edit Page.