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A PowerGrade in DaVinci Resolve is a complete, multi-node color grade that you save to your gallery and apply to any clip in one click. Unlike a LUT — which is a static color transformation baked into a single file — a PowerGrade preserves every node, adjustment, and setting exactly as you built it. That means you get the full grade: primary corrections, secondary adjustments, qualifiers, and creative looks, all fully editable after you apply it. PowerGrades are stored inside DaVinci Resolve’s gallery system and can be exported as .drx files to share with others or use across projects.
A PowerGrade is DaVinci Resolve’s native format for saving and reusing complete color grades. When you right-click a clip’s thumbnail in the Gallery and choose Grab Still, Resolve saves not just the look of the image, but the entire node structure behind it — every node, every curve adjustment, every qualifier, every mask. That saved grade is a PowerGrade.
You can organize PowerGrades into albums inside the Gallery panel, export them as .drx files, and import them on any other machine running DaVinci Resolve (Free or Studio). The grade travels with all its node data intact, so nothing gets flattened or lost in translation.
This is the question most colorists ask first. The short answer: a LUT is a baked color table; a PowerGrade is a living, editable grade.
| Feature | LUT | PowerGrade |
|---|---|---|
| File format | .cube / .3dl | .drx |
| Node structure preserved | No | Yes |
| Editable after applying | Limited | Fully editable |
| Supports qualifiers & masks | No | Yes |
| Works in Premiere Pro / FCP | Yes | No — DaVinci Resolve only |
| Best for | Quick looks, cross-platform | Complete professional grades |
For a deeper breakdown of when to use each tool, read the full comparison at PowerGrades vs LUTs.
A LUT collapses your entire grade into a single mathematical lookup. Once it’s applied, you can’t open it up and adjust just the secondary correction on skin tones. With a PowerGrade, every node stays separate and editable. In practice, this means:
According to Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve documentation, the Gallery system was designed specifically to make grade reuse fast and non-destructive — PowerGrades are the fullest expression of that system.
Cmd/Ctrl + G)..drx file and click Open. The PowerGrade thumbnail appears in the album.The process takes under 30 seconds once you know where to look. If you’re new to working with grades in Resolve, the guide on how to apply LUTs in DaVinci Resolve walks you through the Color page layout so you’ll feel at home before you start importing PowerGrades.
Not all PowerGrades are built the same way. A well-constructed PowerGrade follows a logical node order that separates technical corrections from creative decisions. At minimum, a professional PowerGrade includes:
The RealFilm PowerGrade from Cine Source is built on exactly this structure — designed for Sony log footage, it gives you a complete film emulation grade with individual nodes you can dial in or bypass depending on your shot. It’s a practical example of what a production-ready PowerGrade looks like inside Resolve.
Yes. Export any PowerGrade as a .drx file by right-clicking its thumbnail in the Gallery and selecting Export. Send that file to a colleague or copy it to another machine and import it the same way you installed it. The grade works on any version of DaVinci Resolve that supports the nodes used in the grade — Free and Studio both support the full gallery system.
One important note: if the PowerGrade uses Resolve FX plugins that require the Studio version (like certain noise reduction or lens blur nodes), those nodes won’t function on the free version. Always check which nodes are included before distributing a grade to a wider team.