Running Free version alongside Studio

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Graham Merry

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Running Free version alongside Studio

PostMon Nov 27, 2023 7:39 am

Now, I do understand the ridiculousness of this. The thing is that I am a long way away from home and left my Studio dongle at home. So the installed version on my laptop is off limits pro temp.

I suddenly got the urge to create a new video, whilst I'm still travelling and have access to further material. This is where the free version comes in. I don't want to download it, instal it and destroy both free and studio installations.

So, the question is "can the two co-exist?"
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PhoenixRiddle

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Re: Running Free version alongside Studio

PostMon Nov 27, 2023 12:52 pm

I think it should be fine. Typically, software developers design their free and premium versions to coexist on the same system, recognizing that users might have reasons to use both.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" - Arthur C. Clarke
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carlomacchiavello

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Re: Running Free version alongside Studio

PostMon Nov 27, 2023 6:50 pm

For different reasons I install and removed studio and free version many times on my different computer and I never found a fault on project. Obviously where I used studio feature like denoise give me watermark picture, but with that exception I exchanged many times on the same database. Obviously same exact version of free and studio.


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Dwaine Maggart

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Re: Running Free version alongside Studio

PostTue Nov 28, 2023 1:39 am

We don't recommend or support having both versions installed at once.

If it's a Mac or Linux system, you can just install either version as needed. It will not affect your existing project library or settings. You'll still see the same project libraries and projects with either version. Of course, if you install the free version and try to load a project that's using Studio only features, that won't work.

If you are on Windows, you can't install the same or an older version of Resolve without uninstalling the current version first. So a bit more inconvenient to switch back and forth. You'll need to open Windows Settings - Apps & features, and uninstall DaVinci Resolve, then (assuming you had Studio installed) install the free version. When you want to go back to the Studio version, repeat the process. As above, this will not affect your existing projects or settings.
Dwaine Maggart
Blackmagic Design DaVinci Support
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Graham Merry

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Re: Running Free version alongside Studio

PostTue Nov 28, 2023 8:09 pm

Thanks for the replies, it was more of a whim whilst I'm away from home. Getting material is easy "on safari" in Kenya but impossible from home in Germany. I will stick to my holiday and leave the video till I get home using the footage I've gathered here.
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Carkin

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Re: Running Free version alongside Studio

PostFri May 02, 2025 12:47 pm

I run Studio at home, but have installed the free version on a computer of the school I work at. But I would like to be able to practice on the free version at home, since it's the one I a mgoing to teach my students to use.

Obviously I could try the methods described in the thread about installing 20 alongside 19, but I'm cautious and don't want to make any mistakes.

I'm on a Windows 11 machine, can I simply create a new local account (say "user 2") and install the free version there ?
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Dwaine Maggart

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Re: Running Free version alongside Studio

PostFri May 02, 2025 6:18 pm

No. You can only install one Resolve instance at a time on Windows.
Dwaine Maggart
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Carkin

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Re: Running Free version alongside Studio

PostFri May 02, 2025 6:38 pm

Thank you.

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