How to Reduce Noise in DaVinci Resolve & Premiere Pro (Free Methods Too)

How to Reduce Noise in DaVinci Resolve

In DaVinci Resolve, use the Spatial Noise Reduction and Temporal Noise Reduction tools in the Color page to remove grain from footage. These are among the most powerful noise reduction tools available in any video editor — and both are included in the free version of DaVinci Resolve.

Step-by-Step: Noise Reduction in DaVinci Resolve (Free Version)

1. Open your project in DaVinci Resolve and navigate to the Color page (click Color at the bottom of the screen).
2. Select the clip you want to denoise in the timeline.
3. In the top-right panel area, click the Noise Reduction icon — it looks like two overlapping squares. If you don't see it, right-click the toolbar and enable it.
4. The panel shows two sections: Temporal NR and Spatial NR.

Temporal Noise Reduction (Best for Video)

Temporal NR compares frames across time to identify and remove noise. Because genuine motion is consistent between frames while noise is random, the algorithm can distinguish them and remove the random variation (noise) while keeping the motion. This is the most effective method for video footage.

• Set Motion Est. Type to Better or Best for smooth subjects; use Faster for footage with rapid motion
• Raise Luma Threshold to reduce brightness grain (start at 20–30)
• Raise Chroma Threshold to remove color noise (start at 30–40)
• Set Motion Threshold to 30–50 — this prevents fast-moving areas from being over-smoothed

Warning: Temporal NR is GPU-intensive. High settings on long 4K footage can slow previews significantly. Use the Viewer's playback quality setting to drop to half-resolution while adjusting, then render for final output.

Spatial Noise Reduction (For Individual Frames)

Spatial NR looks at a single frame at a time and smooths noise within it. Less effective than Temporal for video but useful when the footage has too much motion for Temporal NR to work cleanly, or as a complement to Temporal.

• Use Mode: Enhanced for better quality (slower render)
• Raise Luma Threshold to 20–40 for grain
• Raise Chroma Threshold to 30–50 for color noise
• Reduce Luma Softness to preserve detail (keep it at 10–25)

Recommended DaVinci Resolve Noise Reduction Settings

Footage Type	Temporal Luma	Temporal Chroma	Spatial Luma
Mild grain (ISO 800–1600)	15–20	20–30	0–10
Moderate grain (ISO 3200–6400)	25–35	35–45	15–20
Heavy grain (ISO 12800+)	40–55	50–60	20–30
Film scan grain	20–30	15–25	15–20

How to Reduce Noise in Adobe Premiere Pro

In Premiere Pro, apply the Denoise effect from the Effects panel to remove noise from video clips. While Premiere's built-in denoiser is less powerful than DaVinci Resolve's, it's accessible and works non-destructively on any clip in your timeline.

Method 1: Denoise Effect (Built-in)

1. Open the Effects panel (Window → Effects or Shift+7).
2. Search for "Denoise" in the search box.
3. Drag the Denoise effect onto your clip in the timeline.
4. In the Effect Controls panel, expand the Denoise effect.
5. Increase the Amount slider from 0% to the desired level — start at 30–50% for moderate noise.

Note: Premiere Pro's built-in Denoise is a simple noise reduction algorithm, not AI-powered. It's effective for mild to moderate noise but tends to over-soften at high settings. For best results on heavy grain, use DaVinci Resolve instead.

Method 2: After Effects → Neat Video (Best Quality for Premiere)

Neat Video is the industry-standard noise reduction plugin for video editors. It works as a plugin in Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro.

• Free demo version: adds a watermark to output
• Paid version: $99 for the Home edition
• Process: build a noise profile from a still area of your clip → apply reduction → render

Neat Video consistently outperforms built-in tools on heavy grain footage, especially on film scans and very high-ISO camera footage.

Method 3: Send to DaVinci Resolve for Noise Reduction

If you're working in Premiere but need better denoising than its built-in tools offer, you can use the Direct Link workflow to send individual clips to DaVinci Resolve's superior noise reduction tools, then return the processed clip to Premiere. DaVinci Resolve free version is sufficient for this workflow.

For Still Frames and Thumbnails: Free AI Denoising

If you need to denoise a still image — a video thumbnail, a screenshot, or a frame exported from video — imgmend.com is the fastest free option. Export the frame as a JPEG or PNG, upload to imgmend.com, and download a clean result in 10–30 seconds. No account, no signup, free for 3 images per day.

This is especially useful for:

• YouTube thumbnails — if your thumbnail frame is from a noisy shot, clean it with AI before uploading
• Social media stills — export a frame from your video and clean it before posting as a still image
• Video previews and posters — hero images for video content that need to look clean at large sizes
• Old scanned film stills — cleaning individual frames from scanned 8mm or 16mm footage

DaVinci Resolve vs Premiere Pro: Which Has Better Noise Reduction?

Feature	DaVinci Resolve (Free)	Premiere Pro ($55/month)
Temporal Noise Reduction	Yes — excellent	No built-in
Spatial Noise Reduction	Yes — very good	Basic (Denoise effect)
AI-powered denoising	Yes (Resolve Studio, paid)	No
Result quality (heavy noise)	Excellent	Moderate
Render speed	GPU-accelerated	GPU-accelerated
Learning curve	Steep (Color page)	Low
Cost	Free (basic NR included)	$54.99/month

Verdict: DaVinci Resolve's free version has better noise reduction than Premiere Pro's paid version. If video denoising quality is a priority, use DaVinci Resolve — it's free and more capable for this specific task.

Tips for Better Noise Reduction in Video

• Apply noise reduction before color grading — remove noise from the clean log or raw signal, then grade. Applying heavy grades to noisy footage amplifies the grain unpredictably.
• Use a node before your grade in DaVinci — in the Color page, add a node specifically for noise reduction before your grade node. This keeps them separate and editable.
• Don't push Temporal NR too hard on fast-motion clips — ghosting artifacts appear when Temporal NR tries to smooth across frames with significant motion. Use Motion Threshold to limit reduction in moving areas.
• Shoot log profiles when possible — log footage retains more dynamic range and responds better to noise reduction than in-camera JPEG/H.264 processing.
• Use proxy workflows for 4K+ denoising — noise reduction on 4K footage is render-intensive. Use lower-resolution proxies for editing and enable noise reduction only on the final export.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is noise reduction in DaVinci Resolve free?

Yes. Both Spatial and Temporal Noise Reduction are included in the free version of DaVinci Resolve. The paid Resolve Studio adds Magic Mask AI and some additional noise algorithms, but the free version's Temporal NR is already excellent and sufficient for most footage.

How do I reduce noise in DaVinci Resolve without losing detail?

Use Temporal NR as the primary tool (it's the most detail-preserving) and keep Spatial NR at low settings or off. Keep the Motion Threshold at 30–50 to protect high-motion areas from over-smoothing. Avoid pushing Luma Threshold above 50 unless the noise is severe.

Does Premiere Pro have good noise reduction?

Premiere's built-in Denoise effect is basic and adequate only for mild noise. For heavy grain, use DaVinci Resolve (free, better quality) or the Neat Video plugin for Premiere ($99). Alternatively, use After Effects with Neat Video for the highest quality in the Adobe ecosystem.

Can I remove noise from video for free?

Yes — DaVinci Resolve's free version includes professional-grade Temporal and Spatial Noise Reduction at no cost. For still images and thumbnails from video, imgmend.com is free for 3 images per day with no account required.

What is the best free noise reduction plugin for video editors?

DaVinci Resolve's built-in Temporal NR is the best free option for video — no plugin needed, just use the Color page. For Premiere Pro users who want better denoising without switching apps, the free trial of Neat Video is the best evaluation option before purchasing.

Denoise video thumbnails and still frames free →