The issue
There are known issues with LUA files not working in DaVinci Resolve. You may experience problems such as:
- Dragging LUA files into Resolve’s console does nothing.
- A plugin using LUA fails to read or write files on your computer.
- Other unexpected plugin behaviors.
How to fix this issue quick (Manual Installation):
Thankfully, manually installing Snap Plugins is easy and quick, all you need to do, is drag the plugin, into the correct folder.
Snap Captions 2
Snap Pod
Snap Captions 1
Common reasons that this issue can occur
Cause 01: (Common) Special Characters In Username
If you use any special characters in your OS username like:
Latin Characters
á, é, í, ó, ú, ý, Á, É, Í, Ó, Ú, Ý
Punctuation
-, -, ., ,, #, @,
Than our plugins cannot automatically install itself due to limitations with the code we can build these plugins with.
Cause 02: (Windows Only) Running DaVinci Resolve in Administrator Mode
If you run Resolve in Administrator Mode, LUA files cannot be accessed through the console.
Solution 1: Restart Resolve
- Quit DaVinci Resolve.
- Reopen it without Administrator Mode.
Solution 02 - Turn off Always Run In Administrator
- Start Windows File Explorer and open the DaVinci Resolve location. Usually, this is:C: > Program Files > DaVinci Resolve
- Right-click the Resolve (.exe) and choose Properties.
- Navigate to the Compatibility tab.
- UNCHECK the option Run this program as an administrator.
- Click Apply, then OK.
- Restart Resolve
Cause 03: Conflicting Applications
Some applications may interfere with LUA plugins in Resolve. Based on user reports, the following programs can cause issues:
- Discord
- Notion
- Spotify
Solution: Close All Other Applications
- Close ALL other applications
- Force-quit stubborn apps if needed.
- Ensure ONLY the following are open when installing LUA plugins:
- DaVinci Resolve
- Finder (mac) or Explorer (windows)
- Restart DaVinci Resolve
- Try dragging the LUA file back into the Resolve console
You may need to force quit some applications, like spotify doesn’t close when you click the red X 😡).
If the plugin loads successfully, the issue is resolved.
Cause 04 - Network Hard Drives
If you have a network hard drive (such as a Synology NAS drive) connected, this can cause issues, even if you’re not actively using it.
Solution:
- Disconnect any network hard drives from your computer.
- Restart DaVinci Resolve
- Try dragging the LUA file back into the Resolve console
If this LUA plugin successfully loads, then your issue is resolved.