While we continue to wait for Final Cut Pro to get updated, Blackmagic has released DaVinci Resolve for iPadOS version 20.3, adding support for background rendering.

Interestingly, this feature is limited to M4 and M5 iPads, per the release notes.

Why Background Rendering Matters

One of the tentpole features of iPadOS 26 is the ability for apps to run long-running jobs in the background. This drastically improves the multitasking experience, allowing users to perform work in other apps while tasks continue processing. Traditional PCs have worked this way for decades.

One of the biggest criticisms of Final Cut Pro on iPadOS continues to be that the app must stay foregrounded while it exports your video. In a scenario where you aren’t using one of the multitasking modes in iPadOS, you’re essentially stuck waiting for the export the complete before you can do anything else.

In iPad 26, background tasks are exposed as Live Activities that you can view and manage from Notification Center or the Lock Screen.

What Else Is New?

Alongside background rendering, DaVinci Resolve 20.3 delivers several additional improvements.

Resolve FX Noise Reduction now performs faster for smoother playback during heavy color work, while new ALE metadata import and export options make organizing footage easier across platforms.

Media Pool views and layout states are now preserved per project, reducing setup time when switching between timelines.

For filmmakers, the update adds 2.39 and 2.40 broadcast-safe cinematic aspect ratios, plus new alpha-based tools for film looks, damage overlays, and analog texture effects.

Conclusion

DaVinci Resolve on iPad continues the trend of third-party editors evolving at a faster pace than Apple’s own Final Cut Pro. Every company has different priorities, but as long as you’re doing your work on an Apple device, Apple probably doesn’t mind what software you use.

DaVinci Resolve for iPadOS is available from the App Store.