If DaVinci Resolve 19 refuses to launch while NordVPN is running, you’re not the only one. This is a known issue, as confirmed by several users on Reddit and my own experience. The software crashes or completely fails to start unless the VPN is disabled—which isn’t ideal if you’re trying to keep your connection secure while editing or sharing files online.
I reached out to Blackmagic Design support. Their suggestion was to disable NordVPN or uninstall the DaVinci Resolve Control Panels app (if unused). While helpful, neither solution worked for me.
After a bit of trial and error—and some solid community research—I discovered a reliable fix that allows Resolve 19 to run with NordVPN still active. The solution? Split Tunneling.
The Fix: Use Split Tunneling in NordVPN
Follow these steps to exempt DaVinci Resolve from NordVPN without disabling your entire VPN connection:
- Open NordVPN.
- Go to Settings, then click Split Tunneling.
- Select the option: Disable VPN for Selected Apps.
- Click Browse Apps (next to “Add Selected”).
- Navigate to:
C:\Program Files\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve - Hold CTRL and select the following executable files:
Resolve.exeDaVinciPanelDaemon.exebmdpaneld.exe
- Save and close the settings.
After doing this, DaVinci Resolve launched without any issues—no crashes, no freezing.
What Blackmagic Support Suggested (and Why It Didn’t Work for Me)
Blackmagic’s support team confirmed the conflict with NordVPN and recommended two potential fixes:
- Disable NordVPN completely
- Uninstall the DaVinci Resolve Control Panels app if unused
While those might work in certain cases, they didn’t resolve the issue on my system. I also explored the Windows Registry and noticed conflicting version entries (both 18.x and 19.x listed), but editing the registry felt too risky without a clear fix.
Split Tunneling turned out to be the safest, most effective solution.
Community Confirms the Problem
The thread on Reddit shows multiple users encountering the same VPN conflict with Resolve. Many confirmed that using Split Tunneling worked or that disabling the VPN allowed Resolve to open.
Final Thoughts
If DaVinci Resolve 19 isn’t launching and you’re running NordVPN, don’t panic. You don’t need to uninstall software, edit the registry, or give up your VPN entirely. Just use NordVPN’s Split Tunneling feature to exclude Resolve from the encrypted connection.
It worked for me—and based on community reports, it’s working for others too.
