THE SHORT ANSWER
Here's the approach.
Resolve 20 can generate proxy files from Media Pool clips. First choose the proxy resolution, format and storage location; then generate the media and use Proxy Handling to select which media Resolve should prefer.
The Editor’s Guide distinguishes Prefer Proxies, Prefer Camera Originals and Disable All Proxies. Preferring camera originals can fall back to proxies when originals are offline, so use Disable All Proxies when you need to confirm originals are actually available. Keep the source media for finishing.
Related tutorial.
Starts at 0:49, Using Proxy GeneratorThis is a supplemental tutorial. Its compatibility with DaVinci Resolve 20 has not been confirmed. Use the written steps and version-specific sources for the controls.
By JayAreTV. HTTP 200 from the official YouTube privacy-enhanced oEmbed endpoint verified the ID, current title, creator and thumbnail. No viewing, transcript, duration, upload date, answer segment or end-user playback verification was performed. Version tags identify the documented feature family or explicitly named release, not a frame-by-frame interface check.
WORKFLOW OVERVIEW
Conceptual workflow: proxies and originals
Keep originals
Camera files remain the finishing source.
Generate proxies
Create lightweight working files from the Media Pool.
Edit with proxies
Prefer proxies while assembling the edit.
Check originals
Disable proxies and confirm the finishing media is online.
A conceptual workflow illustration. Follow the version-specific steps below for the actual controls.
Step by step.
Resolve 20- 01
Set proxy generation options
Open Project Settings > Master Settings > Optimized Media and Render Cache. Choose the proxy resolution and format, and check the proxy generation location. Preferences > System > Media Storage can override where proxies are stored.
- 02
Generate proxies
Right-click the required Media Pool clip or clips and choose Generate Proxy Media. Allow generation to finish.
- 03
Choose playback media deliberately
Set the Proxy Handling selector to Prefer Proxies for lightweight editing. Before a camera-original check, choose Disable All Proxies and confirm the required shots remain online.
Sources & version notes
Written for DaVinci Resolve 20. Menu names and available features can differ in other versions.
Version reference: Resolve 20Written answer and steps reviewed against the linked official documentation and release evidence for the named version. Related videos are metadata-verified suggestions only; no answer-specific video segment or software screenshot has been verified.