Native Instruments - Knowledge Base
Knowledge Base
Can I move my NATIVE INSTRUMENTS software or libraries to another location on my computer?
Applications:
We recommend not moving your NATIVE INSTRUMENTS software applications after they have been installed, as this can cause various problems. Do NOT move the application folders or any of their contents after they have been installed.
Preferences and Settings:
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS installers also place various preference and settings files in other system and user folders. You are advised NOT to move or delete any of these either, unless you are following specific directions from our Knowledge or our support technicians in order to solve a specific problem.
Plug-ins:
Mac
On a Macintosh there are dedicated system folders for VST, AU or RTAS plug-ins, so you should not move your plug-in files anywhere else or your sequencer will not be able to detect them.
Windows
On Windows systems you are prompted to select the location plug-in files (VST) are installed in. Make sure that you point the installer to the correct VST plug-in folder. We recommend using one dedicated folder for all VST plug-in files and assigning all your host sequencers to use this folder.
Libraries:
It IS safe to move your NATIVE INSTRUMENTS sample libraries to another hard drive, this can even improve performance in some cases if you have an extra hard drive you can devote to library storage. This applies to the libraries of MASCHINE, KONTAKT, BATTERY, KORE 2, KORE PLAYER, AKOUSTIK PIANO and ELEKTRIK PIANO.
To move any of these libraries, you can simply drag the library folder(s) to the new location. Then reset the library location in the options menu of the respective software. In KONTAKT you also need to reset the path KONTAKT checks when building the database, followed by a database rescan in case you want to use the Quickload List (see the Related Articles Section below for further information).
Here is some additional specific information about moving the libraries.
MASCHINE: To reset the location after moving the 'Maschine Library' folder, go to Maschine>Preferences>Libraries and you'll see the setting for the Maschine Sample Library location. You can also move the separate library folders of the Maschine Expansion products, you will see them listed separately here if this is possible.
KONTAKT 4: To reset the location after moving the 'Kontakt 4 Library' folder, go to Options>Load/Import and change the 'Library Path'.
KONTAKT 5: After moving the 'Kontakt Factory Library' folder you will be prompted by KONTAKT 5 to relocate the folder if you look under the 'Libraries' tab at the top left of KONTAKT.
OTHER KONTAKT LIBRARIES: In general, you can move the content folder for each library, the name in all cases will end with the word 'library', e.g. 'Berlin Concert Grand Library', etc.
After moving these folders, re-open KONTAKT. If any library folders have been moved, you'll see a 'Locate' button under the name of the respective library in the KONTAKT library tab. Simply click this button to relocate the content.
KORE 2: To reset the location after moving the 'Kore 2 Sample Content' folder go to Kore 2>Preferences>General and you'll see the setting for the sample content path. You can also move the separate library folders for most of the Kore SoundPack products, you will see them listed separately here if this is possible.
KORE PLAYER: To reset the location after moving the 'Kore 2 Sample Content' folder, go to File>Sample Content Path>Kore Player and choose the 'Kore 2 Sample Content' folder. You can also move the separate library folders for most of the Kore SoundPack products, you will see them listed separately here if this is possible.
BATTERY 3: To set the path to a new sample library directory, go to Options and change the 'Factory Content Path'. You can access this via the BATTERY Files menu.
AKOUSTIK PIANO does not offer an options menu to reset the path. When opening AKOUSTIK PIANO after moving the library, the software will 'see' that the library is not in its previous location and ask you to browse to its new location. Do so and press OK.
ELEKTRIK PIANO: To change the path to a new library directory, please go to Options menu.
REAKTOR content products:
Mac:
REAKTOR content products such as RAZOR, THE FINGER, THE MOUTH etc. are installed in the following path by default:
Macintosh HD > Users > Shared
You can move the whole product folder to another location after installation on a Mac. Afterwards you need to relocate them using the Location Tool. For more information, refer to the article 'How to use the Location Tool for REAKTOR content products (Mac)' in the Related Articles area at the bottom of this page.
PC:
In order to move your REAKTOR content product to another location on a PC, you have to uninstall it first, then install it to the new destination.
We recommend not moving your NATIVE INSTRUMENTS software applications after they have been installed, as this can cause various problems. Do NOT move the application folders or any of their contents after they have been installed.
Preferences and Settings:
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS installers also place various preference and settings files in other system and user folders. You are advised NOT to move or delete any of these either, unless you are following specific directions from our Knowledge or our support technicians in order to solve a specific problem.
Plug-ins:
Mac
On a Macintosh there are dedicated system folders for VST, AU or RTAS plug-ins, so you should not move your plug-in files anywhere else or your sequencer will not be able to detect them.
Windows
On Windows systems you are prompted to select the location plug-in files (VST) are installed in. Make sure that you point the installer to the correct VST plug-in folder. We recommend using one dedicated folder for all VST plug-in files and assigning all your host sequencers to use this folder.
Libraries:
It IS safe to move your NATIVE INSTRUMENTS sample libraries to another hard drive, this can even improve performance in some cases if you have an extra hard drive you can devote to library storage. This applies to the libraries of MASCHINE, KONTAKT, BATTERY, KORE 2, KORE PLAYER, AKOUSTIK PIANO and ELEKTRIK PIANO.
To move any of these libraries, you can simply drag the library folder(s) to the new location. Then reset the library location in the options menu of the respective software. In KONTAKT you also need to reset the path KONTAKT checks when building the database, followed by a database rescan in case you want to use the Quickload List (see the Related Articles Section below for further information).
Here is some additional specific information about moving the libraries.
MASCHINE: To reset the location after moving the 'Maschine Library' folder, go to Maschine>Preferences>Libraries and you'll see the setting for the Maschine Sample Library location. You can also move the separate library folders of the Maschine Expansion products, you will see them listed separately here if this is possible.
KONTAKT 4: To reset the location after moving the 'Kontakt 4 Library' folder, go to Options>Load/Import and change the 'Library Path'.
KONTAKT 5: After moving the 'Kontakt Factory Library' folder you will be prompted by KONTAKT 5 to relocate the folder if you look under the 'Libraries' tab at the top left of KONTAKT.
OTHER KONTAKT LIBRARIES: In general, you can move the content folder for each library, the name in all cases will end with the word 'library', e.g. 'Berlin Concert Grand Library', etc.
After moving these folders, re-open KONTAKT. If any library folders have been moved, you'll see a 'Locate' button under the name of the respective library in the KONTAKT library tab. Simply click this button to relocate the content.
KORE 2: To reset the location after moving the 'Kore 2 Sample Content' folder go to Kore 2>Preferences>General and you'll see the setting for the sample content path. You can also move the separate library folders for most of the Kore SoundPack products, you will see them listed separately here if this is possible.
KORE PLAYER: To reset the location after moving the 'Kore 2 Sample Content' folder, go to File>Sample Content Path>Kore Player and choose the 'Kore 2 Sample Content' folder. You can also move the separate library folders for most of the Kore SoundPack products, you will see them listed separately here if this is possible.
BATTERY 3: To set the path to a new sample library directory, go to Options and change the 'Factory Content Path'. You can access this via the BATTERY Files menu.
AKOUSTIK PIANO does not offer an options menu to reset the path. When opening AKOUSTIK PIANO after moving the library, the software will 'see' that the library is not in its previous location and ask you to browse to its new location. Do so and press OK.
ELEKTRIK PIANO: To change the path to a new library directory, please go to Options menu.
REAKTOR content products:
Mac:
REAKTOR content products such as RAZOR, THE FINGER, THE MOUTH etc. are installed in the following path by default:
Macintosh HD > Users > Shared
You can move the whole product folder to another location after installation on a Mac. Afterwards you need to relocate them using the Location Tool. For more information, refer to the article 'How to use the Location Tool for REAKTOR content products (Mac)' in the Related Articles area at the bottom of this page.
PC:
In order to move your REAKTOR content product to another location on a PC, you have to uninstall it first, then install it to the new destination.
81%
18%
