iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Move the library or content folder—not the entire Native Instruments installation—to your external drive. Then use Native Access to locate the moved folder so the product can load it from its new path. Applications and plug-in files should generally remain in their installed locations.
What you can move—and what should stay put
Native Instruments products include different kinds of files. KONTAKT libraries, REAKTOR instruments, Expansions, and other content folders can be stored on a custom drive. That is different from moving the standalone applications or audio plug-ins.
- Move: library and content folders that take up space, such as KONTAKT libraries and Expansions.
- Leave in place: standalone applications. Native Instruments Support says moving them after installation is not recommended because it can cause problems such as failed updates. See Native Instruments’ relocation guidance.
- Do not move manually: macOS plug-in files from their dedicated system folders. Moving them can prevent a DAW from detecting the plug-ins. Native Access does not let you customize AAX or VST3 plug-in locations.
In other words, relocate the content folder for the product, rather than dragging a general Native Instruments folder to the external drive.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallPrepare the external drive
Native Instruments recommends external USB or Thunderbolt storage, or the computer’s internal drive, for active sound libraries. It generally does not recommend a NAS for active libraries, though a NAS can be used for backups. NI does not specify a required capacity, drive speed, or SSD model in its storage guidance.
#1 Best Overall
- Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
NI recommends matching the external drive’s format to the computer’s internal system drive. Its listed formats are APFS for macOS 10.13 and later, HFS+ / Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for macOS 10.12 and earlier, and NTFS for Windows. Formatting a drive can erase its contents, so confirm the drive’s format and back up important files before changing it. See Native Instruments’ storage-device guidance.
Move a library with Native Access 2
Close your DAW and other audio- or MIDI-related applications before moving the folder. Native Access 2 is available for macOS 10.14 and later and Windows 10 and later. Interface wording can differ by version.
Rank #2
- Easily store and access 5TB of content on the go with the Seagate portable drive, a USB external hard Drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
- Move the content folder. In your file manager, move the relevant library or product content folder to the external drive. Keep track of its new location.
- Refresh Native Access. Open Native Access and refresh the product list.
- Open the repair flow. Go to Library > All, find the moved product, and select Repair.
- Choose the new folder. In the repair or locate dialog, browse to the product folder on the external drive and select it. Complete the dialog once Native Access recognizes the product.
- Check the result. Confirm the product no longer shows a missing location, then open it in its host application to verify it loads.
Use the product’s own folder as the location when prompted, rather than selecting the drive root or an unrelated parent folder. See Native Instruments’ step-by-step relocation instructions.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Set the external drive for future content installs
To have future library content install on the external drive, choose a dedicated folder—for example, NI Libraries—as Native Access’s content destination. In Native Access, open Preferences and go to File Management, then set Content Location to that folder. Labels may vary slightly with the Native Access version.
Rank #3
- Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Keep Downloads and Content in separate locations. Native Instruments warns that using the same location for both can cause installation failures. Leave Application Location at its default; plug-in locations such as AAX and VST3 cannot be customized in Native Access. Details are in Native Instruments’ install-location guidance.
Fix a Repair or missing-location message
Native Access may show Repair if a product was moved, its drive was renamed, or its files were deleted. If you moved one product, select Repair and point Native Access to that product’s folder at its new location.
Rank #4
- Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
If you moved several content-library products, Native Access also provides a Relocate All workflow that scans a parent folder. This is for content libraries; it does not locate multiple applications. If Native Access cannot find the files, it offers Reinstall. Before reinstalling, check that the external drive is connected and mounted, and that the selected folder is the moved product folder. See Native Instruments’ Repair and Relocate instructions.
MASCHINE and older products may use another path setting
MASCHINE Factory Library and Expansions
For the MASCHINE Factory Library or an Expansion, Native Instruments’ instructions use MASCHINE’s own settings: open MASCHINE Preferences > Library and point the library entry to the new directory. The software updates its database after you select the new path. Follow Native Instruments’ MASCHINE relocation guidance.
Best Value
- [Upgraded Version] - This external hard drive features a mirrored logo stripe combined with a striped anti-slip design, and the rounded corners of the casing make it easier to grip. The stripes also have a heat dissipation function, ensuring stable and fast data transfer.
- 【Ultra-thin and quiet】 - The motherboard adopts JMicron 578 noise-free solution, giving you a quiet working environment. Lightweight and portable size designed to fit in your pocket for easy portability.
- 【Ultra-Fast Data Transfers】 - Pairing this external hard drive with JMicron 578 solution USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 interfaces enables blazing-fast data transfer. It boasts theoretical read speeds of up to 125MB/s and write speeds of up to 103MB/s.
- 【Plug and Play】 - With no software to install, just plug it in and the drive is ready to use.The hard disk chip is wrapped with an aluminum anti-interference layer to increase heat dissipation and protect data.
- 【What You Get】 - 1 x Portable Hard Drive, 1 x USB 3.0 Cable, 1 x User Manual, Gift-type shell packaging ,Three-year manufacturer's warranty and free technical support services.
Legacy libraries
Older Native Access 1 workflows and some legacy products do not always use the Native Access 2 steps above. Certain older KONTAKT libraries, AKOUSTIK PIANO, ELEKTRIK PIANO, and KORE 2 cases may have their own in-product path setting. Check the instructions for the exact product and Native Access version before moving or relinking its content. Native Instruments covers legacy cases in its product relocation guidance.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
