Where Does Cakewalk Store Projects and Settings?
Where Cakewalk keeps project files, templates and settings on Windows, and what to copy before reinstalling.
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Cakewalk stores songs and settings in different trees. Projects are .cwp files with an Audio subfolder under a project root. Settings, presets and scan logs live under Roaming app data and the registry.
The default project root sits at the drive root rather than in Documents, which surprises new installs. Check Folder Locations under Preferences when projects land somewhere unexpected. Templates and sample content sit in their own content trees. Back up Roaming Cakewalk plus the registry key alongside projects, since settings without songs (and songs without settings) each tell half the story.
Where Cakewalk by BandLab stores this, by platform
C:\Cakewalk Projects
Default project root with per song .cwp files, Audio subfolders and Audio Export output. Change it under Edit, Preferences, File, Folder Locations. Settings live in Roaming Cakewalk.
Frequently asked questions
How do I back up Cakewalk settings before reinstalling?
Copy the whole Roaming Cakewalk folder plus an export of the Cakewalk registry key under HKCU Software. Projects travel separately from their project root. Keep both halves or settings return without songs.
Cakewalk says audio files are missing after I moved folders. Where do I fix it?
Open Edit, Preferences, File, Audio Data and read the Global Audio Folder field. Moved folders break the link silently and projects open without sound. Point the field at the new location and rescan.
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