Where Does Rekordbox Store Its Library?
Rekordbox encrypted library database and settings on desktop, and the backup flow that beats copying.
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Rekordbox keeps cues, grids, playlists and history in master.db, an SQLCipher encrypted SQLite file: %APPDATA%\Pioneer\rekordbox on Windows, ~/Library/Pioneer/rekordbox on Mac (some installs show Pioneer DJ). Settings point at it from rekordbox3.settings, versioned per major (rekordbox6 folder for v6).
Never copy master.db alone while the app runs: WAL mode means recent edits sit in the wal and shm sidecars, so solo copies corrupt or lose work. Use File, Library, Backup Library for moves; it zips the set correctly. External drive libraries switch in Preferences, Advanced, with v7 recording the path in its options JSON.
Where Rekordbox stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\Pioneer\rekordbox\master.db
Encrypted library (cues, grids, playlists, history) with wal/shm sidecars. Settings in rekordbox3.settings (rekordbox6/ folder for v6). Back up via File, Library, Backup Library, never live file copy. No Linux client exists.
~/Library/Pioneer/rekordbox/master.db
Same encrypted DB role (some installs use Pioneer DJ/ instead; versioned folder may vary). Settings in ~/Library/Application Support/Pioneer/rekordbox[6]/rekordbox3.settings. Use the in app backup flow for moves.
Frequently asked questions
How do I move my Rekordbox library to a new computer?
File, Library, Backup Library on the old machine, then Restore Library on the new one. Hand copying master.db misses WAL sidecars and version pointers, which is how libraries arrive corrupted.
Can Rekordbox use a library on an external drive?
Yes. Point it in Preferences, Advanced (v7 records the db-path in its options JSON). Keep the drive letter or mount stable or the pointer breaks on next launch.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.