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Where is the DJ.Studio database stored, and how do I free up disk space?

Where DJ.Studio keeps your projects and audio, why Dropbox, iCloud and OneDrive folders are not supported, and how to move or shrink the database.

Written by Fleur van der Laan

Applies to: DJ.Studio 4.1 and later. Steps for older versions are marked.

DJ.Studio keeps your projects, track edits and cache files in one database folder. By default this is Music > DJ.Studio in your user folder. Since version 4.1, DJ.Studio no longer copies your music into that folder. It remembers where each original file is, so where you keep your music matters as much as where the database lives.

Also called: DJ.Studio folder, data folder, database folder.

Quick answers

Question

Answer

Where is my DJ.Studio database stored?

By default in Music > DJ.Studio in your user folder. Check or change it at Settings > Folders.

Does DJ.Studio still copy my music files?

Not for tracks added in 4.1 or later. It links to your original files. Older projects may still contain copies.

Can I keep my music or the database in Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive or another cloud-sync folder?

No. Cloud sync can make files unavailable to DJ.Studio and can damage your mixes and mashups. Use cloud storage only for backups.

Can I put the database on an external SSD or a network drive?

We advise against both. An external SSD can substantially reduce performance, and network drives are too slow for reliable performance. Use a fast drive built into your computer.

How do I free up disk space?

In 4.1 and later, use Settings > Folders > Disk Cleanup. In any version, clear the stems cache and delete old exports.

Where is the DJ.Studio database stored?

By default: Users/[user]/Music/DJ.Studio

To check or change the location, open Settings > Folders. To open the folder on your computer, choose View > Go to data folder.

Where should I keep my music files?

Since 4.1, when you add a track to a mix or mashup project, DJ.Studio stores a link to the original file instead of a copy. This saves disk space, but it means:

  • Don't move, rename or delete music files after adding them to a project. If you do, DJ.Studio asks you to locate the file when you open the project. Select the file at its new location to reconnect it.

  • Keep your music on a local drive that is always connected.

  • Don't keep your music in a cloud-sync folder (OneDrive, iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or similar). Sync tools can make files temporarily unavailable, move them, or turn them into online-only placeholders, even when "keep on device" is on. DJ.Studio then loses the track. A project can show many tracks but load only one, and in the worst case your mixes and mashups can be damaged beyond repair.

  • Use cloud storage only for backups, for example a project backup made with Export > Backup.

If tracks are already missing, see "Track not found or missing in DJ.Studio".

Which drive should the database be on?

Use a fast drive that is built into your computer.
Avoid:

  • External SSDs: this can substantially reduce performance.

  • Network drives: DJ.Studio needs fast, local access to its files.

  • Cloud-sync folders (iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive and similar): syncing can cause irreparable damage to your mixes and mashups.

If your system drive is running low on space, you can move the database to another internal drive (see "How do I move the database?").

How do I free up disk space?

In any version: clear the stems cache and old exports

  • Stems cache: delete the files in the Cache folder inside your DJ.Studio folder. In 4.1 and later you can also clear it for a single track: right-click the track in the Studio and choose Clear stems cache.

  • Exports: delete files you no longer need from the Exports folder inside your DJ.Studio folder. Only do this if you have copies elsewhere.

DJ.Studio 4.1 and later: run Disk Cleanup

Versions before 4.1 copied every track into the database. Disk Cleanup removes those duplicate copies, but only when the original file is still at the location DJ.Studio has on record. Nothing is removed unless you run it.

  1. Back up the database. Follow the steps in "How do I back up the database?" below.

  2. Start Disk Cleanup. Go to Settings > Folders > Disk Cleanup and click Start Cleanup.

  3. Check your projects. Open several existing projects and confirm they load and play as expected.

DJ.Studio 3.x and 4.0

These versions copy every track into the database, and Disk Cleanup is not available. Clearing the stems cache and old exports (see above) is the safe way to free up space.

Important, all versions: never delete files from the audio-library-audioData folder yourself. Older projects may still depend on those copied audio files. Use Disk Cleanup instead.

How do I move the database?

  1. Move the complete database folder to the new location.

  2. Open DJ.Studio and go to Settings > Folders > Database folder.

  3. Select the new location.

Choose a fast drive built into your computer. DJ.Studio shows a warning about cloud-sync services when you change this location. Take it seriously: do not choose a folder that Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive or a similar service syncs.

How do I back up the database?

  1. Open DJ.Studio and choose View > Go to data folder.

  2. Finder or File Explorer opens the data folder.

  3. Copy the complete database folder to another location.

  4. Rename the copy to Database_backup.

Data folder

Make this backup before you run Disk Cleanup or change the database location. To back up a single project instead, use Export > Backup. See Backup, Restore, and Transfer Projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I reduce the size of the DJ.Studio database?

Use Disk Cleanup: Settings > Folders > Disk Cleanup > Start Cleanup. This removes copied audio files left over from versions before 4.1, as long as the originals still exist at their original location.

You can also:

  • clear the stems cache

  • delete exported mixes you've already saved elsewhere

Don't manually delete files from audio-library-audioData — older projects may still depend on them.

Does DJ.Studio still copy my audio files into the database?

No, not since 4.1. DJ.Studio references the original file instead of copying it. If you're on an older version, or have projects from one, the database may still hold old copies.
Disk Cleanup removes the ones that are safe to delete.

What happens if I move or rename an audio file?

DJ.Studio can't find it at its old location. Next time you open the project, it asks you to locate the file: point it to the new location and it reconnects.

Can I move the database folder to another drive?

Yes, but it must be an internal drive. Move the whole folder, then update the location at Settings > Folders > Database location.

What kind of drive should I use?

An internal, locally-connected drive.
Avoid:

  • External drives, including external SSDs. Even a fast external SSD can cause stuttering audio, since DJ.Studio needs consistently high-speed read access that external connections can't guarantee.

  • Network drives, for the same reason.

  • Cloud-synced folders (iCloud, Dropbox) these can cause file conflicts and missing-file errors on top of the speed issue.

Can I turn off the internal DJ.Studio library?

No, it's how the app tracks your files. Since 4.1 it only stores references, not copies, so it takes up much less space than it used to.

How do I back up my database?

  1. In DJ.Studio, go to View > Go to data folder.

  2. Copy the whole folder to another location.

  3. Give the copy a name you'll recognize, e.g. Database_backup.

Do this before running Disk Cleanup or changing the database location.e database location.

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