TROUBLESHOOTING

Update, upgrade or reinstall FL Studio & plugins.

This section covers:

• Installation & update FAQ.
• Standard installation or update.
• Copying or migrating an existing FL Studio installation.
• Parallel installations (two or more versions of FL Studio).
• Foolproof update or relocation
• Default file locations.
• The latest downloadable installers are available here.

Installation & Update FAQ

• Where do I get the installation file? - From your Account page or www.image-line.com. See the section below Standard installation or update for more details.
• Where do I get my registration code/file? - Click here or from your Account page. See the section below Standard installation or update for more details.
• Do I need my old installation files or CD? - No. The latest installers are all you need. The FLRegkey.Reg downloadable from your Account will unlock it, once installed.
• Can I install more than one version of FL Studio? - Yes. Major revisions (i.e. 9 to 10) automatically install into a separate folders so you can have parallel installations. For minor revisions (i.e. 9.0 to 9.1) you need to manually set the installer to a different folder, otherwise 9.0 will be overwritten with 9.1. See the Parallel installations section below.
• Do I need more than one registration code? - No. One regcode (FLRegkey.Reg file) will work with all existing FL Studio installations, purchased plugins and sample packs. You will usually need to download and install a new regcode when you are installing a major revision (a good habit).
• Can I install FL Studio over an existing installation? - Yes. You can manually set the installer to any existing FL Studio folder. Make sure to select the reset settings option on the installer or do this manually after the installation.
  • Minor revisions: i.e 9.0 to 9.1 are, by default, installed into the same installation folder.
  • Major revisions: If you want to install FL9 over FL8 (for example), simply rename the '..\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 8' folder to '..\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 9' prior to running the installer. Then make sure the installer is pointing to the FL Studio 9 installation folder during the install. This method will retain all the files you may have scattered among the FL Studio installation folder (see the question below).
• Will I lose my data installing FL Studio over an existing installation? - No (with some exceptions). The FL Studio installer only overwrites its own files in its own folder. Anything that you have created and saved into the installation folder will be left untouched. However, if you have modified original FL Studio installation files these may be reset. See the 'Default file locations' section below for more details. We recommend you keep your own files outside the FL Studio installation folder.
• Can I install FL Studio onto more than one computer? - Yes. We are reasonable chaps here at Image-Line and realize many people use more than one PC. Typically people have a home studio PC, a laptop and a work PC. It would be reasonable for you to install FL Studio onto each of these PC's, provided you are the only user of the program. It's not acceptable for you to install FL Studio on a PC where people can use it when you are not present.
• Can I move or copy an FL Studio installation from one PC to another? Yes. For tips on copying FL Studio installations between PC's see the section below 'Foolproof Update or PC Relocation'.

Standard installation or update (obtaining installation file/s, registration code & installing them)

In summary, to first time install, update or reinstall FL Studio you need to:

1. Have an Account at the Image-Line website. You need this to download your Registration Code. Account creation happens as part of the download purchase process. Customers who purchased boxed software need to create an account (see 'Box Customers' below).
2. Download and install the 'Demo' which is how the full program/plugin behaves prior to registration, we don't have separate Demo and full installers. NOTE: FL Studio has one installer for all versions.
3. Download and install a new Registration Code and then restart the program. There is only one regcode needed. It will register all programs and plugins you have purchased from Image-Line.

You will be in one of the following groups:

Box Customers

If you have not registered your Boxed software and created an Account, please complete the following steps:

1. Visit the Box registration page.
2. Enter your serial number (found inside the box) and follow the instructions to create an Account.
3. Once your Account is created, follow the steps as shown for 'Download customers' below.

NOTE: Box customers are entitled to 1 free update that raises FL Studio 1 major revision number, i.e. 7 to 8, 8 to 9 or 9 to 10, depending on your current version. If your update entitles you to a FL Studio version number less than the current version then you will need to download the installer from your account page.

Download Customers

If we have updated/upgraded a plugin and you have lifetime free updates for it, then the latest version will always be accessible the right-hand side of your personal account page alternatively the Demo installers at www.image-line.com are usually the latest official versions.

1. Log in - to your Account page. You will have received an email from us with your login details when you originally purchased or registered the item.
2. Installation - Download and install the program or plugin you want to update from your Account page or from www.image-line.com. The 'Demo' version is unlocked to the full version with a registration key in the next step.
3. Unlocking from Demo to registered - Don't skip this step!
   • Windows plugins and software
     • Download - The download link is accessed from the item link, down the right-hand side of your Account page. Click on any purchased item and it will open to show 'click here to unlock this product'. Click on the link and save the 'FLRegkey.Reg' file to a folder where you can later find it, on your computer.
     • Install the FLRegkey.Reg - Double-click the FLRegkey.Reg file to install it OR right-click it and select 'Merge'. Accept any warning messages and allow the file to be written to your Windows Registry. Your registration key will contain the codes for ALL products you own, so only one key is required.

       NOTE: The FLRegkey.Reg file can be copied onto another PC and installed there if you need to register FL Studio or plugins on a computer that does not have access to the internet.

   • Mac plugins and software - If you are a Mac user, copy the reg-codes from your Account page manually and type/paste them into the appropriate place on your plugins registration window.
4. Close and re-open FL Studio & or Plugins - Next time you open FL Studio & or Plugins you should find that it is now unlocked and working without any limitations, no additional downloads are required.

Account Login or Registration Problems?

If you have been through the above steps and are still experiencing difficulties with your Account page or reg.key please -

• If you can't log into your account, try these steps first. Contact the back-office Technical Support Team if these fail.
• See the Knowledge base article Step-by-Step Installation Guide complete with pictures of the steps outlined above.
• Contact the back-office Registration Support Team where you can create a traceable support-ticket.

Copying or migrating an existing FL Studio installation

This section has been provided to help users manage multiple installations and to locate data and files that fail to make the leap across to a new installation. Generally it isn't necessary to be rummaging around in the bowels of the installation folder during an update.

Major vs Minor revisions, Install Locations

• Minor revisions - FL Studio 9.0 to 9.1 for example. The FL Studio installer will copy the new installation files into the existing FL Studio folder (..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 9), unless you set it to install elsewhere. The installer only overwrites FL Studio program files, any files you have created that have been saved in the installation folder will be left untouched. The installer does not delete anything.
• Major revisions - FL Studio 9 to 10 for example. Each major revision is installed into a unique folder ..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 9 vs ..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 10. Each installation also has unique registry setup/preferences-data. There is no risk that you will lose your FL9 data updating to FL10, so long as you don't delete the FL9 installation folder before recovering any personal data (see below).

Parallel Installations

It is possible to have parallel installations of various major and or minor revisions of FL Studio. This will allow you to trial a beta or update to a new version, without losing your current FL Studio installation. For parallel minor revisions simply name the installation folder, during the installer dialog process, to something other than the default (i.e. from FL9 to FL9-1). Major revisions install in parallel by default (i.e. FL9 to FL10). Some points to remember:

• Setup options - Parallel minor revision installations share the same setup options while major revisions can have independent setup options to the previous version.
• Program shortcut - In the case of Parallel minor revisions, you will have to manually re-create a shortcut to the FL.exe (file that runs the program) for the older version after the new parallel update is installed.

Foolproof Update or Relocation

Well nothing is 'foolproof' really but here's the simplest method of making a FL Studio update or copying FL Studio between PCs and retaining all your files.

• Copying an existing installation on a single PC -

1. Download and install the latest FLRegkey.Reg file.
2. Run the original FL Studio and open the F10 > File settings and note the 'Browser extra search folders' and 'VST plugins extra search folder'.
3. Copy the original FL Studio installation folder to a new folder i.e. '..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 8' copied to '..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 9'.
4. Run the new installer. Set the FL Studio installer to install into the copy folder i.e. '..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 9'.
5. Run the new FL Studio and set the F10 > File settings to the same locations as the previous installation (see notes from step 2).
6. Make sure the FL Studio desktop icon is pointing to the correct (new) installation. Right-click the FL Studio icon and select 'Properties > Open file location' then verify the location is correct.
7. Optional: Once you are sure the new installation is running correctly you can delete the old FL Studio installation folder, but don't empty your trash-bin until you are sure the new one is still working.

• Copying an installation to a new PC -

1. Download and install the latest FLRegkey.Reg on the new PC.
2. Run the original FL Studio on the old PC and open the F10 > File settings and note the 'Browser extra search folders' and 'VST plugins extra search folder'.
3. Copy any data folders that are being used in step 2 from the old PC to the new PC and take note of where you put them. It's a new PC, so why not take some time to create a nice tidy directory structure to store all your FL Studio related files.
4. Copy the original FL Studio installation folder to the new PC's 'Program Files' folder i.e. Old PC '..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 9' copied to New PC '..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 9'.
5. Run the FL Studio installer. Set the FL Studio installer to install into the copy folder i.e. '..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio 9'.
6. Run the new FL Studio installation and set the F10 > File settings to the locations noted in step 3.

Default File Locations

FL Studio looks inside its own installation path ..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio N (where N = the FL Studio version number) and in any extra search folders you have set for data files. If you open the new installation and your data appears to be missing there are a number of things to do. The following is provided to help you recover your data and move it to your own file locations where it can be backed up and shared between major revisions of FL Studio.

• Extra search folders - Ensure that any Browser extra search folders are the same in the old and new installation (F10 > File).
• VST plugins extra search folder - Ensure that the VST extra search folder is the same in each installation (if used).
• Samples, project & other program files - The simplest method is to add the previous FL Studio installation folder ..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio N-1 as a Browser extra search folder in the new installation. If your data files reappear, then you know they are in the old installation folder. If so, take some time to recover all your files and move them to your own directories. Your data files may be in the following locations:
  • ..\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio N\Data\Patches\Recorded - The default location for audio recordings and Mixer track freezing.
  • ..\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio N\Data\Patches\Rendered - Location for rendered audio.
  • ..\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio N\Data\Patches\Sliced beats - The default location for Slicex and Edison sliced and 'dragged' samples.
  • ..\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio N\Data\Patches\User - User related files.
  • ..\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio N\Data\Patches\Plugin database - This is if you have set up your own database.
  • ..\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio N\Data\Projects - Project files (.flp / .zip).
  • ..\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio\System\Config\Mapping\Generic\(generic controller)\channelsettings.flmapping - This is your Permanent Global Links data file. It contains your custom controller to GUI and Plugin interface links. Copying this file between installs means your controller/s and plugins should be set up correctly.
• Downloader files - Data downloaded using the Download manager will be in one of two locations:
  • FL Studio 8 and lower - Unless the Downloader was set to another location, most files will be in ..:\Program Files\Image-Line\Shared\Data. One exception, FPC files will be downloaded to ..:\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio N\Data\Patches\Plugin presets & Packs directories.
  • FL Studio 9 and higher - Unless the Downloader was set to another location, all files should be in ..:\Users\(user profile)\Documents\Image-Line (or different depending on the Windows version) and should be already visible to the newer installation.