SYSTEM SETTINGS

System Settings - Files

To open the File Settings choose 'Options > File settings' from the main menu or press the F10 function key on your keyboard. The File Settings page allows you to link additional directories into the Browser, along with a location where your VST/VSTi plugins are saved. You can then directly access these files from the FL Studio Browser. To open: Press F10 and select the File icon. The first time you open this page, the folder slots will be empty, each row represents one 'custom' folder that you can add to the Browser. Directories set here also be searched (and all sub-folders) for samples and sounds when you load a project. It is unwise to select the root of your C: drive for example as FL Studio will search all the folders on your hard-drive when it is looking for a file.

NOTE: At any time you can open a standard Windows Browser (Right-click on the Windows 'Start' button and select 'Explore') and then drag compatible files from the Windows Browser into FL Studio (FL Studio will behave in the same way as noted in step 1 below).

We have a series of video tutorials on using the Browser & extra search folders here.

Add Directories to the Browser

NOTE: You can drag-and-drop folders from the Windows browser on the 'Browser extra search folders' area and they will be added.

Browser extra search folders

40 custom Browser directories can be set (note the scroll-bar down the right side of the window).

How to set a Browser extra search folder:

1. Left-click on the folder icon at the start of a row as indicated above and browse to the folder location and then click 'OK'. Alternatively, double-click the text fields to enter paths manually.
2. Optionally, Left-click in the Name column and enter a custom name, this sets the name shown in the Browser. If the name field is left blank then the name of the target folder will be shown in the Browser.

What do they do? The folders set here will appear in the FL Studio Browser in a green font so that they are easily identified. Here are four good reasons to use them:

1. You can drag sounds/samples/patches from the Browser onto the desired location in FL Studio and they will be loaded automatically (channel sampler, slicer, projects [drag onto the desktop], etc).
2. External folders keep your data independent from the FL Studio installation.
3. The extra search folders are (as the name suggests) included in automatic search and load operations.

4. The Browser contains some useful manual search functions so you can locate your files.

VST plugins extra search folder

What does it do? This folder is a custom search location where you can put your 3rd party VST plugins. FL Studio will add any plugins to the pop-up lists that appear when you add a VST instrument to a Channel or effect to the Mixer. NOTE: The folder set here does not appear in the Browser. See the section on installing VST plugins for more details.

How to set: The first time you open this page, the folder slots will be empty, each row represents one 'custom' folder that you can add to the FL Studio Browser. Click the browse folder-button on the left side of the panel to browse the extra VST plugins folder.

Backup / Autosave

The Autosave function will create backup copies of the current project (and or any overwritten files including .flp, .fst, .zip etc) to the Browser > Backup folder. This folder is located in FL Studio's installation directory ..:\Program Files (x86)\Image-Line\FL Studio\Data\Backup. If you want to recover the last autosave then use the option 'Revert to last autosave' from the File Menu OR select a project from the Browser > Backup folder. Autosaves are made according to the following settings and rules:

• Never (just remind every 10 min) - No backup files are made. The reminder to save your project will appear in the Hint Bar if 10 minutes elapse without a manual save.
• Rarely (every 15 minutes) - Backups are made on every manual save AND every 15 minutes UNLESS FL Studio is playing, then the autosave is postponed until the project is stopped.
• Occasionally (every 10 minutes) - Backups are made on every manual save AND every 10 minutes UNLESS FL Studio is playing, then the autosave is postponed until the project is stopped.
• Regularly (every 5 minutes) - Backups are made on every manual save AND every 5 minutes UNLESS FL Studio is playing, then the autosave is postponed until the project is stopped.
• Frequently (every 5 minutes & before risky operations) - Backups are made on every manual save AND on critical operations AND every 5 minutes, even when FL Studio is playing and before adding plugins.

NOTE: Only the last 20 saves & or auto saves for all projects that you have been working on are retained. The purpose of this system is for emergency recovery of crashed, damaged or incorrectly edited projects. For permanent sequential backups use the (Ctrl + N) save shortcut or select File > Save new version.