How to · Traktor Pro

Transfer your library to Serato in Traktor Pro.

Traktor and Serato store libraries in completely different formats. Here is the honest, step-by-step path from a Traktor NML collection to Serato .crate files, and how Vibes bridges both ecosystems in one export.

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Vibes library view showing tracks imported from Traktor ready to export as Serato crates

Import your Traktor NML, organize by vibe, export clean .crates straight into Serato.

Transfer your library to Serato in Traktor Pro, step by step.

Traktor exports its collection as an NML file and Serato reads .crate files. These formats are not directly compatible, so the native path requires a manual export from Traktor followed by a third-party import tool or careful file placement to get your tracks into Serato.

Export your Traktor collection as NML

In Traktor Pro 4, open the Browser panel and right-click on 'Track Collection' in the browser tree. Select 'Export Collection' from the context menu and save the NML file to a location you can easily find. This NML contains your track metadata, BPM, key, and playlist structure. You can also export individual playlists or smartlists by right-clicking them and choosing the export option.

Use a conversion tool to bridge the formats

Serato DJ Pro cannot natively import a Traktor NML file. You will need a third-party tool such as Lexicon or MIXO to read the NML and output Serato-compatible data. Both tools auto-detect your Traktor collection.nml, or you can point them to the NML you exported. Run the conversion, map your Traktor playlists to Serato crates, and confirm BPM and key values carry over correctly.

Place .crate files into your Serato library folder

Serato reads .crate files from the _Serato_ folder inside your music directory (on macOS this is ~/Music/_Serato_; on Windows typically C:\Users\you\Music\_Serato_). Converted .crate files belong in the Subcrates subfolder. Tools like Lexicon and MIXO write directly to this location automatically. If you are placing files manually, copy them into the Subcrates subfolder, then restart Serato DJ Pro and your crates will appear in the crates panel on the left.

Re-analyze tracks in Serato if needed

Serato stores its own analysis data separately from Traktor. Right-click the imported crate in Serato, choose 'Analyze Files', and let Serato build its waveforms and confirm BPM and key. When using Lexicon or MIXO for the conversion, hot cues and beatgrids transfer to Serato. Without a conversion tool, cue points do not survive a raw file-drop, so you would need to set them again in Serato. Cue colors are not stored in Traktor, so Serato applies its defaults regardless of which method you use.

The catch

Serato has no native Traktor NML import, so you always need a third-party bridge tool such as Lexicon or MIXO. When using those tools, hot cues and beatgrids do transfer; cue colors do not carry over because Traktor does not store them. A purely manual file-drop transfers no cue data at all.

Mood

Euphoric

Melancholic

Mysterious

Energy

Aggressive

Peaceful

Rave

Function

Afterhours

Club

Home

The faster way

Import your Traktor NML, export Serato .crates. Done.

Vibes reads your Traktor NML directly, lets you tag and organize your library by energy and mood, then writes .crate files straight into your Serato library folder. No manual file juggling, no third-party bridge needed.

See how it works

Import your Traktor NML collection in one step, preserving BPM, key, and playlist structure

Tag tracks by energy and feel using Vibe Sort, then let Auto-Tag suggest vibes across your whole library

Export vibe-based .crate files directly into Serato, including optional BPM-range or Camelot-key subfolders

Combinations auto-groups tracks sharing multiple vibes into ready-made crates, so your Serato library is organized from day one

Organize in Vibes, export to Traktor Pro.

Your playlists, tags, ratings, and cue points travel back to the gear you play on, so nothing you do in Vibes is locked away.

Track 001

Artist A

128

Afterhours

Mysterious

Introspective

Track 002

Artist B

124

Cozy Floor

Peaceful

Home

Track 003

Artist C

132

Rave

Aggressive

Festival

Build & Release

Playlists

Vibes

Mood

Aggressive

Euphoric

Melancholic

Mysterious

Peaceful

Playful

Tense

Function

Arrangement

Sets

Club Night 12/28

NYE Closing Set

Rooftop 01/04

Frequently asked questions

The honest answers, including the trade-offs.

Vibes replaces the manual conversion step, not Traktor Pro itself. Vibes imports your Traktor NML and exports .crates into Serato, so you skip the third-party bridge tool and manual file placement. You still use Traktor Pro to perform and Serato DJ Pro to play out. Vibes sits in between as your library and prep layer.

Not through the native path. Traktor and Serato store cue point data in incompatible formats, and Vibes exports .crate files which carry tracks and playlist structure only. Serato .crate files do not support embedded cue points, so you will need to set cues again inside Serato after the transfer.

Yes. When you export to Serato in Vibes, it writes one .crate per playlist or vibe, and optionally creates subfolders by BPM range or Camelot key. Your Traktor playlist structure maps directly to Serato crates, so your Serato library is organized the moment you open it.

Methodology