To move Native Instruments to an external hard drive, you only relocate the sample libraries and content, not the applications or plug-ins themselves. This frees up internal drive space while keeping your software fully functional, and the process is verified through Native Access 2's RELOCATE function.
What you can (and can't) move to an external hard drive
Only sample libraries and content, such as KONTAKT instruments, MASCHINE factory libraries, and Expansion Packs, are safe to move to an external hard drive. Standalone applications (like KONTAKT or MASCHINE as programs) and plug-in files (VST, AU, AAX on macOS) must stay on your system drive. Moving applications can cause failed updates, and moving plug-ins means your DAW won't detect them, so you'd lose access in your projects. The content, however, is designed to be relocated, and doing so can sometimes even improve performance by offloading heavy reads from your internal drive. If you need a similar space-saving fix for a large game, you can install genshin impact on external hard drive to reclaim dozens of gigabytes.
Prepare your external hard drive
Your external drive needs the correct file system so Native Instruments can read and write to it reliably. On macOS, format the drive as APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) using Disk Utility. On Windows, use NTFS via the format dialog in File Explorer. Formatting erases all existing data, so back up anything important first.
Close all audio software and move your library
Before touching any files, quit your DAW and all other Audio/MIDI-related software. This prevents file locks or conflicts during the copy. Copy the entire library folder (not just individual instruments) to the external hard drive. Keep the folder structure intact; don't rename subfolders or move individual files, as Native Access expects the full directory tree.
Relocate your library in Native Access 2
With the library copied, you now tell Native Access 2 where it lives. Launch Native Access 2 and go to the "Installed products" tab. The product you moved will be marked with a yellow "REPAIR" label. Click on "REPAIR" and select "RELOCATE" in the drop-down menu. In the "Relocate" window, click "BROWSE" next to the product you have moved, then browse to your product's new location, select its folder, and click "Open". The "Relocate" window will now list your product's new location path. Click the "RELOCATE" button to confirm. Your installation is now repaired, and your NI product should appear as correctly installed in Native Access. This is the verified method for Native Access 2, which runs on macOS 10.14 and higher and Windows 10 and higher; if you're on an older OS, you'll need the separate instructions for Native Access 1.
Test your setup and troubleshoot issues
Open your DAW and load a project that uses the moved library, or start a new one and browse for the instrument. If it loads without error, you're done. If you're on macOS and the library stops working after a restart, requiring you to relocate it again, the likely cause is either multiple drives with the same name or the drive not being ejected safely. First, safely eject the hard drive: open Finder, select the hard drive, click File in the top menu bar, and select Eject. Unplug the external hard drive, shut down your computer, start it again, wait 2-3 minutes after boot, then plug the drive back in. If the problem persists, open Disk Utility and check whether the Volume Name matches the Mount Point; if a number is added to the drive name in the Mount Point entry, contact Apple Support for assistance. For MASCHINE specifically, if you haven't already installed the Factory Library or Expansion Pack on the external drive, copy the entire directory there now, then open MASCHINE's Preferences, go to the Library tab, click the small Directory icon next to the "Maschine 2 Factory Library" path, select the Maschine 2 Library directory on the external drive, and press Choose. On OS X, you may be prompted for your administrator password, after which MASCHINE will update its database to include the new location. If you later repurpose the drive for creative applications, you can also add external hard drive as scratch disk Photoshop to speed up large image edits.
